She frowned, and it pleased him to see she was wary of a stranger even if he knew he could be trusted. He wondered what circumstances brought her to Willow Springs in the dead of winter as they didn’t get many newcomers this time of year. She finally relented and, stumbling on the curb, hurried around to the passenger side. Shaking his head, he leaned over and opened the door.
“Th… thank you. It is cold,” she admitted with an appreciative sigh at the heat.
“We’re a good distance north of Kansas City. It would be best if you remembered that when going out, even during the afternoon when it’s warmer. Seatbelt.” Her quick obedience stirred Grayson’s interest even more, and he liked the disheveled look of her with several strands of loosened, caramel hair falling around her f
ace and clinging to her neck.
Avery seemed to weigh her answer before she replied, “It’s cold at home, but we don’t have these wide-open spaces with no tall buildings to provide a buffer.”
“Would you like to share what brings you here? Other than during the summer tourist season, we don’t get too many strangers coming to town.” He eyed her askance, watching for a hint of evasion and found it in her tightened jaw and the shift of her eyes out the window.
“I found myself… in need of a change, is all. I’m in room two ten,” she pointed out with obvious relief as he turned into the motel lot.
Putting the cruiser in park, he swiveled in his seat and pinned her with a pointed look before saying, “Get to know Sydney, she’s a good person to have as a friend, as is anyone in Willow Springs. I hope you’ll remember that.”
“I will. Thanks, Sheriff.”
“Good night, sugar.” Grayson heard her sudden indrawn breath as she jumped out and wasn’t surprised when she fumbled with her room key before dashing inside without looking at him again. The girl carried baggage, that’s for sure. The question was, was she in trouble or just needing a fresh start, as she claimed?
Driving home, his thoughts remained on the skittish new waitress at Dale’s. Not since his four-year stint in the army, including eighteen months spent in Afghanistan had opened his eyes to the plight of innocent women had he seen that look on a woman’s face. Last fall, Sydney had arrived on the Dunbar Ranch avoiding her uncle’s nefarious intentions, but she’d never exhibited the genuine distress he caught reflected in Avery’s eyes, at least not in front of him. As soon as he had introduced himself to Avery, she had avoided eye contact with him, the same as just now on the ride to the motel, and the best he could figure his job as sheriff caused her worry.
Fifteen years ago, he had walked away from the army without regret, but he had never forgotten the faces, or the lessons learned that prompted his interest in exerting his sexual dominance along with his protective control when warranted. And he sensed Avery could benefit from both traits.
Pulling into the gravel drive of his log and stone, twenty-five hundred square foot cabin, he smiled when he spotted Lobo, the old wolf he had nursed back to health after digging a bullet out of its hind quarters when he’d been just a pup. Grateful for the rescue and scraps he often left out for him, the wild canine came around every so often to renew their acquaintance. Grayson never attempted to domesticate him even though he appeared to be a wolf hybrid, part Alaskan Malamute or German Shepherd, but had grown attached to the mangy critter over the last ten years.
“What have you been up to, old man?” Holding out his hand, he waited patiently for Lobo to reacquaint himself with Grayson’s scent before scratching behind his ears. “You look good, but let’s see what I can scrounge up for you in the kitchen.”
After tossing him two steak bones, Grayson returned inside and shrugged out of his coat. With darkness came a quick drop in temperature and his thoughts once again strayed to Avery. Gertie’s insistence the girl bunk above the diner had eased the concern he’d felt when he heard her mention staying at the motel. Not that his town wasn’t safe, but a young woman alone, living in a place with no security and going back and forth to work at night was just asking for trouble. Knowing Gertie, she would have Avery ensconced in the studio apartment before her shift started the next day. Now, if the rest of his suspicions and concerns regarding Avery could be handled as fast and with as much efficiency, he could quit wondering why he found himself so drawn to a perfect stranger.
Chapter 4
Sydney entered the diner in search of Avery after waiting fifteen minutes for her at the Tea Shop. After meeting her there last week, she felt an immediate kinship with the woman who had done such a poor job of hiding her nervousness, and her interest in their sheriff whenever his name came up. Because of the time it had taken for Avery to move into Gertie’s studio apartment, they had only thirty minutes for a cup of tea and ‘get-to-know-you’ conversation before both of them needed to report to work. Since their time had been short, Sydney strove to gain Avery’s trust by staying clear of personal questions. But it hadn’t been that long since she’d found herself alone in a new place with no one she could trust or confide in right away, and she had seen that same despair and worry reflected on Avery’s face both times they’d been together. Sydney’s heart went out to her, and she intended to not only continue befriending the newcomer but supporting her in any way she could.
Grayson’s distracted manner at the club last weekend left Sydney wondering if he shared her interest in getting to know Willow Springs’ newcomer. She didn’t doubt Master Grayson could pull Avery’s troubling secrets out of her, but that introduction needed to wait until she was sure of Avery’s interest.
“Hey, Gertie. Have you seen Avery? She was supposed to meet up with me again this afternoon.”
Gertie tossed her head toward the door marked ‘Private’ without pausing in carrying an armload of heaping plates by Sydney. “Still holed up back in my office. The girl offered to have a go at my computer.”
“Mind if I go on back?” she asked, already stepping that way.
“Go and quit bugging me.”
Smiling, Sydney padded down the short hall and found her new friend right where Gertie said she would be. Avery didn’t notice her until she walked up to the desk, saying, “Did you forget or are you blowing me off?”
Startled by Sydney’s sudden appearance, Avery jerked and then panicked to close the screen. Jumping up, she rammed her hip against the desk, wincing at the sharp pain before catching the time. “Sorry, sorry. Sheesh! Where did the time go?”
Sydney’s chuckle relieved the tension from Avery’s shoulders. “I tend to lose track of time when I’m cooking.” She nodded at the computer. “What were you looking up?”
“Oh, uh, nothing.” Running her clammy hands down her sides, Avery shifted her eyes away from Sydney’s quizzical green stare. She didn’t want to give away she’d taken a few minutes after fixing Gertie’s problem to snoop around in the files of her old job at the precinct. “Um, Gertie’s screen kept freezing. I found the problem and fixed it, at least for now. She’ll need some new software to keep it from happening again. I can go now if it’s not too late.” She hoped it wasn’t. She had enjoyed their short chat last week, and meeting the teashop owner, Nan Meyers. After weeks of keeping to herself, being surrounded by so many well-meaning people felt foreign and took getting used to.
“I still have time. Let’s go.” As they left the office, Sydney caught her by surprise when she tossed out, “You know, Avery, I’m a good listener and won’t judge, if you need someone to confide in.”
Looking over at her, Avery gauged her sincerity and relaxed even more. If only Sydney knew how tempting her offer was. “You know, Sheriff Monroe said almost the exact same thing about you last week when he gave me a ride.”
“Oooh, tell me more,” Sydney insisted with a gleam in her eyes as they left the diner and headed down the sidewalk toward the quaint teashop.
She shook her head. “There’s nothing to tell. He saw me walking back to the motel and gave me a ride.” After ordering me into his vehicle or back to the diner in that hard-edged voice that still disturbs my dreams. Her easy compliance to the sheriff’s take-charge manner backed by that penetrating gaze bothered Avery despite the warm ripple of pleasure it generated, a hint there might be more to her responses to the man than the fluke born of need, loneliness and desperation she’d first thought when they’d spoken over the phone.