Teresa Southwick – How To Land Her Lawman (страница 2)

Or maybe it just sounded that way because his conscience was passing the words through the guilt filter. Either way, he figured it was a good idea to clear the air. “I don’t think I ever apologized for what happened in Chicago.”

“You mean the time I came to surprise you and a woman answered the door wearing nothing but your shirt?”

“Yeah. That.” He was staring at her mouth, the way she pressed her lips together. It had always made him want to kiss her and unfortunately now was no exception. Normally it was comforting knowing things didn’t change but this wasn’t one of those times.

“You tried to apologize, actually.” She met his gaze directly. “But I wasn’t speaking to you, so that made it kind of hard.”

“Well, let me say it now. I’m sorry for what happened.”

“Let it go, Will. I have. That was a long time ago. It was my idea not to be exclusive when you went to Chicago and entered the police academy. It seemed the right thing to do since I couldn’t go with you and everyone knows long-distance relationships are a challenge. We found out the hard way how true that is. Technically we didn’t have a relationship and it still fell apart.”

Will remembered trying to talk her into going to Chicago with him, but her mom had just been diagnosed. April had never known her dad and wouldn’t abandon the mother who had raised her daughter alone and always put her first. She’d suggested they date other people but keep in touch and after a year reevaluate things between them. He was glad she hadn’t forgotten that.

“I didn’t expect you not to date,” she said. “And you did.”

“For what it’s worth, you were right about everything.”

“Things happen for the best. Water under the bridge. Let bygones be bygones. And any other cliché you can think of to put this behind you.” She shrugged as if it made no difference to her.

“Okay, then.”

Will felt oddly dissatisfied with her response. Maybe the altitude was getting to him. That was the best explanation he could come up with for why he wasn’t completely relieved that she didn’t scream or cry or seem the least bit emotional about what had happened. Or maybe he was simply an egotistical jerk who expected her to still be a little bothered about something he’d done six years ago.

Possibly his reaction was colored by the fact that he’d married the woman wearing nothing but his shirt and it had been a failure. On top of that, he’d always had the nagging feeling that what he’d done to April was the biggest mistake he’d ever made. For a man who hated to fail, doing it twice at the same time didn’t sit very well. And it was kind of annoying that she seemed completely at peace with how things had turned out.

“So, if that’s all—” She cocked a thumb over her shoulder toward the back room, where a camera sat on a tripod.

“Just so you know, I’ll be here until the end of summer while Dad is recuperating from his open-heart surgery.”

“That was a scare.” She put her hand to her chest. The first honest emotion she’d exhibited since he’d walked in. “First the heart attack, then surgery. It was like watching the Rock of Gibraltar crack. Your sister has been his diet-and-exercise drill sergeant ever since he got out of the hospital and started cardiac rehab.”

“Kim is hard to say no to.” He was here talking to April, wasn’t he? “The sheriff has always protected the citizens of his town first and himself a distant second. Maybe he saw God when the doc put him under for the procedure because right after he got out of the hospital he asked me to fill in for him. Then he got the mayor and town council to approve my temporary appointment.”

“It would be just like him to push himself to go back to work too soon. I’m sure your family is glad to have you here.” Her tone said she felt differently. “And a good thing you could take extended leave from your job.”

Maybe the job needed time off from him. Between that and his sister nagging him to not be an ass and do it for Dad, he had decided to take one for team Fletcher. All he was willing to say was, “I have a lot of days on the Chicago PD books.”

“So you’re the sheriff now.” She folded her arms over her chest.

“Acting, but yeah. And I wanted to make sure I can count on you for freelance work when needed.” Sometimes there were multicar accidents that required photos with more detail than an untrained photographer could capture with a cell phone. Insurance companies were funny that way when a settlement was involved. Mug shots were part of the official record.

“Of course I’ll continue the arrangement. It’s important that Hank knows everything will go smoothly in his absence. Just as if he was at the wheel.”

“So you’re doing it for Dad.”

“Absolutely. After you and I didn’t work out, you got what’s-her-name, but I got your family. I’d do anything for them.”

