Page 63 of Shadow Sabotage
Vance glared. This time he didn’t try to hide it—he turned his anger into fuel for his performance. “Don’t worry. Sheriff McGrath may not be able to control her, but I will. I will personally make sure Deputy Hawkins doesn’t give you any more trouble over this.”
Mayor Evans took a deep breath and smoothed the front of his jacket before giving Vance that practiced smile again. “Well,I’m glad to knowsomeoneon the case has some sense. I’d hate to think we were wasting resources looking in the wrong place.”
“Exactly.” Vance turned to me. “Deputy Hawkins, you need to apologize to Mayor Evans.Now.”
“I–I’m sorry,” I sputtered. “I just thought—”
“It doesn’t matter what you thought.” Vance’s voice boomed.
He was acting, but I still jerked. He was so easygoing with me that I’d forgotten how intimidating he could be. How naturally that authority came to him.
How most people probably fell in line right away, and how it had likely shocked him that I hadn’t.
“Thinkingismyjob,” he continued, his hands still on his hips. “Go for a walk. We men are going to talk. I’ll discuss this with you when we’re finished.”
He turned his body to where Mayor Evans couldn’t see his face and gave me a little wink.
My heart responded with a flutter that nearly knocked me off my feet.
“Uh…yes, sir.” My face flushed. Not out of embarrassment over the situation—but because my body was flooded with pure heat from watching Vance take control of that room. From knowing that he was playing Mayor Evans like a fiddle.
And from knowing that the mayor’s insult toward me had sparked actual rage in Vance, a protectiveness I’d only seen my brothers and myself. Watching Vance react that way about me… Oh, I was a goner.
I closed my eyes, barely even thinking about what I needed to do. “I’m sorry.” Then I turned and fled the room.
I knewI should sit and wait for Vance. But I didn’t feel like sitting, so I took off down the sidewalk, barely noticing where I was going. Hot energy coursed through my body.
Energy I didn’t have an outlet for. At least, not the kind of outlet I was craving right now.
Vance was off-limits. We were partners. Colleagues.
I didn’t want to screw that up.
But, oh, was I falling hard. He understood the worst parts of me. He liked the fact that I wore my heart on my sleeve. And he’d cared enough to get visibly angry when Mayor Evans had insulted me.
There was a ridiculous amount of chemistry between us. Worse, it seemed to be growing, despite the fact that we were spending pretty much all of our waking hours together. That was new to me. Normally, I’d found that the best way to prolong chemistry with someone was to not get too close. I knew myself. I got bored easily.
Vance wasn’t boring.
But he also wasn’t the kind of guy to be interested in someone like me, I reminded myself. We were great partners, but that didn’t mean he wanted anything more.
He was at home with millionaires, wore cologne that probably cost more than my monthly salary, and had lived in New York City. He probably dated fashion models or elegant women like Leslie Evans who spent their summers in the Hamptons. Women who flew to Paris to buy their lingerie and who only drank champagne and chardonnay.
Not women like me, with short fingernails and calluses on their palms.
I sighed, staring at my hands. I was no model, and I’d always thought fancy lingerie was unnecessary. Why spend a fortune on something you were only going to wear for five minutes? I’d never even been to NYC or the Hamptons. And I’d rather have a cold stout over wine any day.
That was me. And I was okay with that. But I had to be realistic. Vance would never be interested in someone like me. He was just a good partner—and a natural flirt.
Here I was getting all worked up and starry-eyed over nothing.
Pathetic.
I absentmindedly walked into the coffee shop, cringing when I saw every seat in the place filled with someone I didn’t recognize. Then I cringed again when Emily came out from the back. She’d come for the summer last year, hooked up with a local, and never left, despite the fact that they weren’t together anymore. She had mean-girl energy and I generally tried to avoid her.
“Hi, Claire,” she said, giving me a wary smile.
“Hey, Emily. Two black coffees to go, please.”
