I see the way they look at him, or some of the girls from the city will. Sometimes they will actually commit a silly crime in front of him so he has to talk to them. That’s why I’m always sure he has to be dating someone but is likely keeping it quiet.
A few times when I first met him, I tried to flirt with him, and I got shut down or stared at like I was being strange. Maybe I was, and I’m a shitty flirter, but he gets me so flustered, and then I get mad. But right now, seeinghimflustered, I don't push those thoughts at him and keep them to myself.
“I don’t know, Hudson. It just always feels like we’re in this weird dance together, and I don’t know what to make of it, but it doesn’t matter because you’re always steps away from where I am. I guess. Honestly, I’m not sure what I meant by the comment either.”
"One of your thoughts slipping out?" He tilts his head to the side, his eyes softening.
"Maybe, and it's annoying."
"It's cute."
There he goes again, putting me in that box. I would have rather him call me a name then say my behavior iscute. It reminds me that he looks at me like a little sister and nothing more.
Chapter Five
SHERIFF HUDSON
The cut is clean. I thought as much, but I wanted to get the tire off to be certain. I was really hoping she clipped a curb or ran over a nail. Kindred hasn't had the Bronco I'd gotten for her long, so I also hope it might be a faulty tire. I knew I was lying to myself on that one. We'd have come across this problem months ago.
"It's been cut for sure." Rusty owns the local auto repair shop.
"You keep that to yourself," I tell him. I don't need this spreading through town. Not until I can get more information. I still need to check over camera footage, which I'll get to. I'd gone straight back to Kindred's Bronco to take the tire off and over to the shop.
"Shit, man." Rusty glances around to see how close his other mechanics are to us. He's shaking his head. I'm sure wondering who the hell would cut Kindred's tire. Rusty starts to inspect the tire again.
"It's been cut," I say again, knowing he's trying to figure out a way that there is another option than a person slashing her tire.
"I know." Rusty scratches his graying beard. "I have one on this side if you'd rather put that on it than a spare."
It's not the time of year to be driving around New Hope with a spare on. "Order a proper replacement, and if Kindred calls?—"
"Are you asking me to lie and say that I don't have a tire to give her to hold her over?" Rusty takes a step back, grabbing the straps of his overalls to assess me. Good fucking luck with that.
When I was a Ranger, I ran squads and teams, and at one point, a whole platoon. In the Army, we are always the first on the ground.
My unit was even before that. I did a whole lot of recon, slipping in and out of enemy territory. A single wrong step could lead to disaster in that situation. It didn't matter how fucked a mission was; I had to maintain my composure. All of them were looking at me.
"Yes." I want to tell him it's an order.
"When is Ethan coming back? He'll be here for Christmas?"
"I don't know Ethan's plans." I'm not his keeper anymore.
"But you've stepped into that big brother role."
"No, I'm not Kindred’s brother."
Rusty rocks back on his heels, still assessing me with each question he asks.
"I suppose you're not." He smirks, dropping his hand from the straps of his overalls. "All right, but you've got me worried."
"I'm doing this to protect her." Kindred would launch a full investigation of her own if she knew someone purposely targeted her, and who knows what that would get her into.
Rusty waves me off with his hand. "I don't mean that. I know you won't harm a hair on her head. I'm worried because someone slashed her tire. No one has it out for Kindred. How could they? She’s the biggest sweetheart.”
"We often don't know or understand people's intentions," I tell him.
He clicks his tongue. "I hear you. If you need anything?—"
