Page 9 of Faking I Do
“Fine.” She crossed her arms across her middle. “But I need you to do something for me.”
Lacey wasn’t one to ask for favors. But I owed it to Luke to look after her while he was overseas, fighting a much bigger enemy than we’d ever face in our tiny corner of Texas. “Name it.”
She leaned against the door, adjusting her body to face mine. “I need you to back the hell off.”
“Come again?” Did she seriously just tell me to leave her alone?
“I mean it. No one is going to take me seriously or listen to a word I say if you’re standing in front of me, trying to fight my battles the whole time.”
I draped one hand over the steering wheel. “Look, if it’s about Jonah?—”
“It’s not just about Jonah.” She shook her head. “It’s about everything. First you interrupted my press conference?—”
“You answered three questions. I’d hardly call that a?—”
“Doesn’t matter what you’d call it. That’s my point.” Her chin jutted into the air. “I don’t want you calling anything. If we’re going to survive each other, I need you to butt out of my business.”
I chewed on the inside of my cheek to keep from saying something I might regret. “You about done?”
“Maybe.” She sulked, leaning against the door.
I almost laughed. Her attitude reminded me so much of when we were kids. When she didn’t get her way she’d pout, sticking that lower lip out just about as far as it would go. “You’re the mayor, Lacey.”
“I know that. The headache I’ve been dealing with for the past two days has been a constant reminder.” She put her hand to her temple as she gazed out the window.
“That means I can’t stay out of your business. The sheriff’s office works pretty damn close with the mayor’s office. I’d even go so far as to say your business is my business.”
“What’s that?” She reached over and put her hand on my leg. Dammit. My foot flew off the brake, and my hips almost bucked up at her touch.
“What the hell?” I regained control of my hormones as I swiveled to face her. For a moment I forgot I was sitting in my truck with my buddy’s little sister. I was just a man and she was just a woman, and . . .
“Over there. Watch out!” Lacey pointed at something ahead.
I slammed on the brakes, but not in time to avoid crashing into the trash cans at the edge of the sheriff’s parking lot. The truck came to a stop and I’d barely shoved it into park before I jumped out to take a look at my front bumper.
Lacey caught up to me. “Any damage?”
I straightened. “Nothing major. Just another little dent in the bumper.”
“Oh no.” Lacey turned to point at something behind the trash cans. “Not another one.”
“What?” I followed her finger, my breath hitching in my chest as I spotted the frightened dog. “Hell. You want to make adifference as mayor, figure out a way to catch the assholes who keep dumping their dogs out here.”
The animal stood shivering by a strand of scrubby bushes, its mouth bound closed by duct tape.
“That poor thing.” Lacey stepped next to me.
I inched toward the animal. The dog didn’t move, just kept a wary eye on me. “I’m not going to hurt you, sweetheart.”
The dog glanced between me and Lacey, its tail starting to wag, just a tiny bit.
“Give me your belt, Lacey,” I mumbled.
“I can’t do that, my jeans will fall off.” She clamped her hand on my arm, sending a pulse of awareness through me.
“It’s either that or it might run.” I rummaged in my pocket for something to offer as a bribe. The dog couldn’t be much older than a year or so. Baggy skin hung from its frame. Based on the size of its paws, it still had lots of growing left to do.
“Fine.” Lacey handed over her belt. “But if I end up mooning everyone in town, it’ll be all your fault.”
