Page 19 of Winter Wrangler

“It’s a load of crap because I saw Judge Quill earlier. He was three sheets to the wind when he was leaving the Christmas party they had over at town hall. No way did he write up an arrest warrant.”

“I hadn’t thought about that,” I say, more to myself.

“Plus, you know Sheriff King would have been the one to make the arrest if there was an arrest warrant issued.”

“I hadn’t thought of that either!” I’m kicking myself for not catching that sooner.

“Yeah, you’re in love, and your man was being arrested. Pure panic mode.”

“I didn’t say...” I trail off.

“Like I said, in love.” Bronte pulls off her knitted hat, which I’m pretty sure she made herself, and tries to get her curls under control. “Gotta look professional.”

Her coat is unzipped, and I can see she’s wearing a sweater that has Allegedly printed across the chest. It’s tucked into a skirt that has kittens on it, and I wonder if she made that herself too.

“I think you look great.”

“Really?” Bronte perks up. “My old boss always glared at my outfits.”

“You’ve got your own style. Don’t let anyone take that from you.”

“Thanks.” Her face lights up with a bright smile.

I follow Bronte into the station, and when we enter, I see Davey speaking quickly to a flustered and annoyed Jill. Both their heads swing in our direction, and then Jill gets a knowing smirk. Her expression tells me what I need to know. Davey is full of shit.

“Bronte.” Davey is already shaking his head. “You’re not a lawyer, so don’t start. I’ll be forced to report you.”

“How about you worry about your eyebrows and not my job?” Bronte tosses at Davey, and the cut makes all of us shut up. Bronte doesn’t curse and never has a bad thing to say about anyone. If she does, they must have really fucked up. “Now I’m here about a warrant. The one I know you don’t have.”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Davey.” Bronte sighs dramatically. "Do we really have to make this worse?" He rolls his eyes at her, but she’s not deterred. “Keep looking in the back of your skull and you might eventually find a brain.”

I snort a laugh.

“That's it. Both of you out.” Davey points a finger to the door behind us and starts heading in our direction. “Or I’ll put the both of you in a cell.”

“That’s not happening,” a deep voice says from behind me and makes me jump. The sound scares the crap out of me because I hadn’t heard anyone come in.

“Mr. Xander,” Davey says and stops his approach. I don’t blame him. The guy is towering over all of us.

“I was here first.” Bronte glares at the only lawyer in town. The one who hadn’t answered my call.

“And I’m here now.” He looks down at her and there’s a smile playing at the corner of his lips. When he tucks one of her curls behind her ear, she smacks at his hand.

It’s like I’m in an alternate reality as I watch the interaction unfold.

The man chuckles, and I shake my head. I’m really out of touch with the town gossip, but that is for another day.

Right now I need to worry about my own love life.

Chapter Fourteen

DEVIN

“I’m sorry about all of this,” Sheriff Jill King says as she leads me out of the holding room. “You’re well within your rights to file a complaint against the officer that arrested you, but just so you know, he’s been fired. You can still file a formal complaint against the station, and I’d be happy to take that for you.”

“That won’t be necessary,” I say as my lawyer approaches.

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