“I know.”
“People have talked about your training stuff before. About how you run off into the park alone in the dead of winter.”
“I wasn’t alone.”
“No, I guess not.” The sheriff looked at Jack. “I’m glad you weren’t alone this time.”
Steph smiled. “Me too.”
She’d hated Jack before and was convinced he was taking something important from her. The first time she’d spoken to him on the phone, she’d found him to be arrogant and annoying.
That day in front of the bank, his satisfied smirk had sent a wave of anger through her. Jocelyn had defended him, saying she hadn’t seen a smirk, more like a look of concern as he tried to make sure Steph was okay.
At the gear swap, he’d come off as conceited. At the Jingle Run, too, though even at the time, she could begrudgingly admit she appreciated his help. He’d proven that night he was worth more than simply bankrolling the event. Of course, at the Jingle Run, she was under the assumption he had his own money and wasn’t completely financed by Liam Dixon and his family.
It wasn’t until out here, when they were hiding, that she discovered Jack was operating on margin and Liam’s money financed everything.
She also realized blaming Jack for her own inability to put on a race was not the truth.
Steph had the money to put on a major event. She’d simply made a different decision. Things might not have worked out with Chris Hepner—or any other man, for that matter—but she would still have a child through adoption. And, as Jocelyn had said, the running club and Steph’s true friends would be there to help.
But now Steph knew that wasn’t enough.
She wanted more.
“He seems like a decent sort of fella,” the sheriff said.
“Jack’s great,” Steph agreed with a smile. “I was wrong about him.”
“Still, though. He’s wrapped up with that Liam Dixon. Good to be cautious.”
She took her eyes off Jack to look at Sheriff Hepner. “Liam isn’t his dad or his grandpa.”
The sheriff snorted. “He’s a Dixon.”
Steph nodded, understanding that now wasn’t the time to defend Liam Dixon, not that she had a reason to anyway. Jack had shared his version of Liam, which may or may not be accurate.
Sheriff Hepner had a history with the Dixons, history he wasn’t likely to forget anytime soon. But that wasn’t Steph’s problem, and she wouldn’t let it affect how she felt about Jack.
“When will we leave?” she asked.
“Not long now. The other team reached the camp.”
“They did? How do you know?”
He reached up to his ear and touched the earbud. “Got the report. The other man is injured but alive. His buddies put him in a tent, so the team is getting him out and on the sled. I’m going to leave a couple of people here to make sure they don’t need anything. The rest of us will go to the lodge.”
“Can I talk to Jack first?” she asked, standing.
The sheriff sighed. “I suppose you can. Keep that blanket around your shoulders.”
As she walked toward Jack, the sheriff called out, “Boverman, a word please.”
Boverman looked at the sheriff and then caught Steph’s gaze as she walked toward where he was questioning Jack. He gave her a nod as he moved toward the sheriff.
Jack smiled as she walked up. “You look warmer,” he said.
“So do you. How do you feel?”
