Chapter 10
“WELL don’t you look handsome, deputy.” Jase looked over the hood of his truck at Lacey, who approached from her car, three spots down from him in the gravel lot.
“I could say the same for you, ma’am,” he replied.
“I hope I’m more pretty than handsome. Lord knows my daddy calls me his second son enough; I’m starting to think I may have grown a dick.” And wouldn’t that suit us both just fine. Jase smiled at the thought. She did look pretty, though, in a white sundress covered with bright, red poppies. They set off her tanned skin just the right way. Her hair was obviously straightened, pulled into a half-bun-half-ponytail thing Jase was sure had a better name than he could come up with.
She straightened his hokey bolo tie when she reached him. “Your first time in the local version of dress blues?”
“I wouldn’t slander dress blues calling this get-up such,” he said, drily. And damn, did he mean that. He’d not been happy when he was given the print-out that listed the dress code for county deputies at social events where they’d be recognized as such: blue button-down with khakis, a bolo tie, black or tan Stetson, boots, and to top it off, their actual deputy tin. Normally the tin didn’t look so “Welcome to Texas,” but with the bolo tie, hat, and boots, the tin star looked like a dude ranch costume. He wondered if he was expected to use a novelty accent as well. He’d rather have just worn his usual uniform of black slacks and black button down with its sewn on sheriff department logo.
“I think the Sheriff’s wife made this up as she went for her photo ops.”
Lacey laughed her honest, hearty laugh. No tittering, giggling princess here, folks. “I wouldn’t doubt that. You’d think we were a county that mattered the way she and the mayor’s wife have been carrying on the last couple years.”
“Local pride,” Jase teased, giving a fist pump. That got him another laugh. She wrapped manicured fingers around his bicep.
“Shall we, sir?”
“Why, yes’m, we shall.” He was glad, now, he’d come with her. He’d decided he’d been out of bounds thinking she’d gotten the wrong idea again. Older and wiser, they could be friends now. She was thirty, not twenty-three anymore. He’d been so tense all day, stressing over getting Mama’s ramps put in after a night of tossing and turning, trying to decide if he should stalk Ase at the hospital so he could apologize for freezing up like he had. Repay the favor, more like it. He tried not to get lost in the same fantasy of four years ago.
And thank goodness, he had a friend to make him laugh. He’d been trapped at that damn Ranch of Death by himself too damn long, he’d decided.
They went through a white archway that had vines twining up the sides and tea lights placed in red-and-white checkered jars. There were a lot of people in the picnic area, formerly known as the back lawn of city hall. It’d been fenced in with a faux white picket fence. Tables were hither and thither, covered in the same red and white checkering, meant to look apple pie, all-American but with a touch of class, if the fancy candles and centerpieces were telling. People weren’t out in typical picnicking clothes either, but their Sunday best. Not black tie, by any means, but definitely dressier than a family barbecue.
“Well, they went all out, huh?” Jase asked, leaning into Lacey’s ear, catching a whiff of cotton-candy perfume. He didn’t comment on how much she smelled like a girl he dated when he was fifteen. He didn’t know if women stuck with one fragrance from high school on, or if her knowledge of such things ended at hair, makeup, and sundresses.
“Yeah, I’m glad I wore the dress. I almost came in jeans, but I saw a couple of ladies at the salon getting dresses from the cleaners across the street and thought better of it.”
Jase knew his eyes were probably wide as he took in what some would probably consider an over-the-top presentation for a small county’s local sheriff’s re-election picnic.
Of course he figured it’d be a little more upscale since they had to dress so silly, and it was being held as the sun went down and into night, rather than just grills and Solo cups at the church. He scanned the area, noting a few coworkers he should probably say hello to.
“Do you see what I see?” Lacey asked. He glanced at her, then off in the direction she was looking.
He smiled and side-eyed her. “Booze tent,” they said, almost in unison, before making a beeline for the open bar—the only way the sheriff probably managed to drag half the people there out tonight.
They were halted a couple times for quick hellos, handshakes, and tell your mama and them I asked about ems. Finally, they found their prize and Jase waited for a rum and Coke, and Lacey ordered a Malibu Bay Breeze. Within moments, the bartenders, dressed smartly in jeans and black button-downs, passed over the booze, and they both guzzled from their glasses, foregoing the dainty stir-straws.
After coming up for air, Lacey wrapped her hand around Jase’s bicep again and looked out over the crowd they’d just emerged from. “That was exhausting.”
“This is why the political life is not my future.”
“Thank goodness. I don’t want the first lady’s life.”
Jase felt his brows shoot up as he snapped his head to look at her. She snorted a few times, guffawing. “Your face.”
He glared down at her. “Snorting ain’t very lady-like.”
“Neither is kicking you in the balls, but keep making fun of my laugh, and we’ll see how long it takes for me to show just how unladylike I can be.”
