Serving Trouble (Second Shot 1)

Did someone see us kissing in the parking lot and report back to my dad?

But then how would they know Dominic had called? And why would her father care about the fact that she’d messed around with her brother’s friend, now her boss? She wasn’t a teenager anymore. Plus, she made it clear she was a lost cause when it came to finding trouble.

“Yes,” Noah said.

“Oh.” One word and Forever’s tough-­as-­nails police chief deflated like a balloon stabbed with a pin.

“Dad?” she said tentatively. A dreadful feeling simmered and threatened to shake the calm she’d struggled to maintain since Noah had left her in the barn. If something had happened to Dominic . . .

Her father shook his head. “He usually calls on Sunday mornings. I knew he was heading out this week. He never says where. Syria. Afghanistan. Africa. He’s been all over the world. But he always gives me a heads-­up if he won’t be able to call.”

Noah frowned. “I’ll shoot him a message while you’re out. I doubt he’ll respond, but I can try. If you’re worried, I can email Ryan too.”

Josie’s hope rose. Ryan was the third member of their trio from high school and the years following. Of course, he’d keep tabs on Dominic too.

“I hadn’t thought of that,” her dad said. “How’s he doing? I haven’t run into his father in a while.”

“Ryan’s making the most of what the air force has to offer. And with their budget, that’s a helluva lot. I swear he joined just to play with their toys.” Noah reached for a pint glass to fill the order she’d passed to him. “Different branches and all, but Ryan talks shop with Dominic.”

Her father smiled, but it appeared strained. “I’m sure the air force has a lot of toys, but not much beats the army rangers.”

Navy SEALs. They probably had one up on the rangers. But she wasn’t about to stomp on her dad’s pride. His son was a ranger. He’d completed a training program most guys failed. She couldn’t recall the exact pass/fail rate, but she bet her dad knew. And he’d probably told the entire police force.

“Let’s go, Dad. Before the dinner hour is up,” she said, hoping she could keep his mind off Dominic for a little while. Her brother would be fine. He had to be OK. If he wasn’t . . . how much loss could one person take?

Chapter Sixteen

“I HEAR YOU’RE a local hero.”

Josie dropped her breadstick and looked up at her dad. Hero? Her? She glanced around the mostly empty mediocre Italian restaurant, the only establishment aside from The Three Sisters that didn’t cater to the university students.

“For bringing in that special beer?” her father added, his brow furrowed as if he was trying to focus on small talk instead of thinking about Dominic.

She let out a laugh. “That’s right. I’m the local beer hero.”

“Glad you’re putting that marketing degree to good use,” he said, reaching for his water.

“I didn’t finish my degree, Dad.”

The waitress arrived and took their orders. Josie took her time ordering a house salad and personal pizza, hoping her father would drop the subject of school.

“You could always go back,” her dad said as the waitress walked away.

“I could,” she admitted. But first I have to pay seventy thousand dollars in medical expenses I never told you about. . .

“Or take classes at the community college to finish up your degree. That way you could live at home.”

“And you could keep an eye on me?” she said, reaching for her water.

The town’s chief of police offered a rare smile. “I like having you home, Josie. You still haven’t told me why you came back, but I’m glad you did.”

“Me too, Dad.”

“And I wouldn’t mind some help with the mowing,” her dad added gruffly. “Maybe you could do some work in the old vegetable garden. It hasn’t been weeded much since you ran off to college.”

But Dominic was the gardener.

No, she couldn’t say his name. Not right now.