I removed my hat and made my way to where four women already sat waiting for me. I didn’t really have time for a lunch meeting this week, but I needed to speak to the group regarding some issues related to the upcoming rodeo. They represented the volunteers helping with parking and getting attendees to the rodeo grounds. And since there were security and traffic issues at stake, Amy wanted me to meet with them.
My sister-in-law was busy herself with all the other event details—and nursing a broken heart. I shook my head at that situation.I’d known that Amy getting involved with our rodeo riding half-brother would only end in tears. But Amy needed support, not “I told you so’s,” so I kept my thoughts to myself.
And unlike my twin, who had confronted Cal in a bar, I kept my fists to myself, too. My only part in it had been breaking up the barfight between Jake and Cal and throwing them both in jail for the night. Feuding brothers wasn’t what I needed right then considering everything else I had to get done.
“Howdy, ladies,” I said when I reached the reserved table and claimed the last seat. “Thanks for meeting with me. I know you’ve all got lots to do.”
They greeted me politely, but I hardly heard them once I saw Caitlin come from the kitchen. She caught my eye and smiled, a heartfelt, genuine smile that went right through me. She held up a finger to indicate that she’d be right there, and a moment later she was standing by my table.
“Hi. I’m Caitlin, and I’ll be taking…Mother.” Her voice cracked on the last word as her smile faded.
“Caitlin. I’m glad to see you back in town where you belong.” Hailey Baker’s smile was cool, almost brittle, as she looked her daughter up and down.
I might have thought Hailey’s words seemed welcoming enough if I hadn’t seen Caitlin’s wince. Reserve, even distance seemed to be the norm for Hailey Baker. What surprised me, though, was that this appeared to be the first encounter between the two since Caitlin returned to Poplar Springs almost a month ago. I knew their relationship wasn’t good, but this interaction suggested it was far worse than I imagined.
“What can I get you all?” Caitlin asked with her notepad in her hand. “Today’s special is turkey club with seasoned fries.”
I eyed her. She’d reverted to a completely professional stance, even managing a small, stiff smile as she took each person’s order. She didn’t quite meet my gaze, though.
Hailey sighed and gave me a pinched smile. “I’ve missed my daughter so much,” she said and leaned closer to me across the table. “I’ve asked her countless times to give up this attempt at independence in Austin and come back to Poplar Springs. I think things can be better for her here.” I didn’t know whatthingsHailey referred to, but I nodded along, figuring it was best to be polite and noncommittal. “I heard she’s staying at your house,” Hailey added.
“She’s renting my spare room,” I explained, not wanting it to sound as though we were shacked up together. I didn’t need that kind of rumor circulating in town. It was bad enough that the gossip had already spread about where she was staying. While I did genuinely believe that most everyone in this town was a good person at heart, the penchant for gossip was frustrating at times. Especially when folks got riled about something that turned out not to be true.
“So sweet of you, but you always were good to her, even back in high school. I’m glad she has you as a friend,” Hailey said and turned to the woman next to her.
Caitlin’s mother seemed sincere. Maybe she’d become less self-centered in the past few years. And since I had no trouble identifying with missing Caitlin when she was gone, I was inclined to take her words at face value.
One by one, as we finished lunch, the women got up to leave, each leaving money on the table to cover their portion of the check. I did a quick tally only to realize that not a single person had left a tip for Caitlin, which surprised me because she’d done an amazing job, even if her smile was forced and her voice a bit higher than normal.
Reaching into my wallet, I added another forty to the stack to cover my own meal and leave Caitlin with a generous tip. It surprised me that Hailey didn’t leave anything for her own daughter and the others seemed to follow along. That was odd to me. I couldn’t imagine either of my parents doing that, even if they were upset with one of us.
After the meeting, I spent the afternoon and early evening reviewing with my deputies their placements and roles for the weekend rodeo. I had faith in Sofia, my chief deputy. My other veteran deputies weren’t a worry either, but my newest hire had me ready to reach for the roll of Tums in my desk drawer.
Mack Kilpatrick was young and enthusiastic, which would be a plus if it didn’t lead him into trouble so often. Add to that his fascination with girls and his killer crush on Sofia and Mack was a daily headache. His saving grace was his ability to deal with the office internet connectivity and get the laptops to communicate with the printer.
Maybe in time, he’d be a first-rate deputy. I was just hoping to have some lining in my stomach left when we reached that day. I left Sofia in charge of the overnight shift with a standing order to call me if any problems arose and headed home at about eight. Lights were on in the kitchen and in Caitlin’s bedroom, I noted, when I parked.
It was nice to come home to someone, nice to come home to her. True, she wasn’t planning on sticking around, and our relationship was…limited, but it still gave me a warm feeling to know she was there, at least for now.
I let myself in the front door. “Just me,” I called, not knowing where she was in the house and not wanting to frighten her. I heard footsteps overhead and then I saw her coming down the stairs. She had on a tank top and shorts that left plenty of leg to admire.
“I want to talk to you,” she said and crossed her arms over her chest as she reached the bottom step. Her expression, when I could tear my eyes away from her legs, made it clear that I had screwed up in some way.Shit.I rubbed one hand over the back of my neck. What had I done?
“Okay, but I need dinner, so talk to me in the kitchen.” I led the way and washed my hands at the sink before opening the fridge and evaluating the contents. I’d had the turkey club special at the diner, but that had been long ago. I needed food, but I found myself reaching for a beer first and then the makings for a sandwich. I wasn’t in the mood to fuss with cooking, and if Caitlin was looking for an argument, I didn’t expect my mood was going to improve anytime soon.
“Can I make you one?” I asked as I layered cheese on top of roast beef.
“No, thanks.” Her tone was flat.
Okay, then. She waited, leaning against the doorjamb until I’d prepared my sandwich. I could tell she was simmering; the tension in the air was palpable.
“What do you want to talk about?” I took a seat at the kitchen table and pulled out the chair next to me for her, feeling a little surprised when she sat.
“My mother,” she said as soon as her butt hit the seat. “Why didn’t you warn me that she’d be in the diner today? You obviously knew. I could tell it was a planned meeting.”
“Yeah, but?—”
“Don’t you realize how I feel about her?” Caitlin demanded.Obviously not well enough, I wanted to say, but commenting would just escalate the situation. “She’s…she’s just so awful. I never come to town because I don’t want to see her or my father.” Her fingers picked at a scratch in the wooden tabletop.
