Page 19 of Long Hard Road

“I appreciate the thought, Betty, but Maisy figured out freshman year that I’m not the right guy for her.” I swiped my card to pay and then took the receipt she handed me. “Now, if you and Glenn ever call it quits, I expect you to give me a call.”

“I’ve got you on speed dial, sweetheart.” Betty was always up for an innocent flirt with a younger man.

I braced myself before stepping outside. We had gotten the six inches of snow that was predicted, plus a lot more in the places where it had drifted overnight. The main road had been plowed, but the sidewalks and parking spaces downtown were almost unpassable. Harper hadn’t even bothered to open her store this morning even though her apartment was right upstairs. She had probably rightly assumed that most people wouldn’t be hanging around downtown today.

As the only coffee shop in town, Amelia had braved the elements to serve the few locals who were forced to be out. A police officer was leaving with a carrier of coffees and I hurried ahead to grab the door before it could swing shut behind him.

“Hey, Nate.” Sheriff Garrity nodded at me. “Good to see you.”

“Looking good, Sheriff.” I almost hadn’t recognized the man. He’d lost at least ten pounds since I saw him at the Winter Festival back in December.

“I got a grandkid on the way. Need to be able to chase after the little monster.” He nodded again and headed toward his cruiser.

Sheriff Garrity was older than my dad. He should probably be close to retirement, but it was hard to imagine anyone else in his position. He and the mayor had both been running the town my whole life.

Amelia was the only one inside and she smiled warmly at me. “Nate! Thank goodness you are here. I made all these cinnamon rolls and no one has come in to eat them. Please take some off my hands. My treat.”

“Amelia, you know I can never say no to any of your baked goods.” I pulled out one of the bar stools at the counter. “But you have to keep my company while I eat.”

“Deal.” She put the two largest rolls onto a plate and placed it in front of me. “Coffee?”

“Please.” I yanked a big piece from one of the rolls and shoved it into my mouth. “Damn, Amelia. These things should be criminal.”

“Nah, the sheriff approves of them so they are perfectly legal.” Amelia placed a steaming mug in front of me and kept another in her hand. “Harper stopped in yesterday after I sent you away with those pastries. She told me you’ve made a new friend.”

I groaned. “You two are the worst gossips in town.”

“She said it was the girl you chatted up in here the other day. Nice work. She’s adorable.” Amelia winked playfully. “She’s legal, right?”

“Shit, Amelia. Of course she’s legal. She’s 24. What kind of guy do you think I am?”

“Sorry. I was just joking. Lily told me you were a little hung up on the age gap.”

I dropped my head into my hands. “Why was Lily talking to you about that? I swear, this is all just reaffirming the reasons I moved away from Crestwood to begin with.”

“Nate.” Her hand touched my arm. “We’re just happy to see you with someone. You are one of the best guys I know and you deserve to have someone in your life who makes you smile.”

Her words were meant to be encouraging, not to send me spiraling back to last night when Madison had so easily called me out for forcing myself to look like I wasn’t miserable. No one else in my life had noticed I was only going through the motions. Not even Brent, and he knew everything I’d gone through with Fiona. Somehow Madison just understood me. She saw the grief and anger I kept buried under a thin veneer of contentment.

“Hey, Amelia. Any chance I could get the second cinnamon roll to go? And two coffees?”

“Of course.” She smiled and there was a knowing glint in her eyes. “Madison takes her coffee black, right?”

“I guess I don’t know.” I made it a point to find out.

“I’m pretty sure that was her order. Just give me a sec.” She grabbed my plate and mug and headed toward the sink.

The bell over the door chimed and heavy footsteps echoed off the tile floor. The muscles in my shoulders tightened instinctively and I turned. The man wearing those loud boots was not someone from Crestwood.

“Hey.” I was instantly suspicious of the hulking stranger glaring at me beneath a black baseball hat that had been pulled low over his eyes.

“Is this place open?” The stranger’s voice was just as gruff as his appearance.

“Amelia is just in the kitchen. She’ll be right back.” I noticed the man’s smooth gait as he moved toward the counter. Definitely not a local. “Passing through or visiting?”

“In town for work.” He didn’t look at me as he answered.

Amelia came back into the room and placed two takeaway cups of coffee on the counter. “I need to grab Madison’s cinnamon roll,” she said before turning to the new customer. “Hi there! What can I get started for you?”

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