Page 8 of The Sheriff & the Nurse

I’m going to make you so happy.

She backed onto the porch, holding the pepper spray out in front of her. Leaving the door gaping open, she stumbled down the steps and rushed for her car.

She slammed herself inside, hit the lock button, shifted her pepper spray to her left hand, and pushed the button to dial 911. Her eyes darted around as she answered the questions from the operator.

Dr. Hampshire was a psycho. How could she prove that he’d put the poster up? He couldn’t have beaten her here from the hospital. Had he paid someone to do it? Her family’s ranch had security, but there weren’t cameras on her house.

One thought that kept intruding as she stared at her little cabin and around the yard, all seemingly quiet and peaceful. Would Sheriff Clint come himself or would they send a deputy?

She longed for the safety and protection the ultra-tough and confident sheriff offered, but she didn’t want to let down her guard around him again. It had almost destroyed her two years ago.

If she asked him to be her fake fiancé, would he say in that tortured voice, ‘You … me … it’s a no’? Or would he make all her dreams of love and safety come true and agree to the farce? The problem was, she didn’t know that she could handle being that close to Clint without admitting she’d always longed for him and him alone.

Chapter

Two

Sheriff Clint Colevillehad a small team—two full-time deputies, two part-time, and one office assistant. Their county spanned a large geographical area, but it was Montana and most of the space was mountain range that only the most adventurous accessed. Search and Rescue out of Kalispell helped out if he had an issue in the mountains.

He didn’t need much help as he had his well-trained family to back him up in any major emergency, and he thrived on in turn helping his family with protection details. Currently, they had a mother and daughter at the ranch house who were being pursued by a violent ex-husband, and their good friend Lieutenant Paul Braven was protecting a world-acclaimed swimmer and staying in Miles’s cabin.

When dispatch put out a call from Lily Lillywhite’s address, he raced out of his house and for his truck, barely remembering his hat. Lily was still on the line, reporting a break-in at her home.

He pushed up and over the speed limit getting out of the small town and onto the highway. The dispatcher had also saidLily requested no sirens or lights. Why? Was the perp still there and she wanted him caught, not scared off?

He had no desire to call for anyone else’s help. He wanted Lily all to himself, had for years, but that wasn’t meant to be. No, he had to think what was best for Lily, and he could use the backup while searching her cabin.

If only he could call Easton or Walker, but this was official business and he didn’t want Walker asking Lily out as he gifted her with his slow, devastating smile. He told dispatch to call out his deputy, Mark Garrett.

Immediately his thoughts swung back to Lily. He’d tried to keep his distance from her, for years truly. The incredible moments they shared on the dock two years ago would be forever imprinted in his mind. He’d barely stopped himself from kissing her that night, and only because of his loyalty to Miles and Walker.

Walker had come to him fresh out of high school and quietly told him he had dibs if Miles ever broke up with Lily. Clint had almost laughed at that moment, but his younger brother had been dead serious. Walker had confided in Clint that he thought Lily was his future, but he was worried because he noticed her sneaking glances at Clint at church or community events. Clint had reassured Walker he had no designs on Miles’s girlfriend and if they broke up, Walker wouldn’t get any interference from him.

The problem was, from that moment on he started noticing a lot of things he hadn’t seen before. Lily did sneak glances at him. She was charitable, well-loved by everybody at church and in the community. She had a way of making a person feel special, was breathtakingly beautiful, and she made his heart skip a beat when their eyes met.

The harder he tried not to notice Lily, the more she caught his attention. He’d feared what would happen to his devotion toboth his brothers if he ever touched her and he’d found out that summer night on the dock two years ago. He’d been one fish not jumping away from succumbing to his yearning for her.

The autumn after those enticing but conflicting moments with Lily and tearing his own heart out by telling her they were a ‘no’, he’d met the new teacher in town, Sheryl Dracon. He’d slowly warmed up to and then dated Sheryl. He’d eventually believed the benevolent teacher with the angelic face was the love of his life. He hadn’t dated much at all, so kissing and holding and being with Sheryl had been fun and exciting. Clint never did anything halfway. He gave his heart and soul to Sheryl, promising himself he’d love her for eternity and never look crosswise at Lily again.

The truth was he never would’ve pursued Sheryl if he could believe that Lily could be his, but he knew it was a ‘no’ just as he’d told her. He’d never seen two people as committed to each other as Lily and Miles had appeared at that point. He’d assumed Walker would have to move on. Years of long-distance dating and neither Miles nor Lily seemed to falter on their commitment. Except for those few moments Lily had melted into his arms and let him kiss her forehead, her temple, her cheek, and the side of her mouth. His chest got hot just thinking about those moments. He pushed the memories away.

Sheryl had revealed herself to be a two-timer and a liar. He should’ve seen the red flags his family saw, but he’d been too busy trying to believe Sheryl moving to town had been a gift from heaven and they were meant to be. Sheryl had also made him and his close friend Cade Miller battle, confused both of them, and now she was finally out of their lives. Cade was happily married to the vivacious and infamous Jacey Oliver and sadly they were in hiding from her father. Clint hated that he’d gotten so messed up with Sheryl and in his own mind. He didn’ttrust his judgment with women, and he didn’t want to fight with a close friend or brother like he had with Cade.

If he could have Lily in his arms, could it heal all that mess? It didn’t matter, because he couldn’t have Lily in his arms. It was raw how he’d almost betrayed his own brother the last time she was in his arms and that had been two years ago. Nobody could accuse him of moving fast with women.

Miles had recently broken up with Lily and claimed they hadn’t had a healthy relationship in years. Lily might be Clint’s to protect tonight, but could she never be his to love. Walker had called dibs all those years ago and Clint had made a promise to respect it. Walker would make his play for Lily soon. Clint was surprised he hadn’t rushed to find her the day Miles had ended the relationship. He selfishly didn’t want Walker to win Lily’s heart, but he wouldn’t compete with or stand in his brother’s way. No way. No how.

His family was the rock in his life, and he wanted their happiness above his own. The tattoo of ‘Loyal’ on his right shoulder blade that he’d had inscribed after Sheryl dumped him two weeks from their wedding date was a pledge to them, to God, to the people of Coleville, and to the country he loved. Loyalty meant everything to him. Which horribly meant Lily was still off limits.

What if Walker took his shot and it didn’t work out? Maybe Clint’s dreams could then come true.

He raced toward her family’s ranch in his truck. The only thing that kept his stress level under control was believing her brother-in-law Bennett, the security guard for their philanthropic ranch, would be there with Lily. He liked and respected the ‘gentle giant’ Bennett and was reassured Lily would have someone keeping her safe until he got there. Especially if the perpetrator was still on the property. He selfishly wanted to swoop in and rescue her and hold her for avery long time. The memory of their near-kiss on the dock was never far from his mind.

He drove past the large ranch house, surprised that there were only scattered lights on and no activity. The ranch was far too quiet. What was going on? A break in at Lily’s should throw her parents and everyone into a tizzy.

Driving more slowly past the main house and the bunk houses, he headed to the south where he knew Lily and her sister Daisy had fixed up an older cabin set in the trees. Bennett and Rose’s new home was a half-mile to the north.

Pulling up next to Lily’s white Nissan Maxima, he looked at the house. The front porch light was on, the interior lights were on, and the door was ajar. Where was Lily?

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