Death and Relaxation (Ordinary Magic #1)(27)

“Why not offer my time? This is my town too. My home. I don’t mind pitching in. I’m a quick study. Took some law classes in college. Keep up at the gun range, know self-defense. Plus, I’m charming and capable of talking people into seeing things my way, which should come in handy during the crowd detail at the Rhubarb Rally. I know I’m not a trained police officer—I understand the rigors it takes to become one. But I’d make a decent security detail, or handyman, or janitor, or whatever you need around the place.” That last he offered up with a shy smile. It added a dose of humility to his assurances.

Confident in his abilities, but not an overbearing jerk about them. Damn him. Could he get any sexier?

“You already have a job.”

“I set my own schedule. I’m sure I could take a week out to help with the rally, then maybe we can talk about how many hours a week you’d need me after that.”

“You think this is permanent?”

“I’m hoping it might be.” The way he said it, with a low purr in his voice, made me wonder if he was talking about the job or if he was asking how many hours a week I, personally, would need him.

Both ideas made my pulse race.

Okay, the me-needing-him-personally made my heart race a little more than the other thing.

“And I suppose you’re both on board with this?” I asked my sisters.

Jean rubbed her thumb down the condensation of her glass and gave me the most serious look she’d had all night. “Ryder’s smart, went to college, owns his own business. Other than coming back to this Podunk town, he seems to have good decision-making skills. He plays well with others, isn’t a gossip, and—not to make your head swell, Bailey—he’s hardcore physically fit. Plus, he shoots a gun. The perfect man…”

Ryder choked on his beer but got himself quickly under control.

“…for our department,” she finished. “Jeez, Bailey. Did you think I was hitting on you in front of my boss?”

He grinned down at the table, and the laugh lines that spread from the corners of his eyes made him look younger somehow. “No, Jean. I’m sure you’d never think of such a thing.”

Myra tapped her fingers on the tabletop. “We need extra hands. We do. You know that, Delaney. We’ve been short since…” The slight pause was an ocean wave of silence crashing over us. Since Dad died. It echoed in the silence, it washed between my sisters and me. But Myra continued smoothly: “…a year or so. We’ve needed the help. No one wants to take a post in this town. There’s no upward mobility, for one thing, the benefits and pay aren’t that great, and honestly, we only need the extra help when the festivals are in town. Ryder is the perfect choice. We know him. He knows us. Knows the town and people here.” Mostly, her shrug seemed to say.

“You have bedazzled my sisters,” I said.

Ryder held my gaze. “Have I bedazzled their boss?”

Yes. “No.”

“Enough to land me a job?”

I wanted to say no. Working with Ryder was going to be distracting and difficult and distracting, and had I mentioned distracting? But Myra and Jean were right. He was the perfect choice for the position. If I didn’t have a raging crush on him, I wouldn’t even hesitate to hire him.

We needed the help. He was offering. I would be stupid to turn him away. All I had to do was manage my heart, manage my feelings for him. Put him on opposite shifts from me, partner him to Myra. It could work. It would work. I’d done harder things in my life. Plenty of them.

I could do this.

“Your qualifications and our desperation landed you the job,” I said. “Welcome aboard, Reserve Officer Bailey.” I lifted my glass in toast and tried to calm my heartbeat as Ryder gave me a smile that made me tingle with heat.

Or maybe that was just the beer. I took a sip.

Nope. It was all Ryder.

I could do this. I could ignore our attraction. My attraction.

Jean slapped Ryder happily on the shoulder and he chuckled. The sound of his laughter stirred deep down inside me and I found myself staring at him. Wanting him.

I could do this.

He slid a glance my way. Laughter. Heat. And desire.

I caught my breath. Oh, gods. What had I done?

I was saved from that thought by Molly showing up with our meal.





Chapter 8


THE ROSSI and Wolfe crowd got a little rowdy, voices raised in argument.

We all glanced over to see if we’d have to muscle them apart.

Jame Wolfe stared down his brother, Tonner, doing that silent were-dominance thing again. Ben Rossi smoothly and firmly pulled Sven—who looked like he’d had several too many drinks—off to one side to have a private conversation with him.

“Not good,” Jean said, popping the last bit of a carrot she’d dipped in chocolate into her mouth.

I pushed back to stand.

“We got it.” Myra’s hand landed on my shoulder.

I let Jean and Myra stride over to check out the argument before it escalated into a fight.

The Wolfes and Rossis closed ranks on opposite sides of the table and glared at each other in silence. This silence, filled with the ever-present tension between the families, was somehow much more worrisome than the quick shouting match.

Myra walked over to talk to the Rossi clan while Jean approached the Wolfe family.