How to Land Her Lawman (3 page)

He was looking out the window and saw the door to the Photography Shop open and April walked out. She turned and locked up, then crossed the street and headed toward the sheriff's office. It was possible she was going somewhere else, but he hoped not. The sight of her lifted his spirits just like she'd done last night when he found her on his porch with a casserole in her hands. It wasn't fancy food but turned out to be the best dinner he'd had in a long time.

That had little to do with the cooking and everything to do with the company. Like every situation, he analyzed it and figured he'd enjoyed the evening because any lingering guilt about hurting her was gone. There were other things that kept him up at night but not her. At least not guilt about her, because he'd lost some sleep wondering if her mouth still tasted as sweet as he remembered.

April walked into the office and saw him standing by the dispatch desk. “Hi.”

“Hey.”

She looked at the older woman. “Hi, Clarice. How's the family?”

“Everyone is doing great.”

“Are you a grandmother yet?” April asked.

“Sandy's due after Labor Day.”

“I didn't know you were going to be a grandmother,” Will said.

“Because you never asked.” Her tone was only marginally disapproving. “She and her husband live in California, a suburb of LA. He's an attorney for a big law firm there. Sandy works at a preschool, at least until the baby's born.”

“Congratulations,” he said.

“Thanks, boss. By the way, I'll need some time off after she gives birth.”

“My father will be back then. I'm sure he already has you covered and it won't be a problem.” Then Will remembered she had a son, too. What was that kid's name? Oh, yeah. “How's Mark?”

“Good. I'm surprised you remembered his name.” She hadn't missed the slight hesitation. “He's getting a doctorate in marine science from the University of Miami.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah. A nerd like his dad.”

Will knew her husband taught chemistry at the junior college located about twenty-five miles from Blackwater Lake. Where April had gone to school. Damned if even after all this time he didn't still feel a twinge remembering that she hadn't gone with him to Chicago.

Will looked at her now. “So, April, how can we help you? Are you here to report a crime?”

She laughed. “More like crime prevention.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Would you mind if we talked in your office?” The words were for him, but April gave Clarice a shrug that was part apology, part I-know-you-understand.

“I've got work to do,” the dispatcher said.

“Okay. In my office, then.” He turned and headed in that direction with April behind him. When they walked in the room he asked, “Do you want me to close the door?”

“Not necessary. I just wanted a little privacy for this conversation.”

“Okay.” He indicated the two chairs in front of the desk. “Have a seat.”

“Thanks.” She sat down and the wattage on her smile was probably visible from space. Plus she was doing that weird thing with her eyes again. “I could use your help.”

“With what?”

“Crowd control. More specifically teenage make-out prevention.”

“A little more information would be really helpful.”

“Yeah. Sorry.” She laughed again, but the sound seemed more nervous than anything else. “Every year just after school gets out the high school kids get together in that open field a half mile from the high school. The seniors who ruled the school pass on the power, symbolically of course, to the juniors, who are now incoming seniors.”

“Okay. But why do you need official backup?”

“That's the thing. It's not official, not technically a school function, so no chaperones are required. But these are teenagers and extra surveillance is the smart way to go.”

“Why are you doing the asking?” Apparently his guilt wasn't completely gone because there was a part of him surprised that she would request anything from him.

“I take pictures that always make their way into the yearbook. It's an annual thing they do. Every year.” She cringed. “I already said that, didn't I?”

“Yeah.”

“The thing is, I don't want any of them having sex on my watch.”

“I guess not.” He couldn't stop a small smile.

“Glad you think this is funny.”

“No, I don't.”

“Yes, you do,” she challenged.

“Maybe a little.” He shrugged.

“Come on, Will, be serious. These kids are drowning in hormones and they're sneaky.”

He remembered. Partly because there was something about April that made him feel like a randy teenager again. The reaction could have been because she mentioned making out and sex, but he didn't think so. It was all her. The playful ponytail, curves that had grown curvier with time and a mouth that would drive a saint insane.

“What time is this photo shoot?”

“Tonight. Eight o'clock. I know what you're thinking,” she said.

“I don't think you do.”

