“Are you saying you’d break me out if needed?”
He leaned a hip against the doorjamb, and the way he filled the doorway made it clear he was every inch a man who could handle himself, just as he’d claimed to be. “Guess I’m not as hardcore at enforcing the town’s Christmas Party Decree as I pretended while we had an audience.”
She smiled at him. “I feel safe and happy, and I think staying here for a couple of weeks is just what the doctor ordered.” She leaned on the interior side of the doorjamb, her hip a few inches from his. It struck her how tall he was, something she noticed as a tall woman who often looked eye-level with men. “Thank you for all your help, Sheriff Haywood. This morning and last night.”
“It’s Emmett,” he said, dipping his head a few inches, and they were close enough that she could feel the heat of his body coming off him. Then she was recalling how firm his biceps had felt underneath her palm.
Her heart went to fluttering in her chest since it was worse at listening to reason than her brain was. “Thank you, Emmett.”
Chapter Four
Thanks to the group of women who frequented the main room of the Cozy Cottage to drink coffee and tea and gossip, Regina had ended up with a coat, gloves, and a scarf that was long enough to mummify her entire body. She wound another loop around her neck so she wouldn’t step on the end and trip and fall—no need to embarrass herself every day she was in town.
People milled about the park, chatting and enjoying hot chocolate and apple cider as they waited for the tree lighting ceremony. Regina accepted a cup of cocoa, holding it in her hands and sighing at the added warmth. It was significantly colder here than it was in Maryland. Her gaze skimmed the area, and while she
told herself she was merely observing the cheerful gathering, her heart skipped extra quickly, hoping to find and observe the sheriff.
Emmett. He said to call him Emmett.
And I need to find him and say thank you, so it’s okay to be looking for him.
After lunch at the Wallflower Diner, she’d fortified her nerves the best she could to face her decorated car. But it was cleared of the streamers, cans, and that mocking “Just Married!!!” scrawl. She suspected he’d noticed how much it’d bothered her.
As Regina moved closer to the action, several people introduced themselves. Word had obviously gotten around about who she was and why she was there, but everyone was so kind, and even better, nice enough not to mention how much of a mess she’d been last night.
The crowd gathered closer to the stage as the mayor welcomed everyone to their annual tree lighting ceremony. Regina tipped onto her toes, still searching for a dirty blond head of hair.
“You’re not making a play to be the one to flip the switch, are you?” a deep voice said near her ear, and butterflies erupted in her stomach. She turned to the very guy she’d been looking for.
“I feel it’s only fair, what with me having been part of the town for almost a whole day. Plus, don’t tell the cops, but my goal is to get arrested by Christmas.” She pretended she’d only now noticed his clothing and the big shiny badge on the coat she’d had wrapped around her last night. “Oh, this is awkward.”
His lips quivered but not enough to count as a smile. He lifted one of her colorful scarf coils. “Let me guess. Marge got a hold of you?”
“She let me borrow it. In fact, I don’t have a stitch of clothing on that’s mine. Save the underwear.” Her cheeks blazed, embarrassment doing a far better job than the layers at keeping her toasty. “I mean … You know what I mean.”
It was as if someone had pressed the pause button on him. He didn’t move, didn’t seem to blink or even breathe.
“So, um, this hot chocolate is really good.” She licked it off her upper lip, and his eyes tracked the movement. “Emmett?”
He cleared his throat. “I wouldn’t know.”
“Can’t drink any because you’re on duty?” She lifted the cup and eyed it suspiciously. “What exactly do they put in it? If I get sloppy drunk one more time, I’m pretty sure the sheriff will haul me to jail.”
“Ha-ha. I just haven’t had time to try a cup, because anytime I go near the table, someone needs something. Plus, there are doughnuts over there, and I’d hate to become a walking cliché.”
Regina opened her mouth to tell him she’d cover for him if he wanted to grab a cup now—no promises about refraining from cop/doughnut jokes—but before she could, an older lady burst right into their cozy bubble.
“Oh good, I found you.” Her words were spoken on a huff, her movements urgent. “Jack parked in the spot where Santa Claus arrives in his sleigh. You need to make him move his truck.”
“I think there’s an opening on the other side of the stage,” Emmett said. “Just have Joe circle—”
“Shhh.” The woman wildly looked around. “Santa always comes in the same way. It’s what everyone expects, and you can’t change the rules because Jack is your buddy. I warned him I’d get the law involved if he didn’t listen, and typical, he has to do things the hard way.”
Unlike the woman, who was clearly so easy-going. She charged through the crowd, obviously sure the sheriff would follow. Emmett sighed and raked a hand through his hair, causing some of the strands to stick up at different angles. “Guess I better go deal with that.”
“Okay, but just so you know, this is all part of my evil plan,” Regina said. “Distract the sheriff with Santa problems so I can elbow my way to the switch that’ll light the tree. Where is it again?”
“Sheriff!” the woman demanded, and he began walking backward.