Sweet Hill Homecoming (20 page)

“But the point is that the coats aren’t coming and this is falling apart.”

“You’re right.” Mia threw her hands in the air. “But blaming me isn’t helping your cause.”
 

And once again, Tate didn’t bother to ask her side. If the shit stained shoe fits, it must be Mia’s because Abby’s feet would never step in such a mess.
 

Mia grabbed her phone and her purse and walked past Tate out of her own house and slammed the door.
 

“Where are you going?” he called after her.
 

“Instead of standing here yelling about it, I’m going to fix this.”
 

Once again, Tatum West did a total one-eighty. This morning he was sweet and supportive but now he was taking out an issue on her that wasn’t her doing. But he had one thing right. She was the coordinator. And if she wanted the community event planning job full time, this was her problem now. Abby obviously had her own agenda and Mia would be damned if she took away those coats, or Mia’s future.
 

~

“Oh my gosh, he’s precious,” Mia said, leaning over a little to see Paul’s cell phone screen. A big gummy smile of a three month old baby boy stared back.
 

“Yeah, he’s getting big,” Paul said.

“And how’s your wife?”
 

“She’s great. Been doing a lot of designs from home and managing things really well.”

“That’s amazing. She’s superwoman to tackle all that.” Mia threaded her fingers on the table. “I really appreciate you meeting me here. This was the closest middle point between Sweet Hill and Seattle.”
 

When Paul agreed to meet today, she had texted Kyle to make sure he could find a ride home after practice today.

“I’m happy to, Mia. You said it was pretty important. After all the saving you’ve done for me I hope I can repay you.”

Mia smiled. “Saving” Paul had become a fairly regular habit, at least every time he had to take a meeting with potential clients at Mia’s club. It never ceased to amaze her how a lot of men conducted business there. And when potential clients wanted to go to the club and see the fun side of Seattle, Paul had no choice but to take the meeting wherever they wanted. At least he was able to pitch them his and his wife’s business plan.
 

The man loved his wife and that was obvious. Plus, a couple years of securing investors led to a very prominent fashion line his wife, Tara, designed. Paul handled all the back end of the business, allowing his wife the time to design their new lines.
 

“Not me, but people in my home town. Every year we collect coats for families who can’t afford them, and this year our normal donor fell through.”

“So you have no coats?”

“Yep, no coats.” Mia smiled. “You and Tara wouldn’t happen to have any last season’s coats sitting around that need a good home?”

Paul nodded. “We do. But how many are we talking?”

“Last year they collected about two hundred. But with this winter being especially brutal, I’d like to double that.”
 

Paul smiled. “Of course you do. You always were one to go big or go home.”

“I really want to have a great showing,” Mia admitted.

 
He pulled out his tablet and started swiping. “What sizes?”
 

Mia perked up. “Um, anything from kids sizes to adults, both male and female.”
 

Paul nodded and clicked a few more things, swiped again, then smiled.
 

“We can donate one hundred adult coats, half mens and half womens…” another swipe, “and two hundred children and youth coats from size six-months to sixteen husky.”
 

Mia’s eyes went wide. “Are you serious?”

Paul put down his tablet. “Yup, and if you can give me a day or two, I can see what I can do about the other hundred. I am sure some of the other boutiques in Seattle would love to pitch in.”
 

 
“Paul!” She got up and hugged him. “Thank you so much! And thank Tara!”

“You are very welcome. We’re happy to help. I’ll have them shipped out tonight.”

And just like that, Mia felt like she was truly capable of making good things happen.
 

~

It was past dinner time as Mia walked to her front door, pulling her keys out, she was anxious to hear about Kyle’s day. Hers had been long. It started with a snuggle in the morning, a fight in the afternoon, but at least it ended on a high note. When she approached the door, the last thing she thought she’d find was a dressed down Deputy sitting on her stoop.
 

“What are you doing here?” she asked.
 

He stood, stretching a little like he’d been waiting a while. “I gave Kyle a ride home. And then drove around for a bit until I came back here.”

“And you decided to sit on my porch?”

“I messed up, Mia.”

He took a step toward her, his dark eyes taking her in and she couldn’t help but shudder a little. “You’re doing a great job with this event. I shouldn’t have come down on you the way I did.”

“But you were right. I am the coordinator. The responsibility falls on me.”

“Mia.” He took another tentative step as if wondering if she’d back away. She didn’t. “You are the most irritating, amazing woman I’ve ever met.”

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

He grinned. “Just know that everything you’re doing, not just the event, but how you tackle life…I’m in awe of you.”

Her lips parted on a little gasp. No one had ever said such a thing. The straight laced, do no wrong, well-loved town deputy was in awe of her? And yet, the struggle she felt to try to change people’s minds about her was still an uphill battle.
 

“I don’t have pearls…” she said.
 

It kind of slipped and didn’t make much sense, but that was the truth. She didn’t have the thing the Abby McAdams’ of the world had.
 

Tate just stared into her eyes and cupped her cheek as if somehow understanding perfectly what she was trying to say.
 

“You don’t need them, sweetheart.”
 

Her heart stopped and she tried really hard not to read too much into this. Because at the end of the day, Tate had been clear that they weren’t an item. But everything from her mind, to her mouth, to her skin was begging for this man. Maybe even a little of her soul was begging too.