“You'd be wrong. You're thinking that it would be better to schedule this earlier in the evening before the sun goes down.” She shook her head and pressed those plump lips together. Then she seemed to remember something and forced a big smile, followed by some eyelash batting. “The problem is that a lot of the kids have summer jobs and aren't available earlier. Not to mention that I have a business and later is better.”

She was wrong. That wasn't what he'd been thinking. His thoughts ran more along the lines of finding a secluded place to get
her
alone in the dark. “I see.”

“I thought you would.” Her eyes took on a pleading expression. “So, can I count on you?”

Will was conflicted about what to do. He didn't want to turn her down. This behavior of hers was surprising. First dinner last night and now a request for assistance today. She smiled a lot and did that weird thing with her eyes, which he didn't recall, but they'd toasted to friendship last night. And today she'd voluntarily come to see him and ask for assistance.

On the flip side, it probably wasn't a good idea to be out with her after dark, what with his mind going randy teenager on him. Still, the kids would be around and that would cool his temptation. Friends helped each other out.

“Okay. I'll give you a hand.”

“Thanks, Will.” She smiled again, but it was the first natural one since walking into his office. And it was a stunner.

He really hoped this wasn't a mistake.

Chapter Three

I
t was a beautiful night for taking pictures. April had her digital SLR camera on a tripod set up in the meadow and was snapping pictures of the outgoing senior class student-body officers passing a plastic toy torch. Someone held up a handmade sign that said “Class of 2017—we rule the school!” She stopped and scrolled through the images, then adjusted the shutter speed in order to make the shots clearer while allowing for the light from a full moon.

And speaking of that... She counted heads for the umpteenth time. There were supposed to be ten and she tallied eight. “Where did Trevor and Kate go?”

She looked at the group of teens and every single one looked guilty as sin. “Come on. You know my rules. No getting frisky and pairing off during this shoot. I know the seniors who just graduated don't care. But listen up seniors-to-be, if you want me to take pictures next year you'll tell me where they went. Otherwise this tradition will just be a sad memory.”

April looked at them and they stared back at her without speaking. “Anyone? Now would be a good time to speak up. You really want to spoil the fun for the other classes coming up behind you?”

“You're right. We don't care.” That was Mike Espy, a good-looking football player who'd received a football scholarship to the University of California, Los Angeles. “I can't wait to get out of this two-bit nowhere town. It's big-city excitement for me.”

“Oh, don't be such a jerk.” Patty Carnegie, a pretty blonde cheerleader who was looking forward to senior year and being captain of the squad, gave him a withering look. Then she met April's gaze. “They took a walk.”

Red alert. That was code for finding a place to be alone and unleash all the teenage hormones raging through them. Will was out there somewhere. She knew because they'd come here together in his SUV. Part of her had expected him to back out, but he'd been right on time.

She wondered if he'd felt the same way Mike did about not being able to shake the dust of Blackwater Lake off his shoes fast enough. That didn't really matter now, though. She had two unaccounted-for teenagers who could be getting into trouble on her watch.

“Look who I found wandering around in the woods.” And there was Will, walking the two wayward kids back to the group.

There was a lot of good-natured hooting and hollering but Trevor and Kate looked unrepentant. “We had to try,” he said.

“And I have to tell you not to do it again.”

April shot Will a grateful look. He shrugged as if to say he didn't blame them. Kids would be kids. She and Will had been there once upon a time when his father the sheriff had broken up one of their make-out sessions.

The windows of Will's seen-better-days truck had been fogged up and they felt like the only two lovers in the world. Right up until the moment there was tapping on the driver's door. April quickly adjusted her clothes and Will rolled down the window. Hank peeked inside and ordered him to get her home on time. She never knew if Will's dad had said anything to him privately. Hmm.

“Okay, you guys, let's finish up.” April took her place behind the camera again.

“What should we do?” Lindsay was a junior and incoming student-body treasurer.

“Just be yourselves. Hang out. Pretend I'm not here,” she advised.

“You just told us not to do that again,” Mike reminded her.

Everyone laughed and she snapped a great picture. “I told you not to go walking alone in the woods. Now I want you to relax, have fun. If you think about getting your picture taken, you'll freeze up and be stiff. So act as if I don't have this camera trained on you to record this moment in the history of Blackwater Lake High School.”

“Go Wolves,” someone called out.

