The Bad Boys' Reluctant Woman (13 page)

She touched his arm, and she felt
him flinch. “Will you help me unload these boxes?” she asked.

He nodded, getting out of the truck
and going round to her door. Connor helped her out of the truck then followed
her inside the busy bar. There were no customers, only the staff and Steve
taking account of the delivery. She was surprised to see Tristan standing near
Steve talking.

Vicki walked over toward her. “Hi,
you’re not expected ‘til tonight.”

“I wanted to help, and I need to
talk to Steve when he’s free. Connor baked this morning, and I can’t eat it
all.” Vicki looked past her to Connor.

“You can put it on the table.”

Connor nodded leaving Zoe alone.

“He’s brooding a little too much,
don’t you think?” Vicki asked.

Zoe nodded. “Will you save that
thought? I’m going to see him out.”

“Take all the time in the world.”

Zoe smiled and followed Connor out
of the door. He was at his truck, opening the door by the time she made it to
his side.

“You’re going to go without saying
goodbye?” she asked.

“I shouldn’t be around you, Zoe.”

She slapped his hand. “I thought we
were going to give this a go.
All of us, together.
If
this is how you’re going to treat me, Connor, then I’ll be gone by morning.”

He stared at her. His eyes showed
his pain.

“I don’t want you to go.”

“Then kiss me goodbye like you would
a proper girlfriend,” she said.

“I’ve never had a girlfriend.”

“I’ve never had a boyfriend. So, I
guess we can learn together.” Zoe went up on her tip toes and kissed Connor
before he had time to pull away.

For a few seconds he didn’t move or
say anything. He stayed still, and then his arms banded around her, pulling her
close. When they parted, Zoe felt like she was on cloud nine.

“See you later, Connor.”

“You’re working tonight?”

“Yep, after I make sure I have a
job.”

“I’ll see you tonight.”

He got inside his truck and drove
away. She watched him leave then made her way back inside. Tristan was still
talking with Steve. Vicki was stood on the corner watching them. The boxes of
food were already open, and several pieces were missing. Zoe smiled. For the
first time since her parents died, she felt happy.

She stared at Vicki debating, trying
to build up a friendship with the other woman. Zoe had shot her down so many
times in the past that she wondered if the other girl would give her a chance.

Do this for your guys, and do it for yourself.

Zoe squared her shoulders and walked
over to where Vicki stood. The young woman was biting on her nails watching
Tristan.

“What’s going on?” Zoe asked.

Vicki jumped, a hand going to her
heart. “You scared me. I thought you’d be long gone by now.”

“No, I’m not going.”

“You said you’d be gone by the end
of the week. Are you here to pick up your last pay-cheque?”

Zoe shook her head. “I’m here to ask
Steve if I can keep working here.”

“For how long?”

She paused to think about the
answer.
“Indefinitely.”
Even if it didn’t go well with
Brent, Jake, and Connor, she wanted to lay down her roots in Law Castle.

Vicki turned to her.
“Really?
You’re staying here?” Zoe nodded her head smiling.
“I’m sure Steve would love to have you. You’ve not got the best reputation with
the customers, but you’re a good barmaid.”

Zoe didn’t say anything. She knew
this would take time. Vicki was clearly waiting for her to say something. “I
was in the foster system as a teenager,” she said.

Where the hell had that come from?

“I don’t open up easily. It is hard
to do.”

The younger woman was staring at her
as if she’d grown three heads. Nothing came out of her lips.

Great, the one time I’m ready to talk, and you’re going to stay silent
on me.

“I shot you down all those time you
were trying to be my friend. I’ve never had a friend, and I didn’t expect to
stay here for long. I find not making connections with people is easier to do.”
Zoe’s hands were shaking as she ran her fingers through her hair. “I was
wondering if your offer of friendship was still
open?
”

Vicki stared at her open-mouthed.

“I understand if you tell me to get
lost.”

There was a shaking of the head.
“What? Of course I wouldn’t tell you to get lost. I’d love to be your friend,
Zoe.”

In the next instant, Vicki had her
arms around Zoe. She felt the tight squeeze of the other woman. Zoe patted
Vicki on the back.

“Thank you.”

“Sorry, you need to breathe.” Vicki
pulled away, smiling.

Zoe turned towards the owner and the
sheriff. “What’s going on?”

“I have no idea. Tristan was here
waiting when I got here. Steve came in an hour ago. They’ve been talking
since.”

“You seem nervous,” Zoe said.

“No, I’m not. I’m fine. I just have
the jitters is
all.
I’ve got a sixth sense I use for
detecting impending doom.”

Zoe laughed unsure how to take the
statement. They stood together watching the two men. Tristan nodded, scribbled
on his notebook,
then
moved away. When he saw them, he
walked over. Zoe felt Vicki tense at her side.

“Vicki,” Tristan said.

“Sheriff.”

“I need to talk to you, Zoe.”

“Why?” Her defences came back up.

“I need to ask you a few questions.”

Zoe turned to Vicki, who was looking
elsewhere.

“Okay, I’ll talk to you.”

Tristan took her arm and led her to
a secluded corner. “I need to know everything about this man, Bill.”

She shook her head. “No offense,
Sheriff. That’s not my business.” Zoe went to leave, but he caught her with a
hand on her arm. “A kid overdosed last night at the park where you usually sit
and watch the kids. I think it is time you start giving me some answers, Zoe.”

