Playing the Fool
Wes didn’t hearfrom Shelby that night, but figured she was still probably dealing with her grandfather and likely had to go see her family.But by the next day he still hadn’t heard from her and wondered if he had imagined how reactive she was to his touch.Was he reading all the signs wrong?Maybe she wasn’t interested in seeing him again.So when he stopped into May’s coffee garden for a late afternoon cup of coffee and spotted Shelby chatting with Miles Banks he got instantly annoyed.And he could tell the second she noticed him when her eyes went big and then her cheeks turned bright pink.
“Afternoon, Sheriff,” Miles said, always friendly and polite.But now Wes couldn’t stand the sight of him.Which was probably because he was only standing about a foot away from Shelby and she’d been smiling up at Miles as if he were the funniest man in the world.
“Miles.Shelby, funny seeing you here.I thought you’d be too busy out at Zeke’s,” he said, looking at Shelby.
She fiddled with her bag.“Oh, yeah, I have been.But he takes long naps in the afternoons, and I needed to get out of the house for a bit.”
He just nodded, unable to say what he really wanted to say.Then May was handing Shelby her order forcing them to break eye contact.
“One matcha coconut latte.You want to try one too, Sheriff?”May said.
The green concoction was not in his wheelhouse, but he couldn’t help noticing how enthusiastically Shelby took her first sip.He watched her lips form into a pert pucker to blow on the heat of the drink before she took a sip and her shoulders shimmied.
“It’s delicious,” Shelby said.
“Looks like it,” Wes said, and he was rewarded with another blush spreading over her cheeks, but then she walked away fast.
“So I hear you had to fish a few trucks out of the trenches during that storm,” Miles said.
Wes realized the other man had likely noticed him noticing Shelby but appreciated him not pointing that out.
“Beach towns and blizzards don’t really mix.”
“Good thing you created a crew to plow the roads.It’s almost like you’re the head of the sheriff’s department,” Miles said.
“Cut to the chase, Miles,” May said, butting in and handing Miles a cup of coffee in a mug.
“Wes, can we start your official campaign for sheriff or what?”May wasn’t just the town barista with her quaint little secret-garden-themed coffee shop, she was the town oracle.If there was anything to know about the people in this town, May knew it.Sometimes before they did.
Wes’s shoulders grew tight at the mention again of him running for sheriff.Something about it made him feel antsy, like it was a trap.
“I’m not sure running for public office is really in my DNA,” he said picking up the coffee May set down in front of him.
“You won’t really need to make any speeches or campaign—everyone in this town already thinks of you as the sheriff,” May said.
“But he’s right, it is a political position with law enforcement powers.It’s unique, powerful, but not without its burdens,” Miles said.“When it runs properly.”
Wes looked at Miles.“You sound like you might want that job.I could handle that, Miles, even though you are a Banks.”
Miles laughed.“Thank you for your vote of confidence.But I don’t have any intention of taking that on.”
“Maybe I should run for sheriff.I wouldn’t mind bossing you around, Wesley Hart,” May teased.
He noticed Shelby took a seat as far away as possible at one of the tables near the window, but suspected she could still hear everything they said.
“If you don’t run, we could get stuck with someone unsavory in the position—that could be really bad for the people of Sandy Point,” Miles warned.
As if on cue, Samuel Shepherd opened the door with too much force and walked up to the counter like he owned the place.
“Afternoon, May, can I get a venti coffee, black?”
“We just call them large around here, Sam.Coming right up,” May said and stepped away.
Sam shook his head but continued to ignore Miles and Wes, at the other end of the counter.
“We could end up with someone like him if you don’t run,” Miles said, in a softer tone.
