“I’ll go check it out. ” Damien scooted away from the table, nodding an apology. “Hey, quiet, Coop,” he said, his voice carrying to them as he walked into the foyer. When he returned, he had a pretty blonde by his side. “Look who I found. ”
Edith jumped up from the table with a squeal, and a smile finally cracked Bear’s surly expression. Sorrow, though, her shoulders tensed. It was almost imperceptible, but Billy had been trained to spot such subtle cues.
Edith hugged the woman over and over, exclaiming, “What are you doing here? Why didn’t you call to say you were coming? You didn’t drive all the way from San Francisco in this weather? Billy! You have to meet our Laura. ”
He pushed away from the table to stand.
“My older sister,” Sorrow said, and he noticed she didn’t jump out of her seat as quickly as her mother had.
“Laura, meet our new sheriff. ”
She slipped a tiny hand into his, smiling wide. “Ooh, you’re much cuter than the last sheriff. ”
The comment took him aback. The sisters weren’t just different, they were very different, and women like this put him on his guard. He wanted to come off as friendly, but not too much like he was taking her bait, and he fumbled for an appropriate reply. “I’m glad to oblige. Though I hear your last sheriff was a good man. ”
Laura shrugged and wandered to the table. She poked at the curried salmon, swishing it around with the serving spoon. “Is that hard-ass deputy still there?”
Billy chuckled at that. “Who, McGinn? He’s a lamb, once you get to know him. ”
“No thanks,” Laura said. She dropped the spoon into the serving dish, and it landed in the sauce with a plop.
Billy’s smile turned speculative. If first impressions meant anything, this girl was a handful. It made him appreciate Sorrow all the more. He stole a look at her as she watched Laura with guarded eyes.
“Sit down, sit down. ” Edith shooed her eldest daughter to an empty seat, helping her out of her coat. It was a short, puffy thing that looked like it belonged in a magazine spread.
“You can eat bamboo with us,” Damien said as he emerged from the kitchen carrying a fresh plate, napkin, and cutlery.
Billy had to give the guy props for being Boyfriend of the Year material.
They all returned to their seats, and Damien reached over to spoon some food onto Laura’s plate, but she put a hand up to stop him. “I ate already. ”
“You’re missing out,” Billy said, using the opportunity to study her. Light from the wrought-iron chandelier caught her profile, and he saw the family resemblance. But although she had the same blond hair and delicate features as Sorrow, the similarities ended there.
Unlike her sister, Laura didn’t have a hair out of place. Everything from her designer snow boots, to her skinny jeans, to the fake fur of her jacket collar spoke to urban-professional-goes-snow-bunny. She had a gym body, too, all taut lines to match her taut demeanor.
Not like Sorrow, who had the body of a real woman. He much preferred a girl with something to hold on to.
Damn, what was his problem? He took a big swig of his beer. He barely knew these people, and he was a guest in their home, for God’s sake.
“So I guess this means the road is open again,” said Bear.
“Thanks to the sheriff and his efforts,” Sorrow said.
Laura’s face lit, and she looked from her sister to him, and Billy sensed the female cogs turning. Had she read his thoughts? The possibility there might be a connection between him and Sorrow that was that obvious made him a little queasy.
They might’ve had a friendly spark, but no way could it ever be more than that. She had a boyfriend—who was sitting right there—and even if she didn’t, he’d sworn off relationships. He’d learned the hard way how all the clichés were right. Love hurt, and he’d never put himself through it again.
Laura met his eyes. “You’re making friends already, Sheriff. I’m impressed. ”
“A man tries. ” He made his voice as bland as he could.
“Tries and succeeds, apparently. ” She reached over and tweaked her father’s ear. “It takes a lot to get a compliment out of grumpy old Bear Bailey. ”
Her dad did his darnedest to bite back a smile. Billy made a mental note: apparently a statement of fact followed by a no
ncommittal grunt could be counted as a compliment where Bear was concerned.
Laura continued her assessment, and Billy polished his beer off too quickly, nervous under the scrutiny. “I see you’re not just strapping,” she said, “you’re also a can-do man. ” She looked to Sorrow with teasing eyes. “I’ll bet Helen at the bar is all over him. ”