“No, the man candy.”
“Yeah, Alex somebody. Said he used to play football against Luke and Zeb. He grew up over in Swynton and came by with his sister.”
“Not Alex Sanders,” Lacey said. “If you’re talking about Alex Sanders, then your lickable man candy assessment is right on the money. Oh hell, he was hot back in high school.”
“Well he’s matured into hotter hotness, and he’s going to be looking you up, so be forewarned.”
“Hmm. You know I’m off the market but if there’s new lickable man candy in town, I think it’s only fitting that you take a chance.”
I pressed my hand to my heart as it began to thump in double time. Figures that Lacey would make a suggestion like that. “You only want me to settle down so you don’t feel so guilty for being so freaking happy all the time.”
“You may be right about that. It really is a downer when you shut me up when I try to talk about how great married sex is.”
“I’ve got to go. My ears are on fire and as it is I’ll never be able to take anything Deputy Phillips says seriously again.”
“Just don’t let him cuff you. You have no idea where those handcuffs have been.”
“I’m hanging up now.”
“Love you, girl.”
“Love you, too.” I ended the call. Let no good deed go unpunished. I’d only been trying to give Lacey a heads-up. Now I had unwelcome visions of my best friend and Bodie and a pair of department-issued handcuffs floating around in my head. As if I needed anything else to make me painfully, uncomfortably, achingly aware of how long my current dry spell had lasted.
As I shoved all thoughts of Alex Sanders out of my mind, lickable torso and all, I made my way to the front door. Zeb stepped out onto the stoop, his service dog by his side. He didn’t go anywhere without Semper, not since I’d finally found an organization that could provide him with a highly trained dog to help him with his debilitating PTSD. I’d been so impressed with Zeb’s improvement since he’d started working with Semperthat I’d been volunteering with the group to identify rescue pups that came into For Pitties’ Sake that might be good candidates to enter their training program. If I couldn’t do my part by actively serving in the military, at least I could try to make those who did serve more comfortable when they returned home.
“You ready?” I glanced up at Zeb.
“Let’s get this over with.” He didn’t even try to pretend he didn’t hate the required therapy sessions he’d agreed to attend as part of Semper’s placement.
“Hey, I met someone you used to face on the football field today.” Maybe Zeb remembered Alex. I hadn’t planned on mentioning it, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask, just in case he could provide some background info that might give Lacey an edge. Yeah, for Lacey’s sake, I told myself.
“Oh yeah, who’s that?” Zeb’s hand shook slightly as he climbed into the front seat of the truck.
“Alex Sanders. Ring a bell?”
A hint of a smile cracked his lips in two. How long had it been since Zeb had worn anything but his usual frown?
“Sanders. Hell yeah. He rang plenty of bells in his day, if you know what I mean.”
I held the door open for Semper to hop into the back seat, then huffed out a breath as I slammed the door. So the lickable man candy was probably a manwhore. Figured.
“What’s he doing back?” Zeb asked. “Last I heard he dropped out of college, hopped a plane, and no one’s seen him for years.”
“I don’t know. He stopped by the Phillips House while I was over there today and wanted to talk to Lacey about the warehouse. I think his sister was with him.”
“Well tell him I said hi next time you see him, okay?” The trace of a smile still hanging on his lips, Zeb gripped the door, probably trying to prepare himself for the nerve-racking five-minute drive to the therapist’s office.
“You ready?”
At his nod, I shifted into gear. I had no plans to see Alex Sanders again. He’d probably be in and out of Ido before the dust settled around his boots. No one who escaped the doldrums of small-town life and had any say in the matter ever came back for good.
CHAPTER 4
ALEX
I rana finger around the inside of my collar, trying to loosen its choke hold. It had been years since I’d worn anything but a thermal undershirt or a T-shirt this close to my skin. Char suggested I dress up a bit if I wanted to pitch to Lacey. She was the mayor now after all.
The mayor.
