Sweet Hill Homecoming (17 page)

Not a thing on the planet could have pried him away from her.
 

Chapter Nine

“That is a big hose,” Mia said with zero amusement at the fireman currently leaning against the big red truck.
 

She was trying to be nice but the guy just reeked of douche and had been dishing line after stupid line for several minutes now.
 

“Yeah, takes a lot of muscles to haul this around,” he said with a wink.

Mia had been waiting for Abby for the past fifteen minutes and all she got accomplished was having her breasts stared down.
 

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Abby said, walking into the main area from the office. “I see you met Greg.”
 

“Just getting acquainted,” Greg said with another stare down of Mia’s chest.
 

And here Mia thought her black slacks and red turtleneck were conservative. Apparently this guy still just saw tits, ass and didn’t bother to ask about a brain. Something Mia was determined to change.
 

Greg walked back into the office. “I’ll get your number from Abby and call you,” he told Mia and she just shook her head.
 

“Nope.”
 

As if he didn’t hear her or didn’t understand he just smiled and waved. Idiot. Was there a stamp on her head that said, EASY?
 

Maybe it was the fact that a man recently seemed to take an interest in her and her family. Actually had ambition and seemed to like talking with her.
 

She kept thinking about the other night with Tate. It was intense, something she’d never felt before. Like he was content to hold her and he had. For a long time. She felt like things went beyond the purely physical.
 

“Sorry I’m late,” Noelle said rushing in. She had pink scrubs on and looked like she just came off a twelve hour shift.
 

“If you’re sorry then so am I,” a deep voice came in right behind her. Tate. In uniform. Today was looking better and better.
 

They walked toward Abby and Mia, and Mia couldn’t take her eyes off of the Deputy. She’d only just seen him the other night, but man, Mondays sure did treat him well. And his dark eyes stayed zeroed in on her.
 

She smiled and took a step toward him and the look that came over his face froze her in her path. A “don’t touch me because no one can know we’re sleeping together” flashing sign would have been more subtle than the look he gave her. But the effect was still the same.
 

She stalled and felt like the world’s biggest loser.

Then Tate saw Abby.
 

“Thanks for coming, Deputy,” Abby said sweetly. “I hope we aren’t pulling you away from your shift?”
 

He smiled. “Happy to swing by and talk logistics.”
 

“I tried calling you Saturday night,” Abby said and Mia’s eyes flashed to Tate. A muscle ticked in his jaw and he didn’t make eye contact with Mia.
 

“I was busy,” he said.

Busy? It was a verb but for some reason, he crushed a little piece of her heart. Yes, he was busy with her. Not that she expected him to admit that or that it was anyone’s business, but he didn’t even look at her. His message was clear, and it looked like Mia got her answer to the one thing she’d been wondering.
 

The Deputy was going secret rather than public with her.
 

“I can’t stay,” Noelle said, “But I wanted to give you all the forms I have.” She handed them to Mia. “We have food donation boxes set up at these locations,” she pointed at the small list of local shops and stores.
 

Mia forced herself to snap out of the momentary stupor Tate’s silent insult put her into and focus on her job.

“This is great, Noelle.” Mia looked over the list. “I spoke with Sammy over at Sammy’s Shake and Malt Shack and he said that for every pound of food, he’d donate a dollar to the hospital.”
 

Noelle’s eyes went wide. “Really? That’s incredible! Sammy’s shakes are great but he’s…”

“A grouchy middle-aged man,” Abby said.
 

Noelle nodded. “He’s never participated in this event before. Let alone donate. How did you pull that off?”
 

Mia was about to say that Sammy wasn’t such a bad guy when Abby cut her off.

“I know how,” Abby said with a little sharpness in her voice.
 

Mia clamped her mouth closed and if looks could burn, Abby’s would scorch. Mia knew what she was insinuating. That Mia used her “assets” to get what she wanted. But she was wrong. However when she looked to Tate, he had a stoic expression. She couldn’t read him but he certainly didn’t look inclined to defend her.
 

Mia cleared her throat and started again. “I think the fact that we’re getting donations is a good thing.”

“Indeed,” Abby said. “And what did you get from Greg earlier? Other than his number?” Abby smiled.
 

“Greg?” Tate said. “You mean Greg Anders?”
 

“Yeah, I came out here and saw Mia and him seeming to hit it off.”
 

If by “hit it off,” Abby meant he was hitting on her and she was silently telling him to fuck off, then yeah.
 

“I don’t think that’s our business,” Noelle said and shot Mia a nice smile.
 

She was trying to help. Which was more than anyone else was doing.
 

“Oh, it’s just playful fun,” Abby giggled and brushed Tate’s arm and that’s when it hit Mia. She was staking a claim and sending a message to Mia to stay away from Tate.
 

She wanted to scoff because she had a pretty bright hickey on her right breast that spoke volumes.
 

Of course, the way Tate was treating her right now, like a stranger, also spoke volumes. But Mia started to get the feeling that she had been played. From the moment Abby “offered peace” at the football game, this was all a set up.
 

And judging by the fire in Tate’s eyes and pissed off glare he was shooting at her, the set up was working in Abby’s favor. But Mia still didn’t see the need to defend herself since one, Tate wasn’t claiming her in the first place, and two it wasn’t professional. And if there was one thing she was determined to be, it was taken seriously.
 

