“Passing the physical agility test.” Stella slid a fried egg onto her plate, added some hash browns and crossed to sit at the table with the rest of the family.
“You’re in great shape,” Maya scoffed.
“I don’t know why you want to be a deputy anyway,” Mary said primly from her place at the head of the table. Dressed today in a neat sundress and sandals, she looked more prepared for a day in town than one spent at the ranch, but Mary had never liked country living that much. Stella was still surprised that Mary seemed home to stay. “Bad enough your father wasted his life with all that.”
“I don’t think he wasted his life, even if he made some poor choices at the end of it.”
“Still can’t believe Dad was growing pot.” Maya frowned at her food. They’d learned about their father’s indiscretions recently, and all of them were having trouble grappling with the implications.
“You shouldn’t believe it,” Mary said. “I doubt it’s true.”
“But you believed he was cheating on you,” Stella said tartly.
“So did you,” Mary pointed out. Both of them had seen Enid Cooper with William one night thirteen years ago and jumped to the wrong conclusion. It had been the last straw for Mary and William’s marriage, but Stella knew now that her parents would have split up no matter what.
“What do you have to do to prepare for the test?” Maya broke in. She always tried to deflect problems, Stella mused. Family dynamics didn’t change much over the years.
“I watched a video of the test online, and it’s kind of like an obstacle course.”
“Like the one the guys at Crescent Hall have?”
“Not nearly as complicated as that one,” Stella said with a smile. “Although I suppose if I got good on theirs I could handle the physical agility test no problem.”
“Maybe you should ask them if you can try it out.”
“Maybe,” Stella said, “but I want to set up one here that’s more like what I’ll actually have to do to pass the test. I figure that way I can get to it several times a day instead of only once in a while, the way it would be if I was trying to use the Halls’ course.”
“Makes sense.”
“I don’t think any of this makes sense,” Mary said tartly. “What’s wrong with the career you already have?”
“What’s wrong with yours in Ohio?” Stella countered. “You’re trying something new with Enid and Leslie, right? Why can’t I change things?” Mary, Enid Cooper and Leslie Falk, who’d been fast friends in high school before a falling out, had patched things up recently and become inseparable. They’d been discussing any number of ventures they could embark on together. At the moment they seemed to favor opening some type of spa. Stella wasn’t sure who’d make use of such a thing in this small town, but she wasn’t about to rain on anyone’s parade. She didn’t think she’d ever seen her mother as content as she was these days.
“Why do you have to become a deputy? Can’t you choose something else?” Mary gathered her dishes, took them to the sink and left them there. “I’ll be out the rest of the day,” she said with a sniff and kept going before Stella could answer.
“What’s eating her?” Stella asked.
“Maybe she spent so much time worrying about Dad she doesn’t want to worry about you, too.”
Stella supposed Maya could be right. “What about Noah?”
“Noah’s a man—and he’s a parole officer, not a deputy,” Maya pointed out. “Like I said before, I think you’d do great at the job, but do you really want to be one? I imagine things can get pretty rough. You’ll deal with drunks, family disturbances, criminals…”
“It’s what I’ve always wanted to do,” Stella said. “I just finally got up the courage to say so.”
“Then I’ll do whatever I can to help, and I’m sure Noah will, too. What does Eric think about the idea?” Maya stood and began to pack away the food.
“He said he’d help me train for the fitness test,” she admitted and didn’t know why Steel popped into her head just then. She supposed it would be fun to chase him around an obstacle course. Just thinking about it made her smile. Steel was fit in an entirely different way than Eric. Muscular and quick, with a smile and a way of teasing her that melted her from the inside out.
“I knew it. You and Eric are an item, aren’t you?” Maya asked, misinterpreting her expression.
“No, we’re not,” Stella said quickly. Despite what he seemed to think.
“You will be if you ask him for help with your training. Give him a call.” Maya moved onto stacking the dishes and taking them to the sink as Stella kept eating. “Can I leave these for you?”
“Sure.” She had time before her shift started. When Maya left, Stella finished her own meal more slowly, then got to work cleaning up, her mind still on Steel and Eric.
Why wasn’t she giving Eric a fair shake? He was a much better candidate than Steel could ever be. He shared her interests, her values and her need to live a life she could be proud of. Steel was… Steel. Very likely he was involved in things that were far from legal. If she was going to be a deputy, she had to give him up.
Stella dried her hands, reached for her phone determinedly and called Eric.
“Stella,” he answered before the second ring. “Good to hear from you. Can we meet for dinner or a drink soon?”
She closed her eyes. Dinner and a drink meant more kisses—which was good, she lectured herself. She needed to give Eric a chance. Surely if she spent more time with him she’d learn to like him that way.
“I was thinking about the physical agility test,” she said firmly, not quite ready to go there yet. “Last night you said you’d help me train.”
There was a long pause,
