Arissa mused to herself that the gossip he spoke of was less about him being the sheriff and more about him, specifically. Her gaze drifting to his bare ring ringer. Sexy and single, she was sure there was lots of talk around town about Hank Weathers. A car passed, slowing as it approached. “Hey, Sheriff. See you in two weeks. I got money riding on it.” The man said, grinning big before driving off.
Hank waved to Fred with a smile on his face. “See ya then!” He shouted but as soon as Fred drove off, Hank looked at Arissa, waiting for her answer.
Watching the dynamic of the sheriff and the locals drew a smile from Arissa before she acknowledged, “Yeah, it’s just me. I was working such long hours I didn’t have much of a life. That was partly why I wanted to make the move.”
Hank chuckled because all his years here, he knew you couldn’t have an elaborate life in Summerville. It was one of his reasons for occasionally taking weekend trips to Charleston. “Well, Summerville ain’t gonna give you much of a life. It’ll give you a quiet, peaceful one, and a shit ton of gossip. But in the end, it’s all good.”
“Sitting on this stoop, watching neighbors greeting and waving, talking to you who’s only here because I needed help, it’s the kind of life I’m looking for.” She tilted her head and teased, “As far as gossip, I run a magazine. I adore gossip.”
His life was exactly what she was looking for. He had heard those words before, but seeing the softness on Arissa’s face, the way she sat back resting on her hands, Hank had a feeling she wasn’t shitting him when she said this was the life she wanted. But for how long? Gossip and county fairs didn’t hold a candle to the glamour of the city. In the end, people returned to what they knew. “Good to know.” He smiled at her. She smiled back. Hank felt her sincere grin hit his gut. He had to look away. This woman sitting next to him was making him feel things he hadn’t felt in awhile. Hank kept his focus forward; looking up the street as Billie’s old beat-up van came swerving down it, and not because he had beers in him, but because he was a shitty driver.
“That’s the plumber?” Then it dawned on Arissa that Moe had been adamant that Billie wouldn’t leave his game, he had forty dollars riding on it, but the sheriff made one call and here Billie was.
“Yep, sure is,” Hank said as he stood.
Billie came to a halting stop before he flew out of the driver’s seat just as fast as he’d come down the street.
Arissa stood, watching Billie, when she said in a bit of awe, “You just had to call and he came.”
“Yep,” Hank said as they both watched Billie open the back doors of his van and grab his tool bag. “One of the perks about being the sheriff, Sweetheart, I call and they come running.” Hank winked at Arissa, snatched his sunglasses from his shirt and put them on. He bounded down the steps toward the driveway to his blacked-out SUV. “Put a new shut-off valve in, will ya,” he said to Billie as he passed him.
“Got it,” Billie said, holding up the part he had clutched in his hand.
Hank opened his door, put a foot to the running board and looked back at Arissa. Just the sight of her had that warmth in his gut coming back full force.
Arissa wasn’t ready to let him leave. She called after him. “I heard you hold the title for darts in this town. Maybe you can teach me.” She felt her cheeks warm because she’d all but asked him out, but considering the man, she’d be kicking herself if she hadn’t.
Billie was walking up the steps, heard Arissa’s comment and in his passing, he muttered, “Yeah, but not for long.” Then he walked into Arissa’s house without a greeting or introduction, right to the kitchen, to install the new valve. One he should have done two years ago.
Hank cranked the engine, and put the window down. “May sound sexist, but we tend to keep the darts away from the women in this town because they find their way into bodies more than the board.”
He hadn’t said yes to her invitation, but she couldn’t help the smile. Recalling her experience with Billie and Moe, she called back, “I suspect, Sheriff, that might be more intentional than lack of skill.”
“It’s definitely intentional.” Hank chuckled. “But, maybe you can come by my place, I got a board set up in my barn.” He shouldn’t have said anything but he also didn’t stop the words. He just hoped that Maureen didn’t hear him. He looked at her and waved, she waved back with a huge smile on her face. Fuck, she heard him. Hank brought his eyes back to Arissa.
She absolutely would like to come by his place. She smiled wide before she called back, “I’ll bring the beer.” Then she turned toward the door, looking back at him from over her shoulder. “Thanks for saving the day, and the beer.”
Hank took in Arissa from head to toe. His cock twitched. He waved to her before he took off down the street. He had a feeling that she was going to fit right in with the women of Summerville, and that they were going to take to her as well, but it wasn’t just the women in town that were going to take a liking to Arissa.
2
Hank
