Stella and Liz made Lacy try on all kinds of clothes and model them, and even though she only bought two pairs of jeans and two blouses, she had so much fun laughing and joking with the two women. She couldn’t remember the last time she had spent an hour just hanging out for fun. Even before her mom died they both worked long hours and spent their evenings at home resting in front of the TV. She promised Liz she would come back and shop again. She had been so caught up in her own grief that she had forgotten life could be fun, too.
She had always thought of herself as chubby but Stella told her she had a woman’s body. “I’ve always wanted more curves but I stay skinny,” Stella complained, looking at Lacy modeling a short, tight red dress. “You look hot in that. I wouldn’t.”
Once Lacy had her stuff picked out, Liz convinced Stella to buy a sexy negligee to surprise her husband with. “He’ll love it,” Liz assured her friend. “His eyes will pop out of his face for sure.”
Stella’s cheeks turned red but she bought the sexy nightgown with a smile.
Liz promised to stop by the diner on her breaks to have coffee and chat with Lacy and Stella, and Lacy was glad to have made another friend.
At the end of the week Ally told Lacy she could have the job permanently. “Everyone loves you, hun. Why, even Mr. Harris hasn’t complained about you, and believe me, he complains about every little thing. Just yesterday he told me my meatloaf was missing salt but he was going to eat it because he was hungry.” Ally laughed, shaking her head. “You’re good with people. You are so patient and kind and people respond to that. I hate to talk ill of people, but my last girl was kind of moody.”
Ally hugged Lacy, who thanked her warmly and went back to work.
For the first time in over a year, Lacy felt the fog of depression that had ruled her life lifting and fading away. She felt alive and she was making friends here. Mom would be proud, she thought and felt warm inside. Never again would she let life get her so down that she wanted to give up. Her mother had always taught her that life was a gift and to make the best of it no matter what, but those lessons had gotten lost when she let the grief and pain rule her life.
Ally was such a motherly type. Lacy loved that about her. She fussed over them and made sure they took breaks and ate. It reminded her of her own mom, who she could now remember with fondness and love instead of just pain. She still wished her mom was alive but she understood life had to go on.
Ryan, on the other hand, confused her and piqued her interest at the same time. He watched her every move and she wondered if he was afraid she’d rob them the minute he blinked. He was able to make her pulse speed up and her insides melt with just a smile. Her body was so attuned to his that she always knew when he came in the diner before she actually saw him. But she kept her guard up around him. Stella had already told her the whole story of how he dated Emma, the waitress that walked out. He dumped her when she got too serious. Emma had left heartbroken, Stella told her. Her life was already in enough of a mess. She didn’t need to complicate it more by getting involved with Sheriff Hotness.
He came in and sat in her section all week. She tried to get Stella to wait on him but Stella laughed and pushed Lacy toward Ryan’s table. She went up to his booth, ready for more questions. Every day he asked her a personal question, which she usually ignored or answered vaguely. She knew he didn’t like the fact that Ally hired her without references and also let her stay in the apartment upstairs. It was almost like a game they played. She even started looking forward to it. But today he shocked her by asking her out on a date.
“What?” she said, looking confused. Maybe she had heard wrong.
Ryan saw her confusion and smiled. She obviously hadn’t expected him to ask her out. He surprised himself; he hadn’t planned on asking her out. But over the last week his nights were filled with erotic dreams of Lacy and even during the day he would be sitting at his desk and suddenly he would think of her and catch himself smiling like a schoolboy over his first crush. He had tried to remind himself that he didn’t need to entangle himself in another romance, but he could no longer resist wanting to get to know her more. “I know you’re off tomorrow, so do you wanna see a movie with me? We’d have to drive over to the next town of St. Clair. It’s about thirty miles from here but it’s got more to do than Appledale.” Ryan knew if he took Lacy to Thorn’s Bar where Emma, his ex-girlfriend, liked to hang out, Emma would cause a huge scene. It was better to get away from Appledale and avoid the drama.
She didn’t know how to answer. “I thought your mom said you weren’t allowed to date the waitresses?”
Ryan grinned and stood up. When he looked down at her she felt so small and feminine. “I’ll handle my mom, darlin’. All you gotta do is say yes.”
Lacy just nodded and agreed, still feeling a little shocked. She hadn’t dated in such a long time. Maybe this wasn’t a wise move, but Ryan had invaded her dreams all week long and she couldn’t resist him anymore.
“Pick you up at six then.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek softly and she trembled. He smiled smugly and left.
* * * *
The following evening, Lacy felt anxious as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was hanging loose around her shoulders and she put mascara and lip gloss on. It was silly but she wanted to impress Ryan. She thought about her apartment and life in Detroit and felt guilty. She should’ve been brave and gone to the police. At least she’d know she had tried to report the murder even if they didn’t believe her. She had picked up the phone several times to call the Detroit Police Department, but she got too scared each time and hung up. Should she get a lawyer? What if she was the criminal now?
Today she had made up her mind to tell Ryan the whole story and hoped he would help her report it even if she did get in trouble for running away. She couldn’t live with this guilt anymore and someone had to put an end to Chico and his gang’s reign of terror. Her mom had always taught her to never run away from a problem and Lacy was determined to fix her big mistake.
A loud knock startled her out of her deep thoughts. “Lacy, it’s Ryan.” She heard his voice coming through the door and she eagerly went to open it.
He stood there in jeans and a blue T-shirt that fit snuggly over his muscular chest and trim waist. She hadn’t seen him out of uniform before. “Come in,” she said huskily with a smile. He looked mouthwateringly good.
He came in and looked her over. She had on her new jeans and a pale pink blouse with a hint of cleavage. Her hair was hanging loose on her shoulders and her kissable lips were pink and glossy. “We’d better go before I give in to temptation and march you to your bedroom, darlin’.”
Lacy’s cheeks turned pink but she smiled. “Sheriff, you are so bad.”
On the drive to St. Clair they decided on an action/adventure movie. Ryan had an easygoing personality and made her feel comfortable talking to him right away. There was none of the awkwardness she usually found on first dates.
Ryan was different than Lacy expected. He always looked so serious but tonight he was very relaxed and he made her blush by brazenly looking at her and telling her how sexy she looked. He didn’t interrogate her with questions. She was able to relax and enjoy the date. She had wondered at first if this was just another way to get answers from her. When they got to the theatre he held her hand and she felt a shiver run through her body just from that small touch. While they were waiting in line at the concession stand Ryan hugged her close to his side as if he didn’t want her far from him. Lacy loved the feel of his hard warm body next to her. “What do you want, darlin’?” Ryan said softly in her ear.
“Just a soda.” Lacy smiled looking into his eyes. They were so beautiful and it would be easy to get lost in them. Ryan kept his arm around Lacy’s shoulder and she felt so sheltered.
“Aww, come on, let’s share some M&Ms together. You can’t watch a movie without chocolate. It’s a law.” He looked like a little boy pleading to have some candy before dinner. Lacy
couldn’t help but laugh at the face he was making. She agreed with him and they went in to sit down.
Lacy enjoyed the movie but she would have enjoyed going anywhere with Ryan. Lacy leaned her head on Ryan’s shoulder during the movie. He kept his attention on her and made her feel special as if they were two people totally alone instead of in a crowded movie theatre. He was good-looking and she saw other women eyeing him but Ryan kept his attention solely on her.