“Tate,” she had to stay strong. She couldn’t take any more hits to her self-esteem. “I’m tired of being looked at a certain way. I want to make this place my home. Kyle’s home. A place I can walk around and be proud of myself.”
 

“I want you to feel that too, because you have everything to be proud of. You are smart and funny and so damn tenacious it’s scary. I’m sorry if I ever made you feel anything but those things.”
 

She folded her lips together because the sting behind her eyes was growing.
 

“I’d love to take you out sometime,” Tate said with a little charisma and a lot of sexy grin. “I’d be a lucky son of a bitch to have you on my arm.”

“Wait… you can’t mean in public?” she half joked. Though she was hoping that it was no joke at all.
 

“Of course. You’re incredible, Mia. I want to be sheriff, I want to do everything right to make that happen. It was never about you, it was about me trying to just be a certain way, hope that people look at me a certain way, but in the end, I want to be me. And I’d like to be me with you.”
 

He brushed her lower lip with his thumb and Mia had no idea what to say. Where to start. She wanted to be her with him too. But to say it out loud would be giving up all the power. Putting herself out there for him to hurt her if he so chose. It was a big risk.
 

“Well I better get going, I have a high school to patrol tomorrow,” he said with a genuine smile, allowing her to think and not pressure her to speak.
 

“Going back?”

He nodded. “Yep. Just want to make sure everyone stays safe.”

“Tate,” Mia said and he turned to face her. “Thank you.”

Chapter Eleven
 

For the past week, Tate had gone to Sweet Hill High and established a presence and in those few days, Kyle came home after practice unharmed. Kyle had also received clearance from the doctor to play in tomorrow’s game, which Tate knew Mia was worried about. The kid seemed tough though. And it was playoffs, the game Kyle had been waiting for.
 

It was late, Tate had taken his gun off hours ago, and he was the only one in the office. Everyone in town seemed excited for tomorrow night’s game and Santa’s Sleigh Drive. Tate’s only regret was that he hadn’t gotten to see Mia much. Between prepping for the event and his shift, on top of spending extra time at the high school, he was missing the sassy blonde that brought color to his life. The one woman who made him feel like a man.
 

He wanted to give her space though. He knew he fucked up a few days ago. She had told him not to worry about the coats, that she had it covered, and he had to believe her. He put it all on the table. He wanted to take her out, date her, whatever she wanted to call it. So long as it involved her, that’s what he wanted.
 

A light knock came from the front doors of the lobby. It was so soft, Tate barely heard it from his office. He walked through the reception area to the front entrance.
 

As if like an angel hearing his thoughts, she was there.
 

Mia.
 

Good god she was gorgeous. A dark, long-sleeved dress hugged all her curves and hit mid thighs. She wore the same boots she had the night at the bar. Black leather. Leaving just a peak of her knees showing and that small glimpse of skin was enough to make Tate instantly hard.
 

He unlocked the door and opened it. “Hey, what are you doing here so late?”
 

She handed him a dish. “Figured you were hungry,” she smiled.
 

He let her in and locked the door behind her. Lifting the tin foil he grinned. “Macaroni and cheese. My favorite.”
 

“It’s the name brand box so you know it’s good,” she said.
 

“Thank you.” He led her back to his office.
 

“I was hoping we could talk?”
 

Tate’s chest stalled. “Yeah, of course.”
 

He shut his office door and put the food on his desk. Mia put her small purse next to the food. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, just wanted to see you.”

He glanced down, not knowing how to broach the topic that had been on his mind, but figuring the truth was best.
 

“Things have been a little crazy. I wanted to stop by but I didn’t want to put more stress on you,” he admitted. And by “stop by” he meant camp out. Because every time he patrolled, somehow he wound up on Mia’s street, wondering if she was thinking about him.

“Good thing I stopped by then.” She gave a sexy little grin. “I was missing you.”
 

He liked the sound of that, because she was all he thought about. And he was so far out of his league in this matter with this woman he didn’t know how to take it. Other than he wanted her and didn’t care who knew it.
 

“I also wanted to tell you that Kyle has been smiling this past week and it’s because of you,” she said. “I think he feels truly safe. Like someone is watching out for him.” Her turquoise eyes ensnared his. “Thank you, Tate.”
 

“I told you before, Mia. You don’t have to thank me.”
 

“No, I do. And I want you to know that what you’ve done, to go out of your way to help Kyle means so much to me.”
 

He nodded. It was obvious she cared about her brother.
 

“Tate?” she whispered and his gaze snapped to hers. “I’m done thanking you now.” She stepped closer and ran her finger over the button of his uniform. “Because there is another matter I want to discuss. Something I’m having trouble with.”
 

He swallowed hard and tried like hell not to close the few inches between them and take her like he’d been imagining the past few days.
 

“I’m all ears, Miss Blake. What troubles you?”

That sexy grin made a small appearance and Tate held back a groan. “You.”

Tate frowned and her hand traveled down his torso to the next button. “I want you all the time. So much I’m on the brink of thinking it’s not just a want anymore. It’s a need.”

Tate struggled to breathe. His lungs heavy and his chest tight. “I have a similar problem.”

She raised a brow. “Then I guess I have just one question to ask you, Deputy. Do you still like your black and white? Right vs. wrong?” She traced his belt with her fingertip. “Rules?”