Jase snorted. “What was that you were saying about the second son?”
“Ja—”
“Jason Emery!”
“As I was saying,” Lacey mumbled, as the owner of the voice who’d called Jase’s name approached them, arms open for a hug.
For all that Sheriff Dean’s wife Emily had made the place semi-elegant and made sure to don a fancy black cocktail dress, you couldn’t take the Texas girl out of her. She’d once been your typical Texas beauty queen, but then, what politician’s wife in Texas—even small-town sheriff’s wives—weren’t. She even had the blonde highlights and spray tan to prove it. But she did it well, was a gorgeous woman, much like her fox of a husband. They had equally sickeningly pretty kids. She didn’t look any different from the last time Jase had seen her five years ago.
She gripped Jase in a firmer hug than you’d think she was capable of with those skinny arms. Jase grunted, and she squeezed him. She stepped back, tittering. Yes. This was a princess. “Sorry,” she said. “Pilates. I forget I’m made of steel sometimes. My kids fuss at me all the time.” Pilates, Jase’s ass. The woman had been a five time cow-roping champion in the girls’ juniors, twice in state.
She hugged Lacey as well and offered a veneered smile before turning back to Jase. “It’s so good to see you. I was so excited when Rob told me you were working for him.”
Jase settled for, “It’s been interesting. I was grateful for the job.” No way in hell he’d say, “It’s been nice being back.” He tried not to outright lie to people’s faces.
“Of course, he wanted you. He was real excited when you applied to transfer to him.”
That was nice to hear. With any other politician’s wife, he might call bullshit, but though she may be over the top and put on airs, Emily Dean wasn’t one to blow smoke up your ass. “It’s nice working with him.”
The mayor’s wife, Debbie Priest, stopped by and lay a hand on Emily’s shoulder, whispering in her ear. She was more what you’d expect of the local politician’s wife in their neck of the woods. She wore a new dress, but it was probably from JC Penney rather than a boutique in Houston, like Emily’s. She was shorter, rounder, and had a perm in her grey hair that made her look like someone’s grandmother, though she wasn’t much older than Jase’s mom.
Emily cast an apologetic look to Jase and Lacey. “Sorry, we have a crisis.”
“Don’t let us keep you,” Lacey said and started sipping her drink.
“Yeah, go be mean to some cater-waiters,” Jase teased.
She rolled her eyes. “I wish. Cater waiters are safe. The kids playing in pig shit are a different story, though.” She’d barely gotten the words out, and Lacey had to turn to spit her drink. Jase watched the women bustle off, hands flying animatedly. Again, you couldn’t take the Texas out of the girl.
Jase turned to say something to Lacey, but Sheriff Dean chose that moment to pop up. Jase sighed inwardly, missing the Ranch of Death now. This socializing was giving him a migraine.
“Did my wife say something about pig shit?”
“Kids playin’ in it,” Jase said, matter-of-factly.
“Sounds right,” the sheriff replied, equally matter-of-fact, before asking a bartender for a beer. “Any kind’ll do, so long as it’s cold and it’ll get me buzzed.”
Jase raised his glass and bumped it with Sheriff Dean’s bottle. Sheriff Dean did the same with Lacey and greeted her. More how’s your mama doing?
“You two gonna hold up the liquor tent all night?”
“Probably,” Lacey said.
“Well, don’t get too drunk,” the sheriff winked, flicking his eyes between Jase and Lacey with a teasing grin. That made Jase want to drink more.
“Nice party, Sheriff,” Jase said, changing that subject.
Sheriff Dean sighed like he wasn’t quite so sure. “Yeah. It’s something.” What that something was, they all left unsaid.
Lacey turned and ordered herself and Jase another drink, taking his glass from him shortly and replacing it with another. “Congratulation on winning, Rob,” Lacey said, lifting her glass in cheers again before swigging from it.
“Four months ago,” Jase sniped.
“It is a bit much, huh?”
“Nah. It’s a big deal. Second term by a landslide. You’ll end up being one of those undefeated old sheriffs, dying in your Stetson and tin star.”
“Only if I’m lucky,” Sheriff Dean said. “Only don’t tell Emily I said that. She’d have me going for Senate next if she thought I’d do it. I’d hate to disappoint her by lettin’ her know just yet that my aspirations end here.”
“Your secrets are always safe with me, Sheriff.” Jase gave a mock salute, and the sheriff shook his head.
“Well, unlike you cheaters, I gotta go kiss asses. And by kiss asses, I mean mingle. Y’all have all the booze I can’t.” He looked at Jase. “Just don’t do anything in that get-up that’d embarrass the office, please.” Jase nodded, talked out for now. “Oh, and don’t forget to get your picture made. We’ve got a right fine photographer around. Swears he’s not pro but the portfolio my nephew showed me could’ve fooled me. But what do I know?”
