Need You for Keeps (Heroes of St. Helena, #1)(26)
A part of her knew that Jonah was just doing his job, doing his best to uphold the law. But there was another part, the scared girl who had been disappointed too many times to believe in heroes, who wondered if he would have been as eager if the caller had been an average resident rather than the judge’s wife.
Her head said he would have. Her heart wasn’t so sure.
Shay looked over at her brood, who were all looking back with their big, trusting eyes, counting on her to make their world right, and suddenly leasing a shop didn’t sound half as terrifying as letting them down. Even if it meant that Shay would have a quiet house.
“I know it’s a lot to think about.” Peggy placed a hand on Shay’s. “Just promise me you won’t discount it before giving it a chance.”
“Fair enough,” Shay said, because damn it, Peggy had given Shay a chance, even though she hadn’t had a single letter of recommendation.
“Oh, honey,” Clovis said, clapping her hands. “Those hot buns will bring more foot traffic my way than last year’s Fifty Shades display Harper did for my store window. Nothing moves panties like hot men.”
“And nothing says sexy better than wine and chocolate,” Ida pointed out, handing Shay a list, highlighting her extensive supply of aphrodisiac chocolates and spirits as though Shay had already signed on the dotted line. “In fact, Cork’d N Dipped would like to be St. Paws’ first official sponsor and donate one of those pet-friendly crates Peg has at her shop.”
Ida flipped over the pamphlet and there was a picture of the exact kind of kennel Shay had dreamed of getting. They kept the animals confined without making them feel caged. And they cost upward of a grand apiece. “I don’t understand. Why?”
Ida took Shay’s hands in what had to be the first sign of affection Shay had ever seen the woman give another human. “Think of it as an investment, in my shop and in you. I was so lost after my Randal passed, then you brought me Norton. He is the best part of my day and I want to help you help other people like myself.” Ida cleared her throat and Shay felt hers going thick. “Plus, once you get the ladies of St. Helena dreaming about being corked, the first place they’ll come is next door to get dipped.”
“And then they can come over to my place and buy crotchless panties.”
Mad at herself for putting her animals and job in serious jeopardy, Shay grabbed her running shoes. She pounded down her street toward town, vowing not to stop until she was too tired to be angry—or reached the sheriff’s department, whichever came first. Not that either would be far, since the sheriff’s department was at the opposite end of Main Street and Shay hated running.
Almost as much as she hated failing. And today had been an epic failure.
Peggy hadn’t even waited for the tea time to begin before closing shop because the Companion Brigade finally took an official stance on the pet-peddling ban, one that placed them firmly behind their president. The timing made Shay suspect a conspiracy, then their statement was released following a Facebook post displaying a photo of Friday’s “confidential” police report, and Shay knew she’d been set up.
Estella had had several opportunities over the past year to report Shay to the authorities and hadn’t called them once. And now Estella was using her judge-y connections and her power with the Companion Brigade to teach Shay a lesson—effectively ruining any hope Shay had of fixing this mess.
If anything, her mistakes were expanding to affect the people she cared about, like Peggy, who had never been anything but wonderful and supportive. It was also ruining Shay’s chances of finding her dogs a home. And with the clock now ticking, she was feeling a little desperate. And scared.
The upset stomach and chest pains, Shay convinced herself, were the running’s fault.
Any evidence of last week’s storm was gone, replaced by an intense heat that seemed to press in on her lungs as she turned onto Main Street. Heading north, she admitted that maybe some of the panting was caused by the bag of minidoughnuts she’d inhaled last night, and not for the first time, she considered giving up the addiction.
Not this week, of course, since even thinking about how guests had been nonexistent at the tea—besides Norton, who had looked dashing in a bow tie and top hat—made her tummy feel hollow. Thinking about Yodel’s new mom made her chest follow suit.
Concerned by the news, Ms. Abernathy had called to ask if she could wait until the allegations were cleared before taking custody of Yodel. After losing her husband, and then her son last year, the older woman wasn’t sure she could handle any more.
Shay understood that more than most and promised to provide proof that she wasn’t under investigation for running an illegal puppy mill.
It was item numero uno on her list of grievances, which she intended to share with everybody’s favorite deputy immediately.
Item two was to have him explain how he could kiss her like that, say such sweet things, and then serve her papers in the next breath. Okay, so she’d been the one to kiss him, but he’d more than met her halfway. And it had been his decision to stoke her fire until she’d nearly melted.
Shay wasn’t looking for special treatment from the deputy, but he could have recused himself and sent someone who didn’t know what she brushed her teeth with.
Which brought her to item three—his easy acceptance to pretend it hadn’t happened. Because it had and no amount of pretending was working. And if she wasn’t able to forget about that kiss, even after he’d flashed his badge and screwed up her plans, then he shouldn’t be allowed to either. Especially when it had been two whole days and her lips were still tingling.