The Cowboy Lawman. Brenda Minton

      He smelled good. Soap and something like a scent of the Orient tangled up in the mountains of Colorado. She didn’t linger but opened the menu and studied a list she’d seen too many times in her life.

      “Ben ask you to teach his girl?” Jackson asked, pushing his glass of tea for the waitress to refill.

      Travis moved his glass in the same direction. The waitress, a pretty girl with a big smile and blond hair streaked with pink, smiled at Slade. He didn’t seem to notice.

      “Yes. A barrel-racing clinic? I don’t know where he got an idea like that.” Mia happened to look up from her menu and her gaze connected with her brother Travis’s. And he happened to look quickly at Jackson before taking a bite of biscuits and gravy.

      Mia shook her head and refocused from the biscuits covered in sausage gravy to Jackson and his obviously guilty look.

      “You did this?” She put her menu down and glared at Jackson.

      He shrugged. “You might as well.”

      “Really? Why is it that I might as well? I do have a job.”

      “You’re not going to be working for a while. There’s a need. You’re just about the best.”

      She arched her brows at him and smiled. “Just about?”

      “You are the best,” he corrected. “Slade, what do you think?”

      “I think I don’t have a dog in this fight and it’s a lot safer that way.”

      Mia glanced his way, avoiding looking too deep into his gray eyes. She ignored yesterday’s five o’clock shadow on the smooth plane of his cheeks. He looked tired.

      “Late night?” She looked back to the menu after asking the question.

      “Yeah. And an early morning. My mom hasn’t been feeling too hot and she won’t go to the doctor.”

      Mia smiled. “That McKennon family stubbornness.”

      “I guess.”

      Travis let his fork drop noisily on his plate. “I should get back to the house.”

      “How’s Elizabeth.”

      “Pregnant?”

      “I know that.” Mia smiled up at the waitress. “Pueblo salad with ranch. Water to drink.”

      “Okay.” The waitress smiled at Slade again. “You all done with that?”

      He passed her his empty plate. Travis held his up and the waitress ignored him and walked off. Mia snorted a laugh and looked at Slade.

      “So, is the waitress a friend of yours?” She regretted the question as soon it left her mouth. Talk about testy. She would blame it on lack of sleep.

      “No, she isn’t.” Slade shook his head. “Seriously, Mia, she’s barely twenty.”

      “Right. It’s none of my business.”

      Jackson made a big deal of looking at his watch. “I should go.”

      Travis slid out after him. “Me, too. I ordered Elizabeth a salad to go and chocolate pie. She’s been eating chocolate pie like crazy.”

      “Tell her to call if she needs anything.” Mia reached her hand up and her brother enclosed it in his for a moment. “I can’t wait to hold that baby girl.”

      “I’ll pass on the message and if you want to come out and visit, I’ll pick you up.”

      “Thanks, Trav.” She smiled past him to Jackson. “And you, I will deal with you later.”

      Jackson shrugged it off. “You’ll thank me later.”

      After they were gone, she moved to the other side of the booth. Sitting next to Slade while her brothers were there was not a conversation starter. If she stayed next to Slade, the whole town would be talking and speculating.

      The swinging doors that led to the kitchen opened. Vera walked out, her dark hair pulled back in a tight bun that looked severe but the smile on Vera’s face softened things up.

      “Mia Cooper. Honey, I have been praying for you and thinking about you. How’d you like that peanut butter pie I made for you?”

      “It was amazing, as always. Mom stayed and had a piece with me.”

      Vera sat down next to Slade. “Girl, it is so good to see you back. Did you walk down here?”

      “It isn’t far, Vera.”

      “Well, no, it isn’t. But when you get ready to leave, you holler and I’ll bet someone will drive you home. Slade can give you a lift if he’s still here.”

      “I need the exercise.” Mia avoided looking at Slade. The waitress had reappeared with a salad topped with grilled chicken, peppers, onions and mushrooms. “That looks great.”

      “Well, of course it is.” Vera cleared her throat. “Do you need any help?”

      Mia looked down at the salad, at the fork, at Vera. “No, I’m good.”

      “Well, I’ll let you two catch up and remember to let me know if you need a ride.” Vera scooted out of the booth. “Real good to have you home, honey.”

      Mia smiled and Vera left.

      “I don’t mind giving you a ride home.” Slade leaned back and watched her. He wore a button-up shirt, short-sleeved and dark red. Obviously he wasn’t on duty. It deepened his tan. It made his gray eyes look silver.

      “I know you don’t. I really do enjoy the walk. I think a half a dozen cats followed me to town.”

      He smiled, teeth flashing white in his suntanned face. “I heard they discussed the cat issue at a city council meeting.”

      “She loves those cats, and if the neighbors aren’t complaining, why should anyone else?”

      Slade shrugged. “There are a lot of them.”

      “I guess.” She took an awkward bite of salad. “This lefty business isn’t easy.”

      No way would she tell him she’d spent the morning loading and unloading her weapon with her left hand. She’d considered taking it out to the ranch for target practice. Just in case.

      “Do you need me to cut it up in smaller pieces?”

      Her cheeks heated a little and she shook her head. “I’m good.”

      * * *

      Slade knew when to be quiet. People either needed the silence or they would fill it up because they needed to talk. Mia ate and ignored him. She knew how to use silence, too. As she ate, he glanced at his watch. He had to pick Caleb up at a friend’s house in an hour.

      “Go.” Mia put her fork down.

      “What?”

      “You’ve looked at your watch three times. You’re not my keeper. They told you to drive by my house when you’re on patrol. They didn’t charge you with babysitting.”

      “I’m not babysitting.” He leaned forward a little, lowering his voice. “I’m sitting with a friend while she finishes eating.”

      “You’re starting rumors by sitting here.” Mia pushed the plate to the side. “Five years, Slade. You haven’t dated in five years. They’re all thinking it’s about time you did.”

      “I date. And I don’t care if they talk. It’s Dawson, that’s what we do.”

      “Right.” She reached and tugged at the sling that held her right arm, grimacing. “I hate this thing.”

      “I know.” He reached for the cowboy hat sitting on the back of the booth. It was time to go. He looked around. The waitress hurried their way, pulling