“I look forward to it,” Jase said, drily.
“Take one for the team. I think he’s my nephew’s boyfriend.” He sighed. “Not exactly the boyfriend I’d choose; man’s trouble, I think, but my sister likes him. So I need my boys to show support today.”
The words made Jase go rigid. “My nephew’s boyfriend….” Did he hear that right? His silence must have been more tense than he’d intended, though how could it not with that little surprise? The sheriff’s lips thinned, eyes narrowed unhappily. Lacey had paused, too, head back a bit in surprise at whatever expression was on Jase’s face.
“Deputy. I’d expected with you being around San Antonio and the military at the end of all that Don’t Ask business, you’d have had some sensitivity training.”
“Wait. What?” he asked. Okay, so he’d thought maybe he’d look guilty, or like he was keeping something from them, but he guess he’d overcorrected when he’d pulled out his stoic, drill-sergeant-is-screaming-at-me-and-I-can’t-flinch face and gone toward hostile because the sheriff looked like he was an inch away from sending him home.
“No. That’s not…”
“Good,” the sheriff said, curtly. “I like you. Your worldly experience was one reason I wanted you on my force. I’d hate to think I hired someone who didn’t take his oath to protect and serve all equally, seriously. I know this is Texas, son, but—”
“Rob,” Jase said, solemnly enough it stopped the sheriff’s rant. He hadn’t spoken that informally to Sheriff Dean since he’d been back, so he knew that’d get his old friend’s attention. He was a bit flabbergasted by the response, and though he’d been getting dressed down, the rant had warmed him inside, something fierce. He wanted to fucking hug the man. And Jase hadn’t hugged a man in a long time. Unless his arms were wrapped around the man from behind while Jase pounded his ass.
Something passed between him and the sheriff then, and Jase almost blushed at the understanding that flitted through his boss’s eyes in that moment. Damn it all to hell.
He looked at Lacey who was too busy guzzling free alcohol, not watching as Jase was being cut open and examined in by his boss. Amazing how years of schooling himself to be less of a sissy, trying to walk a certain way or not be so damned sensitive—his father’d hated what a mama’s boy Jase had been—he could give himself away by being too diligent.
Sheriff Dean nodded at Jase, smiled awkwardly, but like he was trying for silent reassurance, even if he was confused by the presence of a female date. He didn’t feel it was the right moment to start with the whole I like both conversation. Hell, he’d only ever had it with Christa, his brother, and Ase. He’d mentioned to Lacey in the beginning that he had tried it out, but she didn’t seem to want to hear it, more out of not really caring either way than being weirded out.
“Wanna go over to the picnic tables where maybe we won’t have to talk to everybody and their brother?” Lacey asked. She had a cute flush to her cheeks from the alcohol, and Jase found himself doing his damnedest not to pull some he-man shit to re-stock his man card after his exchange with the sheriff.
God, he’d like to think his hang-ups didn’t make him that much of an asshole, though. So he smiled in response to her sweet, questioning grin and held out his arm. They sat for a while at a picnic table just on the outskirts of the actual party, Lacey gabbing airily about some of the women in the crowd she’d made-over for the event. Jase enjoyed the companionable moment, much more like their old friendship before it’d gotten messy.
“Oh, shoot,” she said. He turned from people watching and saw she scowled at her phone, furiously typing away.
“What’s up?”
She looked up, apologetically. “I hate to ditch you here. God knows I can’t think of much worse than having to stick around here alone. But my sister’s babysitter called to say she’s sick, and she needs someone for a couple hours so she can go in to work.” Lacey’s sister was a single mother who worked long hours to provide for her three little boys after her husband’s death two years earlier. It was hard to be annoyed at Lacey for being selfless, but he was definitely dreading being left to the eager mamas and church ladies.
“It’s all good. Do you need a ride? You’ve had a few.”
She shook her head after thinking for a moment. “No thanks. I’m just a little buzzed. I have an hour or so. I’m gonna pop across the street to the diner and have some coffee and junk food. I’ll be right as rain before I even have to go change out of my dress.”
“Alright. You go on. Tell Lydia I said hi. And if you change your mind about needing a ride, you text me.”
She grinned at him. “You’re sweet. I’ll do that. Don’t have too much fun,” she teased.
He humphed. “I’ll try.”
She started to turn but stopped short, turning to him with that brazenness he appreciated in her so much and said, “I’ll be home around nine, if you wanna come by my house on your way home.” Her meaning was plain.
Jase’d made himself clear that he didn’t want to get everything confused again. She didn’t seem like she expected anything more than just what she’d suggested, his stopping by and having a little fun, but he knew that was a bad idea. He didn’t answer, just leaned to kiss her cheek.
