Hya didn’t miss a beat and filled her glass again.
* * *
Hank had just shut down his computer when his cell buzzed in his back pocket. Retrieving it, seeing the name across the screen, he thought not to answer it. But he was the sheriff and ignoring a call wouldn’t make him look good.
So, he tapped the screen and brought the phone to his ear. “If you’re calling to tell me Vern’s cats are out, I already wrangled them back in.”
“Sheriff, Sugar, why is it you wrangle everyone else’s pussy but mine?”
“Cause there’s lines I won’t cross, Hya, that’s one of them.” Hank grabbed his keys off the desk and asked, “What’s up?”
“I have a very drunk Arissa currently snoring the wallpaper off my walls. Thought you might miss her,” Hya said then added, “The thought did occur to me to assume her place at your house, but somehow I think you’d know the difference.”
Hank locked up his office and started through the darkened bullpen. Rob was on call for the night but joined Mike and Jo for dinner at Dehlia’s. Hank was going to chuckle at Hya’s comment, but decided to throw her a bone. “Difference is slight, but, yeah, I’d notice.” He tucked his cell between his ear and shoulder, locking the front door, he told Hya, “Be there in five.” Then he tapped the screen.
He tossed his cell into the cup holder when he folded into his truck. Last he’d heard from Arissa was after lunch. She was still at his place working on the spread. Hank didn’t have time to let his thoughts wander because he was already pulling into Hya’s driveway. He parked around back and entered through the door that led to the kitchen.
He was only a step in the door when his eyes caught sight of the sexual paraphernalia spread across her kitchen table. He stopped dead in his tracks and grumbled, “Jesus, fuck, woman.”
“This is only a small part of it,” she said with a gleam in her eyes, ones she let roam over his body, settling on his cock. “Trying to get it just right,” she purred before her gaze lifted to him.
Hank closed the door behind him and told her. “You know I can arrest you…” Then he stopped himself, held up a hand before her mouth opened. “Never mind, please, Hya, don’t.” He sat in a chair and with just his elbow he pushed two dildos to the side. “Now, you’re gonna make me a cup of coffee and tell me why my woman is drunk and passed out on your couch on a Wednesday afternoon.”
It wasn’t often that Hya grew serious, but this was one of those times. She didn’t make a move for the Keurig, just studied Hank for a few seconds. “She’s crazy about you.” Hya’s gaze drifted to the living room. “I could be envious, but that woman…she’s really crazy about you.”
Hank took a deep breath and looked to his boots before leveling his eyes on Hya. “I’m crazy about her too.” Then his eyes drifted toward Hya’s living room where he saw a softly snoring Arissa snuggled on Hya’s couch.
Hya went to the Keurig, put a mug under it. Turned back to him. “She’s going to twist herself into a knot to make it right for you.” Before Hank could reply she put her hand up. “Looking at the big picture, Hank.” She jerked her head to the living room. “That’s what she’s doing, the big picture. Not sure any of us have looked at the big picture in a long fucking time, if ever. But coming here, seeing shit with fresh eyes, she has some interesting questions and I gotta be honest, she’s got me curious.”
Hank was staring at Hya as if she had a halo above her head. He tilted his head, sat back in the chair, put an ankle to a knee, and crossed his arms over his muscular chest. “Not getting what you’re saying, Hya.” When Hya looked at the mug, Hank asked. “Care to explain?”
She brought the coffee to Hank, pulled out a chair and dropped into it. “I tease, but I love you and I’m coming to love that woman in there. That’s saying a lot for me, so, yeah, I’ll explain. First time your mom saw Arissa she told her that Phoebe was the love of your life.” Hya didn’t let Hank speak, even witnessing the shadow that moved behind his eyes before he took a gulp of coffee. “She, on more than one occasion, tried to scare me and the Belles off until she realized we weren’t a real threat.” Hya leaned back in her chair. “Even Phoebe. I was no great fan of hers, that’s not a secret, but she loved you. Then she left and based on what Arissa has shared about her experiences with your mother, I’m beginning to wonder if there’s not more to Phoebe’s departure.” She leaned closer, dropped her elbows on the table, held his stare and said, “So what I gotta wonder is why the fuck is your mother running off all the women in your life?” Hya leaned back, gestured to Arissa and added, “She won’t tell you because she doesn’t want to put you in the middle, but Catherine was at your house today, taking pictures from it. Told Arissa to tell you Brianna is looking forward to seeing you again.” She held his stare. “As a certified class A bitch I can say with certainty that parting comment was fucking bitchy.”
Hank slowly put the mug on the table. He heard everything Hya said but only some had stuck out. And all of it settled into a nice tightly wrapped package of deceit. Hank dropped his ankle from his knee, the thud of his boot hitting the floor echoing through the room. He sat straight up in the chair, nodding his head. His words were firm when he said, “So, everyone is shit talking
