He’d seen them. And he was pissed.
He let his own gaze slide away, and when the whistles blew again, Steel went to join the rest of the competitors who would participate in the first adult contest, a swimming event.
“I still need to change into my suit,” he told the teenager in charge.
“Better hurry; contest starts in five,” the kid said, pointing to the main entrance to the lodge. “There are change rooms set up in there.”
“Thanks.”
Stella caught sight of Steel hurrying to the lodge, probably going to change, before another volunteer came hurrying up with questions about the event she was supervising for the kids’ division.
“I think I’ve bitten off more than I can chew,” Stella said to Monica when she’d sent the teen back to his position. “We’ve got events all day, volunteers everywhere, and everyone has questions. What if I can’t keep up?”
“You’ll keep up.” Monica waved a hand to encompass the crowd. “Look at what we’ve managed to pull together. We’re going to raise a lot of money for your cause.”
“Olivia’s cause,” Stella joked. “Just kidding; I’m thrilled with how well it’s all going.”
Another volunteer rushed up. “One of the parents wants her kid to wear a life vest during the competition. Is that okay?” she asked worriedly. “I’m not sure it’s fair.”
“I’ll take this one,” Monica said, allowing the girl to lead her away.
When Stella realized no one else wanted a piece of her, she allowed herself to take a deep breath. Despite the chaos around her, things were really going well. The sun was shining brightly. Everyone looked excited to be here. She shadowed her eyes with her hands and looked for Olivia to see if she needed any help.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Her pulse jumped, and Stella spun to find herself face to face with Eric. A very angry-looking Eric.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“I saw you—with Steel Cooper. Slipping away with him. What are you—auctioning yourself off to the highest bidder?”
“What?” Stella drew back, shocked at his implication.
“You’re supposed to be with me.”
“I’m supposed to be my own woman,” she said. “You and I have gone out a few times. That’s it.”
“Exactly. You’re my girlfriend. So what the hell are you doing with another man?”
“Going out and being together are two very different things,” Stella told him, his tone making her good and angry. “You want to be my boyfriend, you’ve got to ask, and you never asked, did you?”
Eric’s face darkened. “That’s a bunch of bullshit. You knew exactly what you were doing when you let me pay for your dinner at Fila’s. Friends don’t pay.”
Was that his definition of love? “Friends pay all the time,” she countered. “I pay for my friends’ meals. They pay for mine.”
“Quit the innocent act,” Eric spit at her, his hands balled into fists. Around them, people were beginning to look their way. This was the last thing Stella needed.
“It’s not an act,” she hissed at him, “but you’re sure putting on a show for everyone. You’ve even got the sheriff’s attention.”
Eric’s head whipped around, and when he caught Cab Johnson looking their way, he stepped back. “Fine. We’ll handle this later.”
“There’s nothing to handle. I’m not going to be with a man who yells at me, and I’m certainly not going to be with a man who calls me a whore. This, whatever it was, is over. Now I’ve got work to do.”
She stalked off, shaking, knowing that if it weren’t for the crowds—and the sheriff—Eric would undoubtedly follow. She knew he had a temper. How could she not see how controlling he wanted to be? She could sure pick them, couldn’t she?
Stella spent the rest of the morning putting out fires. Not real ones, thank goodness, but problems that flared up quickly and had to be quenched just as fast. Eric kept his distance, but instead of leaving, like she’d hoped, he stayed and competed in the contests he’d signed up for—which turned out to be all the adult ones. When she realized that both Steel and Eric were competing for overall best, Stella had to squash the urge to get in her truck and drive away.
This was not going to end well.
Chapter Eight
“What are you doing here?”
Steel had almost reached the beach when Liz confronted him. Clad in a bikini, towel balled in her arms, she looked even younger than her fifteen years.
“Enjoying myself like everyone else.” Steel kept going.
“People like you shouldn’t be allowed to be here, creeper.”
That gave him pause. The name didn’t bother him, but it bothered him that Lily’s and Lara’s words had already become part of Liz’s vocabulary. Was she still in touch with Lara? When several people in the vicinity turned to look, Steel forced himself to walk on, telling himself he’d ask Stella to follow up on that. This was what he was going to face even after he’d solved these cases—if he ever did. The climate in Chance Creek and Silver Falls would be toxic for him, and Stella would suffer, too, if they were together.
“Hey, creeper, you competing, too?” Ned Haverstock had been following close behind him, and he must have overheard what Liz said. They joined the small crowd gathered for the first swimming competition.
“You know it.” He shrugged off Ned’s joshing even though it stung.
“Isn’t that girl a little young for you?” Daniel Ortiz added, appearing by his other side.
“Fuck off,” Steel told the other deputy.
“Heard she was hanging around at the pit,” Ned put in.
“When?”
But just then, the teen in charge of their contest blew his whistle, and everyone surged forward to hear his instructions.