“Let's hear it for the blue and gold,” a boy said.

Spontaneously the kids started a cheer. “Two, four, six, eight, who do we appreciate?”

“Kennedy,” everyone hollered.

Then a chant started. “April! April! April!”

She smiled, watching them have fun. The innocence of youth that she was capturing forever. She got some great unstructured shots, more than enough to provide the yearbook committee with outstanding choices.

“Okay, you guys. Listen up. This is a wrap.” She grinned at all of them. “Great job. Sheriff Fletcher will make sure everyone has transportation home.”

A couple of the girls hugged her and expressed the appreciation of everyone, then hurried off with the group to the dirt area where they'd parked cars. Will brought up the rear and the moonlight allowed her to appreciate what a very excellent rear he had. That reaction was a direct result of pent-up big-girl hormones because she hadn't had a real date for a while.

She heard the sound of cars starting then driving away while beginning the task of packing up her equipment. It had been fun as always and her threat to discontinue future photo shoots was an empty one because she enjoyed it as much, if not more, than the kids. Maybe because her senior year in high school had been the happiest time in her life.

When the car noises faded she saw Will walking toward her. The anticipation filling her at the sight of him wasn't too much different than what she'd felt when they'd been together before. Flirting with a toad would be a challenge. But for the purposes of this plan to put him behind her, April knew it was good to be attracted.

“Mission accomplished.” He watched her pack up her cameras and lenses and put them in their protective cases.

“Everyone got off okay?”

“Yes. And I have to say it was like herding cats.”

“I know what you mean.” She looked up at him and her heart stuttered. At some point she was going to have to get a handle on that reaction, but it probably wouldn't happen tonight. “Seriously, Will, thanks for your help. I'm really glad you were here for backup.”

“I didn't do much.”

“You did a lot. Not just anyone can stand there and look intimidating, but you pulled it off spectacularly.”

“It's a gift. Then there were those two who just had to defy authority,” he said.

“And you got them safely back to the herd. Bless you.”

“Happy to help.”

“I appreciate it.” She had packed everything up while they talked and now folded the tripod. “I'm all set.”

“Let me get that for you.” He easily picked up everything that would have taken her two trips to haul.

“Thanks.”

In silence they walked back to where his SUV was parked in the dirt area. He opened the rear liftgate and stowed her equipment while she climbed into the passenger seat. Moments later he slammed the door then settled behind the wheel and turned the key in the ignition. The dash lights illuminated his features and the past came rushing back to her. All the dreams, hopes and hurts of that teenage girl she'd once been.

One of the perks of not being together anymore was that theoretically she no longer cared what he thought of her. That meant she didn't have anything to lose by asking him whatever popped into her head. And she did it now. “Do you remember that night we were in your truck, parked right here, and your dad found us?”

“I wish I could say no.” The glance he sent her was uncomfortable.

“Did he ever say anything more about it? When I wasn't there?”

“Yes.”

She waited but he clammed up. “Care to elaborate?”

“If I said no would you let it drop?” This time he looked hopeful.

“From the perspective of a girl who never knew her father and missed that experience, it's my opinion that you should be grateful your dad cared enough to get involved. To risk alienating you.”

“I get that now. At the time he really ticked me off.”

“What did he say to you?”

“He told me not to disrespect you.”

She smiled. “That sounds like Hank. Did he give you the don't-get-her-pregnant speech?”

“Don't remind me,” he groaned, his reaction confirming her guess.

Considering they eventually broke up, it was a blessing there hadn't been an unexpected pregnancy. That reminded her of what Mike had said and she wondered how Will felt. This was as good a time as any to bring it up.

“Can I ask you something?”

“As long as it has nothing to do with my dad making me feel twelve years old.”

“No.” She laughed. “I don't know if you heard what one of the boys said. You were herding stray cats.”

“What?” he asked.

“I said the graduated seniors probably didn't care but I was going to end the passing-the-torch tradition if they didn't follow my rules. He, Mike, confirmed that he didn't care and couldn't wait to get out of this small town, get a taste of the big city.”

“Young and stupid,” Will muttered.

“So you didn't feel that way when you were around his age?” she asked.

“No, I did.”

“But you just said he's young and stupid. Do you regret moving to Chicago?”

