Natural Born Lawman. Sherryl Woods

how innocently intended, and she was pretty sure she would have cracked. She just wasn’t cut out for this much deception. It was a habit that had started when she and Will were first dating and trying to keep it a secret from their co-workers. She’d been lousy at it then, too. Their relationship had been discovered in no time, which was one reason they’d married in such haste. Will had wanted to quiet the gossip.

      Tate Owens drew her attention again. “We’ll have to compare notes sometime. It’s been my experience that it’s a mighty small world. Maybe we’ll know some folks in common.”

      “I doubt that,” she said. “Like I said, the town where I grew up was really small.”

      He nodded. “Okay. Well, I’d better get out of here. If I don’t stay on my toes, Justin’s going to steal my job right out from under me.”

      “As if he would ever try,” Sharon Lynn chided. “You were his mentor, Tate. And everybody knows you’re the best sheriff ever. You’ll stay in the job as long as you want it. Besides, something tells me half the town is going to be mad as heck at him this morning.”

      Tate Owens moaned. “What’s he done now?” he asked in a resigned tone.

      “Last time I saw him, he was handing out parking tickets all up and down Main Street.”

      “Damn, I thought I’d broke him of that. The town doesn’t need the money, and I don’t need the aggravation.” He slapped his Stetson on his head and walked out the door.

      Patsy watched him go, then turned to Sharon Lynn. “What’s with the parking tickets?”

      “Tate tends to ignore minor infractions like that. He thought the parking meters were a nuisance in the first place. Justin goes crazy every once in a while and starts handing out tickets. Tate spends the rest of the day soothing ruffled feathers.”

      Patsy shook her head. “I don’t get it. If the people are breaking the law, shouldn’t they get tickets?”

      “Technically, yes. And Justin is a by-the-book kind of man, especially after he’s done something that makes him worry whether he’s listening too much to his heart,” she said with a look in Patsy’s direction.

      “Am I supposed to understand that?”

      “You’re here, aren’t you?”

      “Yes,” she said, still confused.

      “And not in a jail cell.”

      “Oh.”

      Sharon Lynn grinned, “Oh, indeed. Bottom line, it’s my guess that you’re the one behind today’s rampage with the parking tickets.”

      Patsy would have chuckled if she hadn’t been able to imagine what everyone in town would have to say if they knew to blame her.

      Sharon Lynn’s expression turned thoughtful. “Something tells me you’re going to be good for him,” she said quietly.

      “Me? I don’t think so,” Patsy said at once. If Justin Adams knew the truth about her, he probably wouldn’t even blink before tossing her in that jail cell and throwing away the key.