“Is Tabitha around?” His silver eyes shifted over to the door Grammy had just slammed. If she wasn’t in the office, she was usually in the house.
I always thought he was younger than his forty years. Almost as if I could sense that his spirit was more youthful than people his age would ordinarily be, though he didn't reveal that to the outside world. He was typically polite when necessary, but wasn't entirely friendly with anyone.
When Storie came to town looking for answers about her family, I learned he had close connections with the Graves family. Grammy said he hadn't been the same since they all left and passed on, but I never knew what she meant by that. I couldn't imagine our sheriff being anything other than the glum public servant he was today.
His body was definitely not built like a middle-aged man, though. My gaze dropped from his jaw to the gray uniform stretching over wide, muscular shoulders and ventured down to his slim waist and abdomen that I could only imagine was perfectly toned and defined. I'd never seen him eat a single donut—or any junk food, for that matter. And I'd never admit it out loud, but I'd definitely been paying attention.
I turned back to the computer screen before he noticed that I'd been ogling his body like the pathetic girl that I am and mumbled, “She's in the house.”
Just then, the door swung open, and my grandmother's stern face appeared behind it, her emerald-green eyes pinning him down in his spot. I knew for certain that she couldn't see how I was just looking at him, yet somehow, I felt like I'd been caught with my hand in the cookie jar.
“Did you bring it?” Grammy asked Officer Abbot, who I only now noticed was zeroed in on me. He blinked, and then walked up to Grammy to hand her a small box I hadn't noticed he was holding before.
“I'm not sure it'll be of much use.” Sheriff's voice dropped as he leaned in to say something in Grammy's ear so that I couldn't hear.
I turned away again, irritated at their rudeness. So ridiculously tired of being treated like a child by my grandmother,
She invited him into the house, and they disappeared behind the door, which he closed much more eloquently than she ever did.