Need You for Keeps (Heroes of St. Helena, #1)(70)
Registration for the first annual Prance for Paws Charity Pet Walk was officially open and Shay felt like throwing up. She had her permit, everyone around town had been cordial the past few days, and most people even kept their grooming appointments.
But as she sat there, a stack of racing numbers ready to go and a smile so big on her face she feared it might crack, not a single person came over to actually pick up their number.
“Don’t everyone rush all at once,” she said with a laugh.
No one laughed back. Even worse, no one moved, except Socks, who burrowed deeper into her lap. Shay wished she had someone to burrow into. Sitting there, all alone, it was like she was twelve again, everyone curious about the new girl but no one willing to be the first to welcome her, in case she was deemed uncool.
The Booty Patrol was at the other end of the street, prepping the starting line for everyone’s big prance down Main Street, so it wasn’t as if she could form a fake line to let the others know that, hey, she had friends. She was cool.
Her eyes scanned Main Street, looking past the swelling crowd, past the Pita Peddler cart stationed on the corner, and past the sheriff’s department roadblock, which was keeping cars off the street in downtown, and toward the long red carpet that led from the finish line to the stage. Seated there were two of the judges already in their places and talking to Harper.
The third seat was ominously vacant.
Estella hadn’t actually committed to judging, but Shay had been relying on the fact that the older woman wouldn’t be able to stay away. Her absence wasn’t the end of the world—Shay could always judge if need be. Nope, the end of the world would be if Estella’s absence set the tone for the day and sank her charity walk.
Because if nobody came over to get their numbers, Shay would have a charity walk of herself, three old ladies, two dogs, and a duck, and then she’d have to refund all of the preregistration money they’d collected. Money that she’d already given to the contractors who’d been hard at work all week.
“They’re waiting for me,” a low and gritty voice said from beside her.
Shay turned and the jitters in her stomach kicked up a notch. Because there, coming in at six feet two of department-certified alpha swagger and armed to the teeth with enough yummy male to make a grown girl sigh, stood Deputy Baudouin. He wore mirrored aviator glasses, combat boots, and a smile that told her beneath the Kevlar and ammo was just Jonah. Her Jonah. The guy who caused those silly little zings.
Zings that did double time when she saw what he had strapped to his hip. In his holster, also looking locked and loaded, sat Kitty Fantastic in a black tee that said BACKUP.
Following her gaze to his hip, he shrugged. “Wouldn’t let me near him with a leash, acted like it was an insult to his entire species, so I told him he could ride sidearm, as long as he promised not to scratch my recliner.”
She fought hard to hide her grin. “How is that going?”
He looked at Kitty Fantastic, who had his little paws on the rim of Jonah’s holster, and gave his ears a ruffle. “Don’t know. We haven’t really figured out the whole ‘no litter box’ thing today, but we’re working on it.”
“Are you allowed to have him when you’re on duty?” Shay asked.
“After we finish the walk, he’ll go back in his cage at the station.”
Shay found it hard to talk past the lump in her throat. “You’re walking?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He smiled. “That’s what I was saying. Everyone here is waiting for me so they can pick up their numbered bib.”
Shay looked around and noticed that people were starting to meander a little closer to the table now that Jonah was there. Was he her ticket to acceptance? Not that she wouldn’t accept the one degree of separation, but she had hoped that she could win the town over on her own. Not on who she was sleeping with. She’d been there with Lance—and look how that ended.
Shay swallowed. “I don’t understand.”
But even as she asked the question, it started to make sense. Mrs. Moberly was standing just a few feet away with Boss, who was decked out in enough gold chains to pass for a mob don. She raised her hand and waved, big and open and all smiles.
Beside her, parked next to the curb in her scooter, was Ms. Abernathy with Yodel riding shotgun, a silver helmet on his head, a black leather vest on his back, his paws resting on the handlebars. Even Mr. Barnwell was there with Domino.
“Trouble, in this town every parade is kicked off by someone in the mayor’s office. Usually it is the mayor, but he put this event in my hands, so today that honor goes to me.”
Shay wondered if the mayor’s absence was due to the article or his son’s ridiculous campaign, then decided not to focus on who wasn’t there and instead on who was.
“And since there is some kind of numbered bib rumor flying around, people were waiting for me to sign up before they got in line.” Then he pulled an application from his front pocket, making sure to flap it around to draw as much attention as possible, before setting it on the table. Not that he needed the theatrics. Pretty much every eye on Main Street had zeroed in on her table the second Jonah strode up. “I’d like to enter Kitty Fantastic in the charity walk.”
Adam came to stand beside Jonah and cleared his throat. When Jonah let out a big, irritated sigh, Adam waved his hand impatiently as if to say Please, go on.