“Those horses are in my custody, so you’re not stealing from Mindy Spriggs. You’re stealing from me.”
The kid seemed damn cocky for someone with a belly full of birdshot. It was a shame Bethany couldn’t have shot a little lower. He’d definitely have learned a lesson if he couldn’t get a hard-on for a while.
“Yeah, well, I guess you’ll have a lot of time to figure out how ridiculously stupid the idea was to steal horses while you’re locked in a cell at the juvenile detention center in Anne-Arundel County.”
The sheriff and two deputies arrived fifteen minutes later, along with an ambulance and a fire truck. The deputies took pictures of everything, stirring up the horses who, much like me, just wanted to go to bed.
Mom was asked to give a statement, which wasn’t much because she only knew there was a noise because of Bethany, who’d heard the kid striking the glass lights with rocks from the driveway. I cleaned up the glass by the barn door so nobody stepped on it and got hurt.
I’d like to have kicked that kid’s ass for busting those lights. It was a real pain to get them up there in the first place, with me having to climb a fourteen-foot ladder while Mom held it at the bottom. Now I’d have to do it again.
As the sheriff and deputies were wrapping up, I turned to Bethany. “Go ahead inside and get some sleep. I’m guessing it’s too late for you to drive home tonight, but you’ll probably wanna get back to your place down south early in the morning. I can’t thank you enough for your help with the horses and Mom whileI was gone. Let’s stay in touch. I get inquiries from all over the East Coast looking for horse training, and if I get anyone interested in your specialties, I’ll send them your way.”
“Hey, it was a pleasure to meet you and Miss Gayle. She’s a sweetheart. You’re lucky to have her. My parents don’t talk to me, but my wife’s mother reminds me a lot of your mom. We’re glad to have someone in our corner, as I’m sure you are,” Bethany responded.
Sheriff Rudy Jackson took pictures of my Glock and my permits for the case file. He took my dad’s old shotgun, but he promised to get it back to me after the kid’s case was over. I thanked him for coming out so fast, and after they left, I locked up the barn again and went inside.
“Where’s Sean?” I asked.
Mom was stirring a pot on the stove, a small smile gracing her face. “He’s in your room. I thought you’d want to share with him instead of sleeping on the couch. Believe me, Jeri, I know how the world works. You two aren’t kids, so I’m not gonna make you sleep in separate rooms.
“I wish you’d told me you were going to meet up with him. He said he came back with you so you two could get better acquainted. Are you sure you wanna rush into marriage? I know you’ve been chatting with each other on the internet, but six months’ worth of talkin’ and walkin’ down the aisle are two different things, son.”
I accidentally dropped my cell phone on the floor and spun around to stare at her. “Gettingwhat? What did Sean say, Mom?”
Getting married after only knowing someone for not even a full week? Surely my mother didn’t think I was that stupid. Hell, I’d never had a relationship. Hookups, sure, but mostly during high school.
After I joined the Army, I was a self-service guy. Never had time for a lot of dating after high school because life got in the way. I didn’t even know if I ever wanted to get married.
I picked up my phone and slid it into my pocket. When I glanced up, I saw Mom with a big smile on her face. “I’m just teasin’ you, Jer. You deserved the scare because you didn’t tell me you were seeing someone. He seems like a nice man. He said it’s just the beginning of things and that you two are enjoying getting to know each other better.”
Thankfully, I hadn’t broken out in a profuse sweat yet at Mom’s marriage joke. My palms had become clammy, which was what caused the phone to slip out of my hand.
I let out a relieved sigh. “Fine. What are you cooking? We could have just eaten sandwiches or some cereal, Mom. You didn’t need to go to any trouble.”
I slid off my right boot and put it on the rug before sliding off my left. I put the pair on the back porch and sat at the table as Sean came into the kitchen and stepped behind me, wrapping his arms around my neck as I suspected he thought any good boyfriend would do.
He placed a soft kiss under my ear before he whispered, “Sheriff gone? I didn’t come out because it seemed like it might lead to more questions we couldn’t answer.”
I patted his hand resting over my heart, not letting go of him for a moment. “Good call.”
“Mom, the kid who broke in was John Langer’s boy, Cody. He was trying to steal Mindy Spriggs’ mare and colt. I gave Sheriff Jackson our landline because my cell phone broke. I need to go get another soon. If I’m not inside when he calls, tell him I’ll call him back. Oh, Bethany’s leaving tomorrow morning since I’m home now.”
“Can I help you, Mrs. Hess? You want me to get some bowls and spoons?” Sean asked as he pulled away gently.
I glanced at what he was wearing, seeing a pair of track pants I was pretty sure were mine. I didn’t complain one bit—his ass looked damn fantastic in them. His tight undershirt revealed a lot of beautiful ripples I wanted to explore with my tongue.
Sean had thick auburn hair with a little wave and a bit of gray at the temples. He had a close beard and mustache to match, and those eyes were as green as the pasture in a spring field.
With his slender build, I could tell he worked out, his body toned and sleek without bulk. My desire to take the man to my bed was nearly overwhelming, but we didn’t know each other well enough. Which was stupid formeto think. I’d had sex with guys I’d known for less than fifteen minutes.
“I’m heating some chicken noodle soup I had in the freezer that I made a couple of months ago. It’s more like a stew than a soup, Sean, because I like a creamy base. I hope you like it,” Mom said.
Sean’s gorgeous mouth turned up in a genuine grin that had my mom giggling as she ladled soup into the bowls he’d pulled from the cabinet for us. It had been quite a while since I’d seen that big smile from my mom. It made her look at least twenty years younger. The light was back in her eyes that I hadn’t seen since Dad died.
“Oh my god!” Sean gasped after his first bite. Mom’s face lit up as she sat at the table with us, sipping a cup of chamomile tea.
“Mrs. Hess, this is the best soup or stew I’ve ever tasted. You’ve got to give me this recipe.” Sean’s grin seemed honest.
