“Oh, give me that.” Mom wrestled the phone back before Dad could go on his usual rant about California taxes. “We’re just happy for you kids. Enjoy your time together.”
“Thanks, Mom. I’ll call you soon, okay?”
“I’ll hold you to it, sugar.”
We hung up and exited the vehicle, all smiles. I put my arm around Amelia again and we went up the walkway to the front door together.
“It’s going to be okay. You’ll see.” She smiled up at me.
The door swung open and Amelia’s mom looked at us like a Cheshire cat. “Well, hello. What brings you by today?” She stepped back and we went in, the smell of something wonderful baking in the kitchen.
“Is, um, Dad around?” Amelia asked, suddenly sounding nervous despite her confident words just minutes ago.
Her mom beamed, gesturing for us to go sit on the couch in the living room. “He just got home from work. Let me go get him before he comes down in just his boxers.”
Amelia flinched. “Ew, gross. Since when has he started doing that?”
Susie chuckled, and if I wasn’t mistaken, her cheeks took on a rosy glow. “Since most of you girls moved out.” Then she went up the stairs, leaving us to ponder that new insight into their marriage.
Amelia shuddered against me as we sat on the couch. “Oh my God, no child needs to hear that about their parents.”
I bit my lip and took a deep breath to keep from laughing. “I’m sure she didn’t mean anything by it.” I paused. “But didn’t Lenora give your dad some massage oil when the Hardware Store opened?”
Amelia gasped and I couldn’t help the bubble of laughter that escaped. The Hardware Store was the sex toy shop Lenora and Jayden had opened recently in town. There’d been an uproar, considering this was a small town and Lenora was the preacher’s daughter, but it had all been resolved quickly. Gifting out free sex toys in a modest brown box helped turn the tide of public opinion. People riding high on the glow of orgasms don’t protest, they just don’t. Endorphins or something.
“Please tell me you two didn’t get yourselves into some trouble.” Sheriff Waldo’s gravelly voice boomed as he entered the living room, his wife hot on his heels.
“Dad! Why do you always assume I’m in trouble?” Amelia hopped off the couch.
“’Cause you usually are?” he said wryly.
He took a seat on one of the recliners and Susie sat in the other, that same happy look of expectation on her face. Hopefully it was still there after we told them our news.
Amelia sat back down and put her hand on my knee. Mr. Waldo’s gaze flickered to the movement, his thick neck turning a mottled red hue.
“Okay, so…Titus and I are officially dating.” Amelia made a weird noise out of the side of her mouth. “Rip it like a Band-Aid.” She chuckled awkwardly and I cringed. The delivery could have been better, but at least it was out there.
“Ohh…” Susie hopped up and gave us a hug, seemingly happy.
“I see.” Sheriff Waldo had a blank expression on his face. He was one tough nut. His gaze snapped to me. “May I have a word with you outside, Titus?”
I gulped. Amelia squeezed my knee. I stood and followed him out the back door, my heart hammering in my chest. Was he taking me out here to kick the shit out of me? With his expertise, he could probably bury the body and all evidence before Amelia started to get worried where we were. Then an even more terrifying thought occurred. What if he forbade me to date Amelia? How could I tell the man politely to go fuck himself?
He led me to the same bench under the sycamore tree that Amelia had sat on when she agreed to go out with me. I hoped my good luck continued on that bench, though that seemed a bit farfetched given the look on the sheriff’s face. He could make inmates cry with that stone-cold gaze.
He sniffed and looked around the yard, his hands automatically drifting to his belt, even though he’d taken off his utility belt when he got home from work. He didn’t look inclined to sit down, which made it awkward for me. I felt like ten-year-old Titus, staring up at the big, bad policeman while I got my ass handed to me for something Dom did that I got blamed for.
“I’ve known you a long time, Titus,” he began, staring at the bark peeling off the trunk of the tree. “Seen you grow up into an adult. Seen you come around here with my daughter for years.”
His gaze snapped to my face and the moderate fall weather suddenly got chillier. I froze, wondering where he would go with this whole thing.
“I’ve also seen her around town with that jackass Daire. Can’t say I’m sorry to see that guy go, but doesn’t mean I’m happy about her dating again so quickly. You treat her right, Titus, or I’ll find a way to straighten you out and I guarantee you won’t like it. Understood?”
I swallowed hard and stood up, finding a tiny kernel of delight when he had to look up to keep our gazes locked. “No problems there, Chief. We’re on the same page as far as Amelia is concerned.”
The guy didn’t even blink for a full sixty seconds. Just stared me down as if time would reveal the lie in my statement. He must have seen something, or maybe his eyes just started to burn, because he reached over and thumped me on the back of my shoulder.
“Good. Let’s get inside. Colder than a witch’s tit out here,” he grumbled, ambling toward the back door of the house.
I had no idea the temperature of various anatomy on a witch, but I was glad our little chat was over. He hadn’t exactly approved of us dating, but then again, we weren’t looking for his
