Her Small-Town Sheriff. Lissa Manley

“I don’t know…”

       “I insist,” he said, holding up a hand. “Really. It’s not a good idea to let this behavior slide by. She did the crime, she needs to do the time.”

       Phoebe inclined her head to the side in obvious capitulation. “Okay, then have her come by one day this week after school and I’m sure I can find something for her to do.”

       “I will. And I’d appreciate it if you could give her some kind of less-than-pleasant chore, like dishes or cleaning bathrooms.”

       “Spoken like a true parent,” Phoebe said, showing those dimples again.

       “You’ve got that right,” he replied. Although sometimes, when Heidi rolled her eyes at him, he felt like the most clueless dad alive. “She needs to learn that choices have consequences. She hates any kind of cleaning, so that makes the most sense in my mind.”

       “Got you.”

       “And feel free to make her sentence last awhile. I really want her to know she messed up royally.” Despite what Heidi had been through, it was important his daughter grow up with boundaries.

       “I’ll keep that in mind,” Phoebe said. “Why don’t we say she’ll work for me starting this week, and maybe on Saturday, too. All right?”

       “Sounds good,” Carson said, really liking the way Phoebe had approached the situation. She was obviously a softhearted, sensible woman. “I’ll stop by with her after school tomorrow so you two can meet under better circumstances, then she can start on Wednesday.” And he’d be sure Heidi apologized. Profusely. After the fact was better than never, in his book.

       “Okay. I’ll be here all day.”

       He adjusted his hat. “Thank you for calling me about this.”

       “You’re welcome,” she replied with a smile. “I’m not a parent, but if I were, I’d want to know if my kid tried to steal something.”

       “I do want to know. Being a parent is about the good, the bad and the ugly.” Too bad he and Heidi had more than their share of ugly lately.

       “Well, it sounds like you’re doing all the right things,” Phoebe said.

       He wasn’t so sure; he felt as if he had been thrust into a pitch-black room with no flashlight, only to be told he had to put a complicated puzzle together. Being a single dad was daunting. “Thanks,” he said. “And again, thanks for calling me.”

       Bells over the door jingled, and a customer walked in, interrupting their conversation.

       Phoebe looked to the front of the store. “Hey, Molly,” she said, waving.

       Carson turned and saw a petite redhead heading toward them.

       The newcomer waved. “Hey, Phoebs.”

       As Molly drew closer, her gaze ping-ponged between him and Phoebe. Then Molly’s mouth curved into what looked like a sneaky smile. He had to be imagining that devious grin.

       “Whatcha doing?”

       For Heidi’s sake, Carson hoped Phoebe would keep mum about what his daughter had done.

       Phoebe narrowed her eyes and stared at Molly for just a second. “I’m talking to Sheriff Winters here.” She looked at him. “Have you met Molly Kent yet?”

       “Nope, sure haven’t.”

       “Sheriff Winters, Molly Kent,” Phoebe said. “Molly owns Bow Wow Boutique down the street.”

       He shook hands with Molly.

       “He stopped by for some ice cream,” Phoebe said casually, turning her attention to him. “What’ll it be, Sheriff?”

       Grateful for Phoebe’s discretion, and feeling remarkably hungry now that the waffle-cone smell had done a number on him, he said, “How about a scoop of Rocky Road? It’s my favorite.”

       Phoebe nodded, smacking her lips. “Mine, too. Good choice.”

       She went behind the counter, grabbed a cone and then started scooping.

       “So, you’re replacing Sheriff Billings, right?” Molly asked.

       “That’s right.” Gerard Billings, an old friend of Carson’s dad, had been sheriff here in Moonlight Cove for over thirty years and had taken his pension and retired to Arizona just a month ago.

       Molly sat on one of the swiveling stools by the counter. “The town was sad to see him go after so long.”

       “I know. I have some big shoes to fill.”

       “What made you want to come to Moonlight Cove?” Molly asked.

       Thank goodness he had a decent cover story. Just as long as people didn’t ask too many whys. “My cousin, Lily Rogers, lives here, and I liked the thought of being near family.” Although anywhere that wasn’t Seattle probably would have been fine with him. Too many heartbreaking memories there.

       “Oh, I hadn’t heard you were related to Lily. I know her from the local church’s singles’ group, which I attended before I got engaged,” Molly said. Her gaze made a trip to his ring finger. “Maybe you should go sometime, meet a few other singles…?”

       He didn’t go to church—hadn’t been raised to, actually—and his schedule usually didn’t allow him time for many social activities. And a singles’ group? Not for him. But he was sure Molly wouldn’t be interested in any of that. So instead he said, “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”

       Phoebe interrupted them by handing him his cone. “I made it a double,” she said. “You can never get too much Rocky Road.”

       He widened his eyes. “This cone is huge.”

       “A big guy needs a big cone,” Phoebe said with an impish grin, her pretty blue eyes sparkling.

       Male interest shot through him like a bright, undeniable spark, and for just a second, he couldn’t take his eyes off her lovely face.

       Guess I’m not dead after all… .

       Iron walls came down around that thought, ruthlessly cutting it off in its tracks. He had no business even being remotely attracted to a woman. Who’d want that kind of turmoil again? Not him.

       Cone in hand, he said to Phoebe, “What do I owe you?”

       “It’s on the house.”

       “Well, thanks for the ice cream.” He turned to Molly. “Nice to meet you.”

       “You, too,” she said, flashing him a bright smile. “Stop by anytime. Phoebe loves visitors.”

       Phoebe gave Molly an obviously significant glare, then regarded him. “Glad you could stop by, Sheriff.”

       Was she blushing? And why did he like the look on her so much?

       His neck burning, he raised his cone in the air. “Me, too. I’ll see you ladies later.”

       He stepped outside, noting that the clouds had rolled in off the Pacific Ocean again. Rain was sure to follow.

       Pausing for a moment, he looked up and down the main street of Moonlight Cove, soaking in the small-town charm and tranquility that had drawn him here. Setting his jaw, he started walking back to the station, one thought foremost in his mind: as long as the town was all he was drawn to, he’d be just fine.

      * * *

       Her cheeks still warm, Phoebe started wiping off the already clean counter. She surreptitiously watched Sheriff Winters go, liking the confident way he carried himself and his decidedly male way of moving. She didn’t want to let on to Molly that she found him attractive, though. Oh, no. That would be a disaster.

       As the resident matchmaker, Molly would grab ahold of any tidbit of Phoebe’s interest