As the door to her store closed, Jeannie released a deep breath. She’d almost kissed the deputy. She wanted to, still longed to. Thankfully, he’d begun talking about food. Sending him off to get something for her to eat kept her away from temptation. Maybe the whole event had to do with hunger. Sex and food getting confused in her brain from lack of sleep and too much work. Could be possible, right?
She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Frustration filled her day. First with that bitch Susan and then with Deputy Dan. Why couldn’t they have stayed out of her life? She’d have been happier not thinking about her “almost” wedding and her night in the dank jail cell. While she appreciated Hank’s determination to make amends, she wanted to get on with her life and forget the past. His good looks and “good guy attitude” confused her hormones. She longed to feel his lips on hers, to rest in his strong arms and let all the pain and worry fly away. She wrapped her arms around her waist. Still stinging from her “almost” wedding and Clinton’s betrayal, she wasn’t ready for another relationship. Maybe a night of passion, but one without her heart involved.
Jeannie slid off the counter and strolled to the bathroom to splash some cool water on her face and repair her lipstick. As she stared in the mirror, she mentally checked off her single appealing feature—her eyes—then detailed all the things she didn’t like. I thought acne went away when you hit your twenties, but now at twenty-eight, mine is worse than ever. No wonder Clinton jumped at the chance to marry his assistant. A fabulous Hollywood star shouldn’t be seen with someone less than perfect. Maybe he woke up one day and realized marrying me was a mistake.
Her sense of worth had crashed into the toilet when Clinton married someone else without even speaking to her. Why did he do it? Was it all a game with him? She’d been dazzled by the attention of the brilliant actor. They’d enjoyed many of the same things, like old movies and classic literature, but passion was lacking. She’d never felt as overcome with desire as she had when Hank stood in front of her. With Clinton, it’d been chaste kisses and long talks. Not damp panties and thudding heartbeats.
She turned on the faucet and filled her cupped hands with water. As she bent over the sink, she splashed her face. Jeannie did it again then grabbed a paper towel and dabbed her face dry. From the drawer under the sink, she pulled out her deep-blush colored lipstick and pressed powder compact. Applying powder to her skin, she lightly covered the blemishes and red splotches then slid the lipstick over her lips. Once again tucking a curl behind her ear, Jeannie studied her face in the mirror, forcing herself to relax.
Waaaaa. Waaaaa. Waaaaa.
Jeannie dashed out of the bathroom. Smoke had begun to fill the store. What’s going on? Where is the smoke coming from? She grabbed her cell phone and purse, scanned the sales floor for any customers then ran out the front door. A crowd gathered on the sidewalk as the wail of sirens grew louder.
A fire truck sped to the curb and parked. Firefighters jumped off and began their choreographed dance with their hoses to save her store. Jeannie nibbled on her thumbnail as she watched the action unfold. Her heart pounded. Would she lose her store? What about the inventory? Thankfully, no one was inside except me.
In a short time, the firefighters had everything under control. The whole event had lasted only ten minutes, but it felt like hours. The fire chief approached her. She’d sold him an anniversary present only a few months before. Forty-five years of marriage and going strong, a man of real integrity. She knew the gray-haired gentleman had done everything he could to keep her livelihood safe.
“Miss Jeannie. I’m so sorry. The store sustained some water and smoke damage. A fire was set just outside your back door.” He reached over and patted her shoulder. “An accelerant, likely gasoline, was spread over the wall, door, and garbage bin. Luckily, your alarm went off and notified us right away. I’ve always said the online alarm systems save not just lives but property. I wish more store owners would invest in them.”
She reached out and squeezed his hand then beamed. “Thank you. I know you saved my business. I appreciate your coming so quickly.”
“I’m sharing the information with the arson group and the local sheriff. I hope this was a one-time deal, but my gut says you’ve angered someone, got an enemy. Please take care of yourself and be vigilant.”
“She will,” Hank chimed in. “I’m keeping an eye on her.”
The chief studied him. “And you are?”
Hank held his hand outstretched. “Hank Walker. Deputy Hank Walker of the Hunt Sheriff’s Department.” The men shook hands.
“I’m glad to see Miss Jeannie has someone watching over her. She’s a wonderful young lady. Kind and generous. She’s always donated selflessly to the fireman’s retirement fund.”
“I won’t let anything happen to her. It’s my job.” He frowned. “And one I take seriously.”
Jeannie heard the pride in his voice but felt only irritation. Who were these two to talk about her as if she couldn’t handle things alone? She’d been doing just fine until Deputy Dan had come along. In fact, until that night in jail, she’d never had one iota of trouble.
“Excuse me. She is right here, gentlemen, and doing well taking care of herself. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to call my insurance agent about the damage.” She pulled her cell phone from her pocket, walked over to a quiet spot in the shade of the next storefront, and placed her call.
***
Hank watched Jeannie walk away. “Someone set this, Chief, right?”
The chief hesitated a moment as if considering his words. “I can’t go into details until the arson team investigates, but gasoline was poured on the back store wall and door. Luckily, the alarm system worked and she was able to get out the front way.”