He was quiet for several moments. “I just meant the big city isn't just about excitement.” His mouth pulled tight for a second. “In a place with so many people there's a lot going on, both good and bad. The years give you perspective to see both sides.”

“I guess so.”

April had the oddest sensation of disappointment, as if she'd hoped he would admit he had regrets about leaving Blackwater Lake, and her, behind. And wasn't that just silliness. It was a reminder of why she was here with him in the first place and romance was definitely not involved.

She'd foolishly believed that she and Will would be together always and deliriously happy. They would have kids and be the family she'd always longed for. He was right about years giving you perspective because she no longer had stars in her eyes. As far as she was concerned the only stars on her radar were in the sky and that's where they were going to stay. There was no way she would get sucked in to romance again.

Her assignment was to have a fling with Will and this time be the one to end things. High school had been happy because of Will, but now she had to put it, and him, behind her.

It was time for phase two of the plan. “Do you want to stop at Bar None for a drink? I'm buying. Call it a thank-you for your help tonight.”

He didn't say anything for a few seconds and she braced for rejection. Finally he said, “That sounds good.”

Here goes nothing
, she thought. A friendly drink and that was it. She wasn't going to blow this chance for closure.

* * *

The morning after helping April with her teenage photo shoot Will was still trying to forget how beautiful she'd looked in the moonlight. And how eager he'd been to have a drink with her. There'd been a part of him hoping it would lead to more, but no such luck.

“You didn't have to come with me to see the doctor, Will.”

“Hmm?” His father's voice pulled him back to the moment.

“I said, I could have brought myself here to the clinic. You didn't need to tag along.”

“If I didn't, you know as well as I do that Kim's head would explode.”

His dad laughed. He was sitting on the exam table in one of the patient rooms at Mercy Medical Clinic, waiting to see Adam Stone, the family-practice doctor on staff. Adam had consulted with the cardiologist and cardiothoracic surgeon who'd performed the bypass surgery and was now handling the follow-up checks. In fact, he'd stabilized Hank after the initial heart attack, before transport to the medical center in Copper Hill, which was over an hour away.

“Your sister
is
something of a control freak.”

“That makes it tough when she can't be in two places at once.” Sitting in a chair against the wall, Will grinned at his dad. “It was either doctor duty or her appointment with the manager at Fireside restaurant to consult on the food for her wedding reception.”

“I'm glad she picked that one,” Hank said. “This wedding is really important to her. And she's been through a lot of tough times. She's way past due for a chance at happiness.”

“Yeah.” Will couldn't agree more.

“The thing is, she would have put wedding prep on hold to come to this appointment with me if you weren't here, son.” His dad's gaze was unflinching.

Will did his best not to squirm like a twelve-year-old in the hard plastic chair. Since coming back to Blackwater Lake it seemed guilt was his new best friend. His sister had carried all the family stuff, including being a teenage single mom while going to college and becoming a teacher.

And then there was April and how he'd treated her. At least he'd squared one out of those two guilt trips. She didn't seem to be holding a grudge about the past. He'd had a great time last night and it seemed as if she had, too. Bygones went bye-bye. She was friendly and, if he didn't miss his guess, a little flirty.

Since that lightning-rod moment all those years ago when her full mouth and curvy body had grabbed him by the throat, she'd always had the power to get his juices going. As much as he wished that was a bygone, too, it had happened again last night.

But this doctor's appointment was about giving his sister a break so she could finalize details for her summer wedding.

“I'm happy to help, Dad.” Will really meant that. “And I hope Kim enjoys everything—up to and including her wedding day. She deserves all the good stuff.”

“Who's holding down the fort while you're here with me?”

Will had no doubt this was small talk because Sheriff Hank Fletcher still knew exactly what was going on in his jurisdiction. “Clarice and Eddie. They know how to get me if something comes up they can't handle.”

“What do you think of Eddie? Professional assessment.”

“Hard to tell. I haven't been here long enough to see him function in a crisis. But he seems bright, eager. He brings a lot of energy.”

Hank nodded. “I thought so, too. Things are going to change when the resort and building development are finished. More people will move here, which is a blessing and curse. We'll do our best to anticipate potential problem situations but life has a way of throwing the unexpected at you just when you think you've got it all figured out.”