He’d just begun to cuss himself as every kind of asshole, realizing at the way she gripped his bicep she’d thought it was acquiescing to her suggestion. Before he could pull back he heard a, “Smile for the camera,” and shutters went off. When he looked up, there stood the same male nurse from the other day, only dressed in khakis and an expensive-looking grey sweater, and the man with the camera. Ase. His black hair was longer on top than it had been before, but the sides were shaved short like they had been the last time he’d seen the man. His long hair was neatly slicked back into a pompadour.
Ase’s style had grown up. Gone were the black skinny jeans, replaced with dark grey Chinos that hugged every muscle in those legs that were thicker than they’d once been. His slim-fit, baby blue button down was perfect on his dark olive skin. The sleeves were rolled up just enough to show veiny, tattooed forearms. He’d added tattoos to his hands and knuckles over the years. His fingers were delicate and long, wrapped around his camera. Jase wanted to kiss them. And he wanted to run his fingers through the short, sexy-as-hell beard Ase sported, now. Gone was the pretty boy, now there stood a fine ass grown man in his place.
Until Jase remembered.
A car driving off in the night four years ago. Ase flying off on his motorcycle two days ago. The photographer and the sheriff’s nephew. “My nephew’s boyfriend….”
Lacey and the sheriff’s nephew had on matching, dry expressions as Jase realized he and Ase had been sizing each other up.
“That’ll be a cute picture,” Lacey said. She held out a hand to shake with Ase, then the nurse. “Thanks for that.” Then she turned back to Jase. “Okay, I’ll see you later then.” And with a wink she was off. He watched her disappear in the crowd, his heart thumping in his chest before turning to Ase and the sheriff’s nephew. He was trapped in that dry stare from one and in the other eyes that he’d once compared to a seductive cat, that now looked dangerously like a panther who wasn’t sure whether it wanted to mate with what it had its sights on, or make it his prey.
“My nephew’s boyfriend….”
He straightened his back, nodded at the two men. But he resolved to not be quite the dumbass he’d been the other day. He smiled, tipping his hat. “Evenin’ guys.” This time he looked at Ase and acknowledged him. “Ase.” One step at a time.
“Ah, you do remember me,” Ase drawled, not exactly kindly. Jase supposed he deserved that.
“Yes. Good to see you.”
Ase scoffed and looked to the nurse, who was looking between them; making Jase feel a little guilty for the dirty thoughts he was having about the man’s boyfriend.
“You must be Rob’s nephew.”
Dustin took Jase’s proffered hand and shook. “That’s me.” He was bubbly, and Jase felt bad for the slight judgment he made of the man, as he’d done in the past, for being not quite obviously gay, but slightly effeminate. The thought must’ve been more obvious than he’d intended as earned him two cold stares.
What was wrong with him? He’d tried so hard not to be his dad, didn’t really look down on gay men. Hell, he’d had Ase’s cock in him not four years ago.
“Well, I knew you were a closet-case, but I didn’t realize you were a dick, too, gringo.”
Jase’s head snapped back like he’d been hit. Dustin, looking distinctly uncomfortable, crossed his arms over his chest.
“I didn’t…” Jase shook his head. He hadn’t. But he had. And he was fucking this up again. But Ase was being a little unfair. He was off balance seeing Ase here on his home turf, and his boss-slash-friend had just connected the dots, so he wasn’t at his social best. This is why I shouldn’t leave the ranch. Jase sighed. “Sorry. It’s been a long day.”
“Right,” Ase drawled.
Jase snapped. If Ase wanted to keep it like this, to be a jerk, then why not? They weren’t anything to each other. The man hadn’t even had the decency to send Jase so much as an e-mail since he’d moved back. And Jase had the same cell number he’d had back… that night.
“You don’t even know me, so I don’t get this holier-than-thou shit.”
Ase eyed Jase like he was a bug on the bottom of his shoe. Fuck the man for making holier-than-thou look damned lickable. Ase wasn’t his smiling, kind old self. Maybe that’d never been Ase, and their time in Munich had been as much a fluke for Ase as it had for Jase. But it hurt to have the old way Ase looked at him replaced with that expression. He also hated the layers of protection he saw around Ase that seemed like four years of hard life.
Jase opened his mouth to say something, anything to recover, but Ase’s lip curled. “Don’t seem like I’m missing out on much, anyways.”
Jase felt his flush down to his toes, anger on the heels of an inexplicable embarrassment. And shame. That was the worst.
“Fuck it,” Jase said. There was no heat to his words, just resignation as he tipped his hat first to Ase, then to Dustin. “It was nice to meet you, Dustin.” Then he turned to leave.
He didn’t look back even when he heard the nephew say something that sounded like, “Damn, Ase, that was cold.”
He wanted to tell Dustin not to worry, he hadn’t earned Dustin’s defense, but kept walking to the parking lot instead.