“They’re lucky to have you.”

“No.” She shook her head and her ponytail swung from side to side. “I’m the lucky one.”

The weird feeling in his chest felt a lot like envy. He was jealous of her loyalty to his dad, sister and nephew even though he’d given up any right to her commitment. He might not have cheated officially but it was a betrayal of spirit. And he still didn’t feel as if the air was cleared.

“I should have told you I was dating someone, but I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“And that worked out so well.” She smiled, but it didn’t turn her hazel eyes from green to warm. They went almost chocolaty brown. “Golly, this has been fun, but I have someone coming in for a sitting and need to get things set up.”

“Okay. I didn’t mean to keep you.”

“No problem. I appreciate you stopping by. Now when we run into each other it won’t be awkward at all. See you around, Will.” She turned and walked into the back.

“Bye, April.”

He left her shop and felt like gum on someone’s shoe. Kim had said seeing her would take the heat off, but she couldn’t have been more wrong. The heat was on and it had nothing to do with their history and everything to do with the beautiful, sexy woman April Kennedy still was. And when had she gotten so confident and sassy? So independent?

That was different. She was the same—but different.

Man, it was going to be a long, hot summer.

* * *

April heard a knock on the sliding glass door in her kitchen and hurried to answer it. Kim Fletcher was standing on the back porch and she yanked the other woman inside.

“Thanks for coming. I’m glad you didn’t have plans with Luke.”

“I’d have canceled if I did. You said it was vital that we talk. What’s up?”

Her friend was engaged to be married this summer to another teacher at Blackwater Lake High School, where she worked in the English Department. Luke was the football coach in addition to teaching science. Her son, Tim, played freshman football and approved of the man his mom was going to marry. She’d found her happily-ever-after and April was glad at least one of them had.

“Did anyone at home know you were coming over here?”

Kim gave her a “really?” look. “News flash. My father, brother and son are guys. They don’t pay any attention to me. I could announce that I was going to be a fire eater in the circus and they’d say ‘Have a good time.’ I’m invisible to them.”

“Okay.” With Will in Chicago all this time, April had forgotten how inconvenient it was that her best friend and her ex were siblings. Who now temporarily lived together under the same roof. All she’d thought about was her own personal emergency and made an SOS call to her bestie. “I need to talk to you and the conversation calls for wine.”

“Twist my arm.” Kim held it out. “I promise I won’t say no.”

Kim Fletcher was pretty and for a long time April hadn’t thought about how much she looked like her brother. Same blue eyes and brown hair, although her friend’s was heavily highlighted, making her look more blonde. The thought of manly, masculine Will with highlighted hair almost made her smile.

After April poured Chardonnay into the two wineglasses waiting on the kitchen island, they carried them to the family room and sat on the sofa.

Kim scooted back and tucked her legs up beside her. “You saw Will.”

April sipped her wine then nodded. “I’d say you’re psychic except that he admitted the meeting was your idea. To avoid an awkward, public encounter.”

“You’re welcome,” Kim said.

“Hold it. I’m not on the gratitude train yet.” April had been jittery and uneasy ever since seeing him again. She liked status quo and really wanted it restored but wasn’t quite sure how to stuff all the emotional junk back in the jar. “It might have been better to take my chances. Maybe I wouldn’t have run into him at all.”

“Seriously?” The other woman gave her a you’re-kidding-yourself look. “This town is the size of a postage stamp. The sheriff’s office is right across the street from your shop. He’s living not very far from your back door. If you really believe your paths won’t cross in the three months he’ll be here, you’re in serious denial.”

“I know. And you’re right. But I wish you’d warned me.”

Kim shook her head. “Surprise was better. Your reaction had to be natural. Unscripted.”

April wanted to crawl into a hole when she thought about how it had gone seeing Will again. She hadn’t been prepared and preparation was her thing. When she got in the car, she mentally plotted the route to her destination. Writing a grocery list started on aisle one and ended at produce. For a photography sitting she always had cameras, lenses, backdrops and props ready.