Hank didn’t miss the snarkiness in her voice but he didn’t water it. “Sounds good, Ma. I’ll let you know when.” He watched the dark liquid fill the mug. Today it seemed like it was taking hours to brew one simple cup.
“Your father and I are looking forward to getting to know her. You want to stop over, I’ve baked brownies,” she said, then added, “Just like Dehlia makes.”
“Gotta say, Ma, you’re the only resident of Summerville whose recipes are uncannily similar to Dehlia’s secret recipes.” He chuckled.
“Great minds, Honey.”
“Mmm Hmm,” Hank hummed then his phone chimed with an incoming call. He saw the name and said, “Rain check, Ma, gotta go, okay?”
“Yes, okay. Be safe. And call me about dinner.”
“Will do, love ya.” And for the first time he didn’t wait for his mom to reply before he tapped the screen to connect the incoming call. “Talk to me so I can hear your voice,” he said in greeting.
Arissa leaned back against her counter and grinned, loving that he missed her as much as she had him. He’d only just left. “Pie, what flavor am I making? Is infinity really all there is? Do you believe in aliens because I think I‘ve actually met a few.”
He grinned. “As for flavor, yours. I’m not a scientist and the last, that’s classified info I cannot share.”
Her voice was a little breathy when she confessed, “I missed everything after flavor, yours.”
“I’ve missed you,” he said in a whisper. “I know, fucking corny but I do.”
“Why do you think I’m calling you, Sheriff? I’ve already got the ingredients for the pie.”
Hank’s cock twitched at the same time his grin spread wide before he ordered, “My house.”
“I’m leaving now,” she said but added softly, “Is it crazy? It’s only been a month, but I’ve never felt like this.”
Hank’s voice was low when he replied, “If so, then call me crazy.”
“Good answer,” she said softly. I’ll see you soon, Sheriff. You’re gonna need to ticket me because I intend to exceed the speed limit. Fair warning.”
His voice grew husky when he said, “I’ll give you a fair punishment for it.”
“Definitely speeding now. I’m walking out the door. See you in eight minutes.” She disconnected the call, a big smile on her face because it was at least fifteen minutes from her place to his. At the thought of his fair punishment, she could probably make it in five.
10
“That look, looks good on you, Boss,” Jo said as Hank reached for the handle on the station’s door.
He turned his head, gave her his eyes. “Come again?”
She jerked her head in his direction. “That.”
“What?” he asked perplexed and dropped his hand from the handle.
Jo huffed, “Do I have to explain everything to you. The look…happy.”
Hank nodded, and drew his top lip between his teeth. He was happy. Fuck, he was happier than he’d ever been. It’d been a week since that night and he had it…bad. They spent every night together; rotating whose bed they slept in. They’d already made their appearance at Moe’s and it was as if Arissa had always been by his side. Anytime they ate at Dehlia’s, she always sent them off with a piece of apple walnut crumb cake because she knew it was Arissa’s favorite. They even showed their faces at the garden center without any whispers. The only fail of the week was when his mom called to tell him she had made stew for dinner. Hank never missed his mom’s stew… until now. He heard the disappointment in her voice but to him she claimed it was all fine. He knew it wasn’t.
Hank ran a hand through his hair and asked, “Can I go meet my girl for lunch now?”
Jo shook her head and spoke to the air. “Man can’t even take a compliment.” She waved a hand in the air, the hot pink on her nails leaving streaks of color in the air. “Go.”
Hank was just through the door when she yelled, “Tell my friend I said hi and she missed knitting night… again!”
Hank flicked his hand in the air as the door shut behind him. He walked down the street, the memory vivid of what Arissa and he had been doing on the night she was supposed to be at Hya’s. A smile coasted over his face when he remembered Arissa riding him in the bathtub, tossing her phone to the floor expressing how he should arrest them because they had uncanny timing and then teased if they only knew how she was spending her time. Hank even chuckled out loud remembering that he told Arissa to shut up cause he wasn’t coming with thoughts of Hya in his head.
“Okay,” Sal expressed as he jumped from his spot in front of Dehlia’s. “Instead of a wet t-shirt contest, how about bobbing for apples in mini skirts?”
“Yeah, Sheriff, come on, that’s a good one,” Elmer chimed in, coming from down the street, buttoning his shirt, before dropping down in his chair taking a gulp of the sweet tea Sal ordered him.
Hank only answered in a few words. “Hya in a miniskirt.”
“Jesus.” Sal fell back into his chair. “Warn a man next time,” he grumbled.
‘Well, shit, Sheriff,” Elmer hissed but slid his eyes toward Sal before he shifted in his seat. “Yeah,” he muttered convincingly. “Maybe no miniskirts.”
Seconds later, Bertha came barreling down Main Street, the woman in question behind the wheel, looking a little disheveled. Seeing the men, she smiled at Hank and flipped the other two the bird.
Hank was walking into Dehlia’s when he heard Sal say to Elmer. “Don’t ya think it’s about time the town votes on putting Hya down?”
“Come on,” Elmer grumbled then lifted his glass. “We ain’t that mean.”
“We aren’t?” Sal questioned.
Hank zeroed in on his woman sitting in their booth, her
