Page 31 of Sheriff's City Girl

“Emma says today is on the house,” Sarah, a younger woman, said to us, a big smile on her face. “She says thanks for all your hard work.”

“That’s—”

“Tell her thanks,” Jackson cut me off, giving me a smirk as Sarah walked away. “Tell me, Mason, why is it that every time you’re with me, our meal is free? I think Miss Fisher has the hots for you.”

I shook my head. “Maybe she’s just being nice to law enforcement.”

“I feel discriminated against then,” Jackson chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee. “Because my meal is never on the house—not after the first couple of times.”

“That’s because you eat here almost every day for one of your meals. She’d go out of business if she gave you all your meals for free.”

“Touché. That’s a solid point.”

I nodded, sipping my own coffee. It was perfectly brewed, and I could only imagine waking up to a cup like this every morning. My heart flipped in my chest at the thought of Emma in my kitchen, the sunlight streaming through the window. Moments of daydreams like that were happening more and more often—and I was not a fan.

“You should consider asking her out,” Jackson said in a low voice, one of his eyebrows raised.

“What?” I asked, setting my cup down.

“You know what I’m talking about. I’m not an idiot. I know something is going on between the two of you. Besides, Lucas said you took her on a ride last week.”

I’m going to punch him in the face the next time I see him.

“I just think that you should consider something real,” Jackson continued, like he was a wise old man—not a twenty-something-year-old walking boner. “You’re not getting any younger, and Jess can’t take care of you forever.”

“As much as I think you’re a good kid, I don’t think you know what’s best for me.” I tried to be as pleasant as possible, knowing that Jackson was just… trying to be helpful. “I’m not going back down that road.”

“Is that because you’re worried about having another accident?”

His question was not what I was expecting, and I went silent, trying to push that memory back to the dark hole I kept it in. Sarah reappeared, setting a plate of cinnamon rolls in front of us, but my appetite was gone.

“You know, a woman like Emma would know what she was getting into if you and her were to get together. She strikes me as being strong enough to handle a man with a job like ours.”

“Maybe,” I muttered, stealing a glance in her direction. She was sitting on a bar stool behind the counter, her eyes meeting mine for a second. Her gaze quickly diverted after a moment though, leaving my insides craving more from her. “It’s just not a good idea for me to be with anyone.”

Jackson looked over to Emma, obviously having caught the exchange between the two of us. “You know, love is worth the heartbreak.”

Who is he today? Confucius?

“Thanks for the advice.” I grabbed a cinnamon roll, not wanting to be rude—even if it meant I had to force feed myself.

“Man, these are so good,” Jackson said with a full mouth. “I swear she’s the best thing to happen to this town. I don’t know how I haven’t gained fifty pounds since I first started coming here. I seriously could eat every meal here.”

I smiled, mostly at how dramatic Jackson was being, but also… He had a point, and that was made even more clear as I took a bite of the sweet, savory bread. It melted in my mouth, and I fought to hold back a groan.

Damn, she was good.

“Yeah, see, it’s worth it,” Jackson chuckled, his eyes full of amusement as he watched me swallow. He leaned across the table, lowering his voice. “Now, just imagine if you married the woman. You’d be so happy… and fat.” He burst into another fit of laughter while I rolled my eyes.

Sometimes I wondered why the hell I had decided to take the kid under my wing.

“I take it you’re enjoying breakfast?” The voice came from nowhere, and I nearly choked on my coffee.

“It’s amazing,” Jackson answered Emma, who was suddenly standing right there at the booth. “Like I swear you’re the best at everything you make here.”

“Thank you,” her cheeks grew red at the compliment. A pang of jealousy hit me, knowing that Jackson had been the one behind her reaction. “I enjoy baking for a town full of people that are so appreciative and kind.” She didn’t look at me as she spoke, keeping her eyes focused on Jackson.

And it burned.

---