“What? Who? What?” Her mind was
awhirl. A kid near the park had overdosed? “Is the kid all right? What
happened?”

“The kid is fine. I want to know how
drugs got into my town and who
is the main supplier
.”

“I don’t know.”

“Connor said he saw someone hassling
you.
A Bill.”

“I don’t know his name. The people
where I live call him Bill.”

“Have you seen him dealing?”

Zoe closed her lips.

“If you don’t tell me everything I
need to know I will arrest you, and then I’ll find something to arrest your
men.”

She glared at him, not liking him
one bit.

“Yes, I saw him dealing.”

“Where?”

Zoe gave him as much information as
she knew. She described the foil packets with some of the men around her
apartment building. That was all the information she had. Foil packets and
customers.

“Where does he live?”

“I don’t know. All I know is he
comes near the neighbourhood where the trailers are and my apartment building.
Are we done?”

“Yes, you’re not allowed to leave
this town until I’m satisfied, Miss Howard.”

“I’m not a criminal.”

“I know, but you’re jumpy around the
law. I don’t like that.”

She saw a wedding band on his finger
as it glinted in from the light coming in through the window. “You’re married.”

“Yes.”

Zoe stared at the ring for a few
moments wondering why she thought that was important.

Shaking her head, she walked off.
Their conversation was done. Vicki was next to Steve filling the bar when she
moved up to him.

She was about to talk to Steve as
Tristan came up behind her. “Vicki, I need to talk to you.”

“I’m busy. It will have to wait
until later.”

“Steve!”

“Go talk to the good Sheriff,
Vicki.”

Zoe watched the two walk out of the
bar leaving her alone with Steve.

“Steve, may I talk to you for a
minute?”

“As long as it is
only a minute.”
He looked up from his paperwork to stare at her.

“I was wondering if I could keep my
job ... indefinitely.”

“Is this about those three friends
who own a house together? Jake, Brent, and Connor, part of the Bad Boys pact
and whatnot.”

“Yes,” she said. “How did you know?”

“A little advice about towns—not
many people get to keep secrets. Most of our skeletons are known by every
member of the town.”

“Are you telling me there is no
privacy here?” she asked.

“There is privacy, but in very rare
circumstances.”

“Can I keep my job?”

Steve turned to her, his gaze going
over the top of his glasses. “You still want to stay here even with people
knowing your baggage?”

Zoe shrugged her shoulders. “I’d
rather stay here than risk the wrong type of people knowing my baggage. Also,
Jake told me to say, he’d owe you a favour.”

“Smart
answer,
and that sounds promising. If you want I can start paying your wages into the
bank rather than by cheque?” he asked.

“That would be great.” They sorted
out her information. Several minutes later Vicki walked in looking like she’d
been crying.

Unsure what to do, Zoe helped
restock the shelves and organise the delivery of the beer. Vicki stayed in
Steve’s office sorting through his supplies.
  

At three in the afternoon, Steve
pushed them out the door. “You’ll be working late tonight. Go and get some
rest.”

“Would you like a ride into town?”
Vicki asked.

“Yeah, sure.”

Chapter Thirteen

Connor was waiting for Tristan
inside the office at the sheriff’s department. Connor knew he was at The
Dugout, but Tristan was the only guy Connor could talk to in order for him to
figure out his problem. He didn’t like not knowing what was going on inside his
own head. Connor put his feet on top of the desk and leaned back closing his
eyes.

Sleep had evaded him last night, and
he was so fucking tired of the stress. Winning Zoe over had been a point in his
favour. He no longer felt on the edge and like his whole world was about to
crumble. At least he had control to a point.

“You do know I can arrest you for
that?” Tristan said as he walked ‘round his desk. He used his baton to push
Connor’s feet off the table.

“I didn’t get a lot of sleep last
night.” He watched the older man pull a ring off his hand. Shaking his head,
Connor sat up running his fingers through his hair.

“I don’t care about your sleep. I’ve
got a lot on my plate, Connor. Say whatever you’ve got to say, and let me do my
job.”

“Is there more to this Bill than
meets the eye?” Connor asked.

Tristan sat down heavily in his
chair. For a forty-five year old man, Tristan kept himself in shape. “A young
boy was rushed to hospital last night of a suspected overdose. I’d say your
suspicions on this Bill are straight up there. I don’t like it.
A drug dealer in Law Castle.
This is the type of shit that
loses me this chair.”

“You like your shiny little life,
huh, Tristan?”

“What I like is keeping this town
clean. I don’t mind your little Bad Boys club or any of the other shit that
brings tourists and money to this town. We bring them in; we keep our jobs, and
everything works out fine.”

“Why do I feel a ‘but’ coming on?”
Connor said.

“I don’t want the other crap that
comes with it. The drugs and this guy are going to have to go.”

“I agree.”

Connor felt Tristan staring at him.
“The bullshit aside, Connor, why are you here?”

His nerves were back in place.
“Forget it. I shouldn’t have come. Thanks for the warning.”

“Sit down,” Tristan said. There was
an authoritative tone to his voice. “What do you want to talk to me about,
son?”

“I’m not your son.”

Tristan began laughing. “I’ve been
around a long time, Connor. I know when someone is lying to me or wants me to
believe something. I know you’ve got a past in something. I don’t know what.
What I do know, is you think I can help you with something. Talk to me.”

“It’s about Zoe.”