Page 49 of Seducing the Sheriff
I barked out a laugh. He really should look into being a detective. Solving mysteries was clearly his happy place. Smiling, I took the bag of food from him. Hopefully, I’d also be his happy place someday.
“Come on,” I said. “I revved up the chiminea after I called you. We can eat outside, and I’ll tell you everything.”
Cash blinked several times. “You’re killing me.” He tilted his head. “Wait. When did you get a chiminea?”
I chuckled as he followed me through the entryway to the kitchen. “I didn’t. I found it behind the shed earlier when I was rooting around for a spot for the sheep.”
His jaw went slack. “You have sheep already? I was here this morning, right?” Cash dragged his palm across the top of his head. “I feel like an abductee having a missing time episode.”
I couldn’t hold in a round of laughter. I was going to send the poor guy over the edge.
I grabbed some paper plates from the cupboard. “I assure you, Sheriff. No aliens were involved.”
Cash gave me a smirk. “Why do I feel that in the course of duty I might hear that said to me non-jokingly one day?”
“You just might. But no sheep. I was only taking a peek at the area around there after speaking with Dex earlier.” I grinned as I split up the food on two plates. “Beer?”
Cash snorted. “I have a feeling I’ll probably need it.”
We finished gathering everything we for our meal, then made our way out to the deck. Was it weird that it already felt like he belonged here with me? Even if it wasn’t, I planned on keeping my mouth shut so it didn’t become weird.
Once we settled, we each took a bite of our food, but I sensed Cash’s nervous anticipation. To be fair, I’d been chomping at the bit to find out what was inside the box, too. I’d been behaving myself and not messing with it in case I disturbed any vital evidence.
Cash set down a half-eaten burrito on his plate. “Okay, fess up. I need details.”
I wiped my mouth with a paper napkin. “So, after I got back from meeting with Dex, I started working on the spot under the stairs, dealing with the closet and so on. As I was pulling out the old rotting wood, I spotted a couple boards that seemed out of place. It took some effort, but once I tore them out, there it was.”
“What? What was there?” Cash leaned forward, his food apparently forgotten.
“An old jewelry box. Filthy from all the dirt and dust over the years, but I can tell it was once a beauty. I’m guessing it’s from the thirties.”
Cash’s jaw went slack. “In other words, around the same time as the body.”
“Yup.” I rubbed my hands together, excitement coursing through me. “That’s why I called you. I didn’t want to disturb it. However, since you’re part of law enforcement…” I shrugged. “I figured it’s okay for you to take possession of it.”
Cash straightened, his brow furrowing. “So…” He glanced away, taking a sip from his beer. “Right. Of course, that’s why you called.” He regarded me again with a tight smile. “Makes sense.”
“Umm…” Had I said something wrong? On the possibility meter regarding my social acumen, I figured the chances were high that’s what I’d done. I ran my words through my mind. “Wait. No.”
He’d already settled back in his chair, so this time I was the one who leaned forward. “That wasn’t the only reason I called you. I’ve been thinking about you all day.”
This was it, this was my defining moment. I had to take a chance or simply crawl back into my emotional prison and live out my days in the New Mexico desert all alone.
“It’s okay, Greg.” Cash chuckled shakily. “I think I got carried away after all the comments from the locals.”
I straightened in my chair. “Wait. What do you mean?”
Cash shook his head. “It’s fine. I’m sure they’ll lose interest once they realize we’re not a couple, that we’re only friends.” He let out a light laugh that would’ve sounded casual if it didn’t also carry an edge of sadness. “You know how small towns are. Everybody talks.”
Cash picked at his food, and it felt like a boulder had landed in my stomach.
I swallowed hard. “Everyone thinks we’re a couple?”
Cash nodded but wouldn’t meet my eyes.
“Really?”
A slow smile pulled at the corners of my lips as the boulder disintegrated and was replaced by flutters. If it meant what I thought it did, the lovely citizens of Charming Butte were okay with us being together. And why wouldn’t they be? Obviously, Dex and Meyer were open about their relationship. If the fire chief was gay, what would be different about the sheriff’s situation?
