Yesterday's Scandal (The Wild McBrides 3)

“Everything,” she answered simply. “Starting with keying the side of your truck and ending with you stopping him before he broke into your place last night.”

He was frankly surprised. “Did he now?”

“Yes. If it wasn’t for you, Brad would be in jail today. Maybe he deserved to be—but I’m so very glad he didn’t have to go through that. We owe you so much—”

“You owe me nothing,” he said flatly. “I heard the boys talking. I knew Brad had not been involved in any of the previous break-ins. I could tell he was being led into something that deep down he wanted no part of. I just helped him make the right choice. I’m surprised he told you, though.”

“He said he needed to. He was so shaken by what almost happened that I don’t think he slept a wink last night. He cried when he told me about it. He was so disappointed in Jimbo and Tommy and Mike—another boy who’d been involved in the previous break-ins. So disillusioned by Officer Dodson’s involvement. And so stunned and grateful for what you did for him, even after the way he had treated you.”

“I told him I didn’t do it for him.”

“I know.” She took a couple of steps toward him, her eyes holding his. “He told me that, too. He said you did it for me. But I think you did it for both of us.”

Even though she stood close enough for him to catch a faint scent of her floral shampoo, he didn’t reach out to touch her. He had to fist his hands in his pockets to stop himself from trying. Gratitude and indebtedness were not what he wanted from Sharon—even though he still didn’t know what, exactly, he did want.

She seemed perplexed by his silence. She cleared her throat. “Brad didn’t know how you and Wade learned of the boys’ plans last night.”

“Wade got a tip. One of the kids spouted off to a friend, who got a conscience and told his father the whole story. Wade had already been following his own hunch on Dodson and he found a storage-warehouse in Carollton with a unit full of stuff taken in area break-ins. The unit had been rented under an assumed name, but the storage warehouse owner identified Dodson from a photograph. As for last night—the kid with the big mouth had been bragging about what they were going to do to the ‘cocky Latino’ who’d come to town and stirred up so much trouble. So Wade was ready for them last night.”

“And Wade told you?”

“He heard they might try to pull Brad in because of his antagonism toward me. Because of my friendship with you—and his own—he gave me a chance to intercede. Had Brad gotten all the way to the storage building with the other kids, there would have been nothing Wade could do. He was already skirting the ethical line to bring me in.”

“I’ll have to thank him—”

“No. As far as Wade knows officially, Brad was never there. I’ve never confirmed that he was, nor will I. The other boys won’t say anything, and even if they do, they have nothing on him. Brad was never involved. Let’s leave it at that.”

Her eyes were so sad and troubled, it made his chest ache to look at her. He wanted very badly to reach out to her. He contented himself with smoothing a strand of hair away from her face. His fingertips brushed her warm, flushed skin, and the temptation was strong to press his lips to hers, but he restrained himself.

If he kissed her now, and she responded, he couldn’t know if it was only gratitude motivating her actions. He couldn’t accept that.

He dropped his hand, shoving it back into his pocket.

Sharon moistened her lips, as if she sensed how close he had come to kissing them. And then she spoke again, her voice firmer this time. “Brad was involved in damaging your truck. He said he let Jimbo goad him into it because of a confrontation they had with you. One they felt they lost.”

“I’ve always known it was Brad. I saw him.”

“But you didn’t pursue it. Again, for my sake.”

He merely shrugged.

Her chin lifted in a show of pride. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you. And I am going to pay for your repairs.”

“You are not paying for anything and that’s the end of it. If Brad makes the offer, I’ll let him work it off doing cleanup around the site. I won’t take money from him that he would probably get from you, anyway.”

She didn’t look entirely satisfied, but she let it drop. Wrapping her arms at her waist, she chewed her lower lip, looking as though she couldn’t decide what to say next. The distance between them seemed suddenly more pronounced than the three feet or so that separated them physically.

He hated it.

“Caleb and Bobbie McBride got back in town this morning. I don’t know if you heard.”

“No. But I knew they were due soon.” He wished she hadn’t brought up the McBrides, reminding him of the biggest area of contention between them. It still stung that she’d so quickly taken their side, that she had seemed so judgmental of him for pursuing a goal she didn’t approve of. It appeared that the McBrides had everything—including Sharon’s loyalty and affection.

And if he kept thinking along those lines, he would digress into maudlin self-pity, he thought with a touch of disgust.

Her head lowered now, she looked up at him through her lashes. “Have you decided what you’re going to do? Are you going to ask Caleb if he’s your father?”

“I’m leaving town,” he said abruptly. “I’ll pro