“Recently, someone called in a terrorist threat naming Jeannie as the suspect.” Hank studied the fire chief’s expression. He’d hoped to glean some information from the man, yet none came through. “We held her overnight until the details came out, but it could be related. We never caught the suspect, but it was too well planned to be a prank gone wrong.” Jeannie was still on the phone. He didn’t like her standing out in public, where anyone could harm her.
“I don’t like it.” The chief shook his head. “Miss Jeannie is a kind soul. Never hurt anyone. I don’t see why someone would be after her. I’ll have my guys spend a little more time in the area, stopping at the diner for lunch and keeping an eye on her.” He lowered his voice. “We look after each other here. She’s one of ours and doesn’t deserve any of this.”
“I’ll talk to the sheriff and see what he can do. In the meantime, I’d better see if I can get her to eat something.” Hank held out his hand to the kindly older fireman. “I appreciate your watching over her. I’ve known her for only a short time, but I agree. She’s not the kind of woman who’d harm her own business, let alone risk the stores next door. Her caring nature is obvious.”
He shook the chief’s hand then strolled over to where Jeannie stood, holding her phone. She tapped her foot as she looked up at the sky. Her furrowed brows hid the deep green of her eyes. The way she pursed her lips, wiggling them back and forth made her appear younger than her age. She must be on hold. He hated when that happened to him. It appeared as if time crawled while supposedly soothing music assaulted your eardrums.
Hank waved the bag of food in front of him. Since she hadn’t had breakfast or lunch, she had to be starving. Maybe the food would melt away some of her grumpiness. Jeannie’s gaze locked on the bag as if it was the last piece of chocolate in a room full of women on a diet. She grabbed the sack like a gator grabbing anything crazy enough to get within reach. Hank snatched his hand away and stuffed it into his jeans pocket. Better safe than sorry.
He grinned at Jeannie. “Would you like to go sit down and eat?”
She glanced around the sidewalk, still with the phone up to her ear then held up one finger. “Yes. Thank you. I look forward to hearing from you.” Stuffing the device into her purse, she let out a deep breath. “Finally, the insurance company got back to me. Had me on hold for ten minutes.” She pointed to a bench near a flower box two storefronts down. “We can sit there, if you don’t mind. I don’t want to leave the area until I can get back in the store and check out the damage.”
Jeannie pulled a chip from the bag and slid it into her mouth as she walked. He’d never seen anything sexier, but if he didn’t quit ogling her, his feet would tangle and he’d end up face planting on the sidewalk. Letting Jeannie lead, he enjoyed the view of her behind in the tight dark-blue skirt. Hank adjusted his growing erection with a hand hidden in his pocket. In the half hour he’d been around this woman, his cock had been as hard as a bat. The sheriff would arrest him for indecency if he noticed. How could a woman affect him so quickly? Sure, he’d been attracted to other women, but never had his body lost control like this. What made her special? Did he just need to screw her and get her out of his system?
Sitting on the bench with her ankles crossed, Jeannie yanked the sandwich from the bag and took a bite. “Thank you for getting the food.” She glanced at her watch. “I haven’t had anything to eat since yesterday’s lunch. I had a busy time Tuesday with Ladies’ Night at the store.”
Hank perched on the edge of the bench. Her fragrance wafted toward him on the breeze. He’d noticed the floral scent earlier when he’d lifted her on the counter and longed to bury his face in her neck. Shaking his head, he tried to focus on Jeannie’s words. “You need to take care of yourself. Not eating isn’t healthy. Promise me you won’t do that anymore.”
When had his feelings gone from sex to something more? With her nod, he continued, “What did the insurance company say?”
“They are going to get an adjuster out tomorrow and then we’ll know just how long the store will be closed for repairs.” Tears pooled in her eyes. He hated seeing her sad. He liked her spirited better. It matched the slight red hues in her blonde hair.
“I’m glad they are taking care of it right away. Will the investigation hold up the repairs?”
“Hopefully not. But I should know more in a day or so. This has been a stellar year for Diamonds, and I can’t afford for the store to remain closed long. With those two chain stores at the outlet mall, business will fall off if I’m not open.”
Hank squeezed her shoulder. “I’m happy to help. Just let me know. If you can’t meet with the adjuster and want me to do it, I’ll leave you my number.” He pulled a business card out of his wallet and extended it to her.
Her brow furrowed. She clasped the card then tossed it into her purse. “I’m sure I can handle the adjuster. You wouldn’t be able to explain about my inventory.” She shrugged. “Why? Why are you so eager to help me? First the food and now this?”
“I feel bad about the part I played in your wedding mix-up. Not that the guy deserved you. Second-rate actor and all. He should have waited.” He slid a single finger down her arm and saw her shiver.
“I appreciate your offer. The food was enough.” She looked at her watch once more. “I’m going to head back to the store, and then I have a date with a good friend.” She stood, slid her purse over her shoulder, and crumpled the lunch bag. “Once again, thank you. Take care.” Jeannie strolled back toward her store.
“You be careful, too. I’ll be watching,” Hank murmured to her retreating back.