Page 66 of Riding the High

The cop guy I don’t know sits down at the table behind her, and he taps her on the shoulder, interrupting my witty retort. She looks back as he speaks to her.

Wade leans over and whispers in an exaggerated manly voice, “Fancy meeting you here, Ginger, I really like the way your black dress looks. You’re single and I’m single, let’s mingle.”

Ginger and the cop both laugh like it’s exactly what he just said to her.

I nudge my brother with my elbow. “Fuck off,” I say, straightening out my silverware that is already perfectly straight.

Wade tips his head back and lets out a low chuckle. “You’re looking mighty jealous of that cop talking to your summer nanny.”

I huff like a child and look away just as I’m called on stage by Bev.

“It’s time,” she mouths. I nod as Ginger continues her conversation.

I’m sure I look like a grumpy motherfucker, but I don’t care. All I can think about is how Ginger was pinned up against a wall by me last night, and if she thinks she’s going to flirt with some other asshole …

Christ, she’s just talking to him. Calm the fuck down, I tellmyself over and over, wondering if all my sanity has gone out the window.

Ginger turns to look at me when I hit the stage and line up beside my new deputies and Brent, who’s here tonight without Gemma. He stands beside me now.

“Looks like the whole family came out to support you and, huh … even CeCe’s friend too? Awful supportive, isn’t it?”

He sneers like a cocky son of a bitch. He knows Ginger’s name; he’s just being a dick. I’m about ready to put someone through a wall with the mix of sexual tension between Ginger and me coupled with what I can only assume is jealousy, something I don’t think I’ve ever truly felt before. The intensity of this emotional cocktail runs through my veins.

It may as well be Brent that takes the brunt of my frustration.

“Mabel asked for her to come. You know, since her mother is constantly fucking absent” I bite out, turning to him and smiling like we’re having a friendly chat. “I have to wonder what would make Gemmanotwant to come and see her daughter when she had the chance tonight. She hasn’t visited Mabel since the end of school by my calculations, which is over a month ago.”

“She’s not feeling well,” he mutters. In other words, she was out a little too late last night.Sounds about right.

“So who I bring to an event with Mabel and I would stand to be none of your goddamn business then?” I ask, clapping him on the shoulder. I nod toward center stage. “Looks like you’re up.”

The mayor announces Brent as the new deputy sheriff and I grit my molars. He makes his way to the spotlight as I join in the crowd’s applause. I can’t fucking stand this chump but I’ll clap for him nonetheless. The new deputies are called up one by one until it’s my turn. When the mayor calls my name, he talks about my time as an officer, how I’ve served with honor for this county, and that my plans for the future will take us through the next four years, before adding, “Please give a warm welcome toyour new county sheriff, Cole Ashby.” The room explodes and the loudest table of all is my family, standing and yelling words of enthusiasm as I meet the mayor and raise my right hand to be officially sworn in. As he does so, it strikes me that the only eyes I want on me are Ginger’s. When I find them, she’s wearing the world’s biggest, most genuine smile as she cheers—and just like that, everything around me settles.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Ginger

“Are you ready to leave now?” Cole asks rather gruffly, cutting in while I’m mid-conversation with Ethan an hour after dinner. I’ve known his wife for years and it’s nice to see a friendly face besides Cole’s family. Talking to him is also a welcome distraction from practically drooling all over Cole as he works the room, shaking people’s hands, engaging in deep conversation about the county he cares so much about. There’s seriously nothing this man does that isn’t attractive and I’m having a harder time thinking straight around him every day.

“I’m wrecked and Mama is leaving with Mabel now,” he continues, his jaw set. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he looks a little pissed off. But despite that, he’s never looked more incredible than he does tonight. His black uniform suit is molded to the hard lines of his body, and brings everything that happened between us last night to the forefront of my mind for the thousandth time today. I’ve never wanted him more but, as much as I’d like to throw myself into this fire, some small part of me is still so afraid to lose the connection we have. The connection we’ve had for years.

“Sure,” I say to Cole. ‘I’m ready to go when you are.’

“Sure was nice to see you, Ginger.” Ethan leans in to say goodbye.

“I don’t think we’ve met,” Cole cuts in from beside me. “Cole Ashby.”

He sticks his hand out.

“Hey yeah, congrats, Sheriff. I came out tonight to witness my old coworker be sworn in as one of your new deputies. Shawn Muller.”

Cole nods. “Well that’s mighty nice of you to come all the way from …?”

I don’t miss the cool edge to his tone.

“I work in Greenview County,” Ethan answers, mentioning a correction center in the next county, “but we live in Lakeview Heights.”

“And how do you two know each other?” Cole asks not so casually, pointing back and forth between me and Ethan.

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