“Can we focus, please?” Mia said. “Tatum where are your station’s bins located for the toy drive?”
 

He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to her. “That’s all I have,” he said. “And I have to get back to work.”
 

“Great,” Mia mumbled. For not dating, she felt like she just got into a fight with her non-existent boyfriend.
 

“Oh, Tate?” Abby called and he stopped. “We on for dinner tonight?”

“Ah…”

“We were going to discuss your campaign. I’ve been talking with my father.”

“Sure,” Tate said and Mia tried not to let her blood pressure rise, but she was on the brink of either snarling or tears. Instead she pretended to study the paper Tate just handed her while he all but set up a date with another woman right in front of her.
 

“Great! Marco’s at seven,” Abby said.

He nodded and continued his stomp out. Abby all but preened at Mia.
 

“I have to run back to the hospital too,” Noelle said and patted Mia’s back. “Really great job, Mia.”
 

That one genuine smile made Mia’s otherwise shitty day just a touch better.
 

“Thanks, Noelle.”
 

“Well, this was eventful,” Mia said, digging her keys out of her purse.
 

“I couldn’t agree more.” Abby said.
 

“By the way, I called Corals Coat Factory to make sure the coats were set to ship and no one has received the paperwork from you yet.”

“I’m sending it off today,” Abby said.

 
“Great.” She turned on her heel and tried to tamp down her rage while focusing on not cussing someone out.
 

Professional. It’s all about being professional. Even if it all but killed her…or ignored her.
 

~

Mia wiped down the counter and took a moment to enjoy the stillness of the café. She was grateful to pick up the evening shift. After the debacle at the fire station, she could use the time at work to keep her brain busy.
 

Too bad it wasn’t busy.

Monday nights typically meant looking forward to the new week, but all she had been thinking about was the other night with Tate. One of the best Saturday nights she’d ever had. Too bad the follow up to that had been him making real date plans, in public she might add, with Abby fricking McAdams.
 

Mia slapped the washcloth on the counter. She never felt more lacking than when it came to that woman. Truth was, she was perfect for Tate. From her posture to her family to her pearls. She was his type. And everyone knew it.

Which made her, what?
 

She couldn’t think it. Mia had been called many things in her life. Most of which implied her being a promiscuous woman. Even if she was, so what? She was a woman who liked sex. She also liked sex with a connection. She had just never connected with anyone.
 

Until Saturday night.

The fact that she’d only had a couple of men didn’t seem to matter to her or anyone. People thought what they thought. She just wanted to be seen the way she felt inside.
 

She wanted to be viewed as more.
 

And Tate! Fucking with her mind and making her all nervous, making her believe that it was more, that she was more, then crushing her?
 

He didn’t make her promises, she understood that, understood his need to keep it as natural as possible in terms of “public perception.” But he held her like he wouldn’t let her go. Like she was something worth hanging on to.
 

It had felt nice. It also scared the crap out of her a bit. Because she clung back.

Then earlier today he couldn’t even look at her with any kind of emotion other than annoyance when Greg got mentioned. She would have told him to go to hell but the truth was, it wasn’t him rejecting her, it was him pulling away something she’d just got a grip on.
 

Some self-esteem.
 

Which was stupid because their paths were heading in two different directions. When the little bell of the café ringed, she glanced up and plastered a smile on her face.
 

“What the hell was that?” Tate growled and walked through the door.
 

Mia kept the plastered smile, but it turned into showing her clenched teeth.
 

“Now you talk to me that no one is around to witness it?” She put her hand on her hip. “Well you can fuck off the same way you came in, Deputy.”

“You’re pissed at me?” he scoffed and put his hands on the counter and leaned in. “You’re the one flirting with the damn fire crew and half the town, two days after you were crying out my name and
you’re
pissed at
me
?”

Anger flared and Mia stomped around the counter to come face to face with him and she didn’t stop until she was damn near standing on his feet.
 

“First of all, you made it very clear that you wanted nothing to do with me today. God forbid you smile in my direction else tarnish that precious reputation or campaign of yours.”
 

“We aren’t dating, Mia. Something you said you were fine with.”

“I’m talking about respect, Tatum.”

“I do respect you, damn it. The way you own yourself and speak up.” He shifted his shoulders, boxing his weight into her space. “I respect you more than you know. Then I hear you pull the same shit—flirting to get what you want.”

“I talk to people like they’re human beings!” she yelled. “I don’t go in all high and mighty and talk down to them. Turns out, people are generally nice if you know what to talk to them about. It’s not flirting.”
 

Mia actually thought she was good with people. Was a good listener. She could figure out what they wanted before they told her. Like Sammy the other day.
 

The guy was pissy because he was lonely. And Mia took a few minutes to actually talk to him instead of just ordering something and leaving. Told him about the event. How he could have a booth to give out samples of his new shake flavors and that would bring people in. He was responsive to Mia’s ideas and interest. Not her tits.
 

“And not that it’s any of your business,” she leaned in closer and raised her chin, “but Greg is a douche and I told him so.”

“Mia.” Tate shook his head. “I feel crazy. Like I can’t get a god damn grip around you. What I’m dealing with, the sheriff, trying to make—”