Picnic in Someday Valley (Honey Creek #2)(33)

He grumbled as if the words he was chewing on were rocks. “You were a big help tonight. Pecos could have handled it alone, but you’ve got a soothing voice. That seemed to help the panicked women. I don’t know anyone who can handle Rambling Randy better. He got most of the news right for a change.”

Marcie smiled. The old goat was actually complimenting her. Months ago he’d been cold and official when he’d questioned her about Boone, but she never thought the sheriff unkind. He might have hated what her old boyfriend did, but he never took it out on her like several folks did.

“I’m not saying we have an opening or that you’d get it, but you might think about applying to be a dispatcher. When Pecos finishes his studies, he’ll be moving up to deputy, and I don’t have anyone who could fill in for him.”

She was so shocked she couldn’t answer. Marcie had applied for every kind of job she heard about in the valley. Now, the sheriff was almost, maybe, offering her one.

“Thank you, Sheriff. I might just do that.” Then she outright lied to the man. “It was a pleasure working with you tonight.”

A few minutes later she walked out to the first light of dawn. Brand was standing beside his truck as if he was thinking about storming the office. In an odd way, this loner of a man looked out of place in the middle of town.

Marcie ran to him and jumped into his waiting arms. He held her close, then slid his arm down her back, over her hips and lifted her up. He carried her to his truck as if he thought she might be too tired to walk. To tell the truth, she almost was. He drove home with her head resting against his chest and one arm holding her there.

Almost to his ranch, she asked, “You going to say anything, Brand?”

“Yeah,” he said as he turned onto his land. “I’m picking you up.” She felt the rumble of laughter in his chest. “Thought I’d take you home with me, any objections? I’m guessing you’ve been up twenty-four hours. You need sleep and food.” His voice lowered a bit. “And someone to watch over you.”

She raised her head and started to say thank you when she saw her car parked beside the barn. “You stole my car?”

“Nope. I fixed it.”

“What was broken?”

“Pretty much everything. Lucky I can fix pretty much everything.”

Without another word, he carried her across the yard and into the house. First light seemed so bright after a week of cloudy, rainy days that she leaned her head back over his arm and took in the warmth until they stepped inside.

As she pulled off her high-heeled western boots, she asked if he’d been up all night watching the storm. She wasn’t surprised when he said yes.

“You mind if I take a shower?” Hot water might do wonders for her tight muscles.

“No, I don’t mind,” he said. “You want something to eat?”

“No, thanks. I’m not hungry. I just want to sleep.”

“I’ll get the red pajamas. I washed them. Turned all my underwear pink.”

Just the facts, she thought, but she didn’t miss the slight lift of a smile on the left side of his mouth. Brand was warming up to her.

She laughed as she walked to the bathroom. There was something endearing about this quiet man.

A few minutes later she was stripped and standing under hot water. It felt like Heaven. When she dried off in the steamy little room, she noticed the red pajamas on the table by the door.

Sometime during her shower he’d opened the door. Knowing him, he hadn’t tried to look at her, even if the steam wouldn’t have allowed much of a view.

After dressing in red, rolling up her sleeves and pants, she stepped out into the hallway. He’d made up her bed on the couch. Two pillows this time, and a low fire to hold away the morning chill. One heavy blanket waited for her to curl up in.

When she looked the other way, down the hall, she saw him lying atop his bed. As she tiptoed toward him, she noticed he’d taken off his boots, and his white socks were now pale pink. His shirt was half unbuttoned and he was totally asleep.

Marcie glanced back at the couch, then at the half of the bed he wasn’t using. She’d always been a jumper every time she came to a cliff. She tiptoed back to the main room and pulled the blanket off the couch. Then returned to his bedroom.

She spread the blanket over Brand, climbed in beside him, and pulled her half of the covers over her. Marcie rolled against him and used his big arm as her cuddle pillow.

Brand didn’t make a move, so she drifted off to sleep. Her last thought was if he could fix anything, maybe he could fix her.

But when she woke, the room was dark and Brand was gone. When she walked into the kitchen, he was pulling two steaks off a small grill.

“You cooked for me?”

He looked up and acted surprised. “Oh, you’re still here. I forgot.”

She saw the table set for two, baked potatoes already on the plates and a salad in the middle of the table. “You cooked for me.”

As he forked the steaks on their plates, she kissed his cheek and took her place. They talked about the storm, and she told him about all the things that happened last night at the station.

He listened, really listened, and asked a few questions.

“I’m going back to Honey Creek in the morning and apply for a job. I think I could handle it.” She smiled suddenly. “I have a car again. I can drive back and forth to check on you on my way to work, if the sheriff hires me.”