Page 10 of Big Daddy Sheriff

“Oh. Well…” Alyssa wasn’t sure what else to say, so she simply let her words trail off. She didn’t want the men to feel sorry for her. She was the one who’d just tried showing up to a friend’s house unannounced. She should have planned better. Then again, the situation back in Little Rock hadn’t given her much of a choice.

“Let’s go get a bite to eat at the café,” Quinn offered. “After that, we’ll figure out where you can stay. We won’t put you out on the streets.”

He winked, and for some reason she couldn’t quite explain his easy ways made her giggle.

She didn’t know what would happen, but for some reason, she believed him.

Things were going to be okay.

They were walking across the street to the café when Alyssa noticed an area that didn’t quite fit the rest of the town.

It wasn’t easy to spot at first. Folks passing by would more than likely not notice it from the road. But the way she and Quinn cut between a couple of buildings gave her a good view.

“What’s that?” she said, pointing.

“That’s the park.”

“Why is there a fence around it?”

She was still a few yards away, so she couldn’t make out all the details. But it looked like the gate set into the tall, wooden privacy fence had a keypad on it. It was more of a door, really.

“Well, we just like to keep that one for town residents only. We’re not trying to be rude. The last thing Big Cedar wants to be called is inhospitable. But…” He shrugged. “Come on. Let’s go wrangle us up some food.”

She stared at the fenced-in park for another moment and wondered what was going on. There was something more there. Something Quinn didn’t want to elaborate on.

But it wasn’t her place to pry. She hoped to stay with Grace for a while, but Big Cedar wasn’t her home. Whatever the town did and why wasn’t any of her business.

The café was in an old brick building with a false front, well over a hundred years old. It was well kept, though, and looked as if it had been recently restored. A couple of old tin signs hung on the outside, one encouraging people to drink Nehi and the other Royal Crown Cola. A barely raised, wooden-plank porch ran the building’s front length, complete with an overhang covering it. Quinn’s boots thudded when he stepped onto it and held out hisarm to escort Alyssa past the wicker rocking chairs that rested on either side of the door.

A surge of electricity jolted through her as she accepted his offer and grabbed his arm.

She told herself not to read anything into it. This was obviously an old-fashioned town, so it made sense that it had an old-fashioned marshal. That’s all there was to it. He was simply a gentleman.

“This place is so charming,” she said, trying to distract herself from the excitement she felt.

“Thanks. There wasn’t much to Big Cedar a few years ago. And when I say not much, I mean the population had dwindled to seven. What buildings remained were in pretty rough shape, too. But it’s coming back around and we’re mighty proud of it.”

Inside, the place looked just as charming. More tin signs were tastefully hanging from the wall, advertising long-gone brands and a few current ones.

“These booths were carved by hand back in the twenties,” Quinn said proudly as he stopped before one. He stayed on his feet until Alyssa slid in, then took the opposite side.

They were the only customers.

A large ceiling fan turned lazy circles in the center of the room. The voice of Patsy Cline lamenting a faded love emitted quietly from speakers Alyssa couldn’t see. A woman who looked to be about sixty appeared, holding paper menus.

“Well, Quinn, you don’t need one of these. Had I known it was you I wouldn’t have even bothered bringing them.” She then saw Alyssa and smiled. “Guess it’s just as well I did. We have a guest.”

She looked briefly at Quinn, smiling, and Alyssa read something in her eyes that seemed to be asking, “Is this a date?”

Quinn kept his face neutral, ignoring the implied question, and simply saying, “Thanks, Marsha.”

Alyssa tried not to blush. Even though the question hadn’t been asked aloud, it was hard to miss. But she knew the answer. Of course this wasn’t a date. No way.

Thankfully, the woman followed Quinn’s lead and moved on, smiling brightly at Alyssa, and introducing herself, even though Quinn had already said her name and she was wearing a name tag.

“My name is Marsha. Welcome to Big Cedar.”

“Nice to meet you, ma’am. My name is Alyssa.”

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