As they turned to go back, a large man stepped inside, his denim dusty and worn. Brett Sheehan. Aw, crap. This was someone he usually tried to avoid.
Gripping Chelsea’s elbow, he steered them toward their table, but she stopped and smiled.
“Brett. It’s good to see you again.”
Brett tipped his head. Then, he noticed Theo, and his eyes turned cold.
“Lapierre.” The word was spit out with disgust. The glare from his gaze was lethal.
Chelsea froze. She looked up at him, then back at the newcomer.
“Is something wrong, Brett?” she asked.
“How do you know him?” Theo kept hold of her elbow.
“I hired him to do some of the work around the house.”
Not where he wanted Brett to be. Now, he’d worry even more than before she got the dog.
Brett pushed his hands into his pockets and snarled. “I’d watch who you hang out with, Ms. Woodridge. The ranger here doesn’t care all that much about anyone’s safety or well-being. He might seem like the perfect professional, but he’s not.”
“Listen, Sheehan. Back off, okay? Go home and sober up.”
He didn’t smell or act like he’d been drinking, but Theo had seen the man often enough that way to be concerned.
“Theo, what…?”
“Mama, I have a drink of lemonade, please?” Jordan interrupted.
“Sure, sweetheart.”
Brett’s gaze veered toward their daughter, and his face hardened. “You’re the missing wife. The one who walked out on this guy. Smart move.”
Her eyes opened wide, then her lashes lowered, and she headed to the drink fountain. Once she’d filled a small cup, she returned to their seat, leaving him and Brett by themselves.
“I’m warning you, Sheehan. Play nice.”
Whatever Brett was about to say was stopped short by Tammi saying, “Your order’s ready, Brett. Thanks for calling ahead.”
Theo backed toward their table, keeping his eyes on the denim-clad man at the counter. Once Brett was gone, he took his seat and relaxed.
“What was that all about?” Chelsea eyed him warily.
“He lost his sister a few years ago. He’s never gotten over it.”
“But what does he have against you?”
“He blames me for her death.”
“Why?”
Clearing his throat, he said, “They were hiking, and she got lost and fell. Brett contacted the ranger station. He thinks we didn’t get there fast enough.”
“Because she died?”
He nodded. “We had to gather a bunch of information before we could send anyone out, get the exact spot of her last known location, and a team needed to be assembled with the right equipment. By the time we found her, she was already dead.”
“He blames you.” Sadness entered her eyes.
