Unexpectedly the woman laughed.But then her hand flew up to cover her mouth.
“No, I don’t ever get into trouble or find it, sadly.I assure you, Sheriff, typically I live a very uneventful life.And you’re right—I shouldn’t assume you’re an honest, trustworthy man, just because you’re the sheriff in this town.But it says your name is Wesley Hart on the placard outside your door, and we went to high school together, so you’re not really a stranger.”
Wes studied her again, brown eyes, thick dark brown hair, and average height at five foot seven inches according to the measuring strip that was standard issue on any police doorway.Beautiful—but he didn’t recognize her at all.
Holding out her hand the woman smiled.“I’m going to try not to be offended you don’t recognize me.Shelby Shepherd.I was in your younger brother Dalton’s class, and we didn’t exactly hang out in the same circles.”
Shaking his head he was certain he didn’t know this woman, but equally surprised he didn’t remember her.He definitely knew her family name.The Shepherds were one of the wealthiest families that had lived in Sandy Point for decades.Like his family they also owned a lot of beachfront property, but they had the funds to develop all of it and then some.They had massive mansions along the beach and built the contentious beach club that the city was constantly battling with over delivery trucks, traffic, and noise ordinances.
“By your reaction I can tell you’re at least familiar with my family.”
“Of course,” was all he offered.
“So can I sleep on your couch and then tomorrow I promise I’ll get out of your hair?”
He sighed.He wanted to say no.He didn’t need some foolish woman invading his space, much less a woman related to the same family that was trying to challenge him at every turn.To all intents and purposes, she was the enemy.But he wasn’t an idiot.Forcing a Shepherd to sleep in a cell or a wooden cot at the inn would only afford him more ire from them.Perhaps he could earn some goodwill by being neighborly and helping Shelby out.
CHAPTER TWO
Shelby
Rolling in the Deep
She couldn’t tellwhat Wesley Hart was thinking, at all.And she hoped that meant he couldn’t tell that she was nervous to be asking to stay at his home, and also strangely excited at the prospect.He may not remember her, but she had been obsessed with him in high school.Star of the baseball team, prom king, and head of the student body.Of course he hadn’t noticed the girl with glasses, braces, and a tendency to blow things up in science class.By the time he’d moved back to Sandy Point she’d made her escape and avoided their small beach town at all costs.Even now, with everything going on in her family, she’d stayed away as long as possible, until her grandfather called.And if there was one person she couldn’t resist, it was her paternal grandfather.
“Alright, you can stay on my couch for one night,” Wesley said, standing from his huge desk and pointing at her.“But tomorrow we’ll figure out how to get you home.”
Shelby popped out of her chair as he came around his desk and stood tall over her.
“Great, thank you so much.You won’t regret it,” she babbled and followed him out of his office.She rolled her bag along the wood floor of the sheriff’s department and noticed each of the deputies kept their heads down as if they were working on something really important, but she suspected they wanted to avoid Wesley’s scrutiny.
“Jacks, you’re in charge tonight.Be safe and call me if you need me.”
“You got it, Sheriff.Have a good night,” a young deputy called after them.
Shelby dreaded feeling the bite of the cold again but knew she’d have to deal with it to get back into Wesley’s truck.She wondered how far away he lived.
Outside the wind seemed to have gotten even worse.She pulled up her hood, but snow still flew around them.
“We’re going to walk.It’s too dangerous to drive in this.”
“Oh God,” she moaned, already feeling the bite of the cold pass through her leggings, boots, and short flimsy coat.But she had to tough it out.Wesley took her bag in one hand to pull it along and gripped her arm to guide her with the other.The wind and snow made it difficult to see more than a few feet in front of them.In the end it was only one block before they crossed the street to stand in front of what looked like an old warehouse, with large windows framed in steel, a brick exterior, and a large metal door.Before she could wonder if he was taking her to an abandoned building to murder her, he typed in some numbers into a keypad and pushed the large steel door open.Then pulled her inside and shut out the storm.
Warmth greeted them in what looked like an industrial-style mudroom.A bench, with several hooks against a metal cage, was lit with soft Edison lights that hung high above them.
“Take off your useless attempt at winter clothes here.”
Her teeth chattered, and her fingers felt numb again.
She sat with a thud on the bench and tried to kick off her shoes but failed the first few times.Wesley cursed and grabbed one of his large coats to drape over her.But she still felt bitterly cold.
To her horror he crouched down and untied her laces then pulled off her boot, before he gripped her foot in his hands.“Your feet are freezing; you could have got hypothermia tonight.”He shook his head as he rubbed one foot with his large warm hands, then the next.“Do you have any warmer clothes in that bag or did you forget to check the weather before you came home?”
“I, I, I—” she tried to speak but her teeth just chattered “—wasn’t expecting a winter vortex converging on the beach and that bag is just my work.I actually don’t have any clothes or toiletries in there.”
Wesley sighed heavily.“Do people just do everything for you?Is that why you seem completely unprepared to take care of yourself?”
“No, I assure you I can take care of myself,” she snapped back.“Just not today.I didn’t know about the storm.This trip was unexpected, last minute.”
