Okay, so I may or may not have known back in school that Leo had a big crush on me, and I may or may not have completely ignored it and did my best not to hurt his feelings back then. I even stuck up for him when Jed and his jock friends would pick on him, and this is the thanks I get?

“Fine, so I didn’t recognize him when I saw him in the hospital, but can you blame me? The guy went from looking like Anthony Michael Hall in The Breakfast Club to Chris Hemsworth, all Thor-like and…pretty,” I complain, annoyed all over again that he knew I thought he was hot and didn’t hesitate to keep rubbing it in my face.

“Listen, as far as the whole Emma Jo thing goes, all you can do is what you’re doing right now, which is be there for her, and you know that,” Bettie tells me softly. “You don’t need my help with that situation. And regarding Sheriff Hudson? Might I suggest apologizing for not recognizing him and then laughing in his face when you found out who he was? It might stop him from arresting you for being a menace to society and use those handcuffs of his for good instead of evil.”

She continues talking about Leo and his weapons but I don’t hear a word she says. All I can picture is myself naked and chained to Leo’s headboard with a pair of his cuffs, while he looms over me with that stupid smirk on his face and his bare, muscular chest rubbing against mine.

“Alright, that’s enough,” I scold Bettie, stopping her mid-I wonder if he carries rope in his trunk for S&M dates. “I need to get back downstairs to Emma Jo now that he left.”

The last time Emma Jo checked on me, she told me she filled out the restraining order and that Leo left to go back to the station to file it and notify Jed. I’m sure she’s down there freaking out that he’s going to freak out and come back to finish the job he did on her.

“Remember, next time you see Hot Guy, say you’re sorry. You’re much cuter when you’re being all apologetic instead of standing there with a stick up your ass,” Bettie reminds me.

“You always say the sweetest things,” I reply sarcastically. “Don’t run my business to the ground. And if Benjamin comes in, make up something about me joining Habitat for Humanity or something. Maybe he’ll get the hint if he thinks I left the country.”

I’ve already ignored three voicemails from him since my plane landed. I know I need to have yet another conversation with him about how we are not getting married and things are over between us, but there’s only so many serious conversations a woman can handle at one time.

“He already stopped in right at closing tonight looking for you. I sent a text to my Uncle Stewart to see how hard it would be to hide a body in the city dump, but he hasn’t gotten back to me yet. In the meantime, I told Benjamin you reconnected with the love of your life from childhood and flew back home to marry him. Who knew I was psychic?!”

“Tell me you didn’t…”

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“Soooooooo, I guess we’ll talk soon,” Bettie says quickly. “Make nice with the sheriff and maybe he’ll let you touch his weapon. Too-da-loo!”

Bettie disconnects the call before I can scream at her. I stare at the screen of my phone for a few seconds and then toss it back on top of the bed. I can hear Emma Jo moving around downstairs and I know I can’t keep hiding up here in her spare bedroom forever.

Hopefully there’s still enough wine left in this house for me to forget about Leo for the time being and not do something stupid like accuse my best friend of sleeping with him. I mean, who cares if that’s true anyway? It’s not like I want the guy.

* * *

“Are you sleeping with Leo? I mean, it’s totally fine if you are. It’s not like I care or anything. You two make a cute couple. He’s all tall and hot and cocky, and you’re all short and cute and quiet. Opposites attract and all that. I won’t tell anyone if you’ve been cheating on Jed and you’ve been planning to leave him, if that’s what you’re worried about. I mean, after what that asshole has been doing to you all these years, it’s completely justified. Your secret is safe with me!” I ramble, grabbing a newly opened bottle of wine from the kitchen counter.

Emma Jo stares at me with wide, shocked eyes while I drink from the bottle like some sort of animal. You know, if that animal felt like an idiot and had diarrhea of the mouth.

“It’s none of my business what you do with your personal life, as long as it makes you happy. But as your oldest friend, I’ve got to say, I don’t know if Leo Hudson is the best boyfriend material. I mean, secret lover – sure! But as a boyfriend, he kind of sucks. He obviously knew about what Jed was doing to you, otherwise he wouldn’t have shown up at the hospital, and he definitely didn’t look shocked when he saw your face tonight. Pissed off, yes, but not shocked. What kind of a boyfriend wouldn’t kick Jed’s ass or throw him in jail for that shit years ago?”

I finally stop talking and take a breath. And then chug some more wine from the bottle just so I’m not tempted to open my mouth again and spew more crazy at Emma Jo. Bettie is right, I totally sound jealous. I hate when Bettie’s right. She never lets me forget it.

“Okay, first of all, I think you’ve had enough wine,” Emma Jo informs me, taking the bottle out of my hand and setting it on the counter next to us with a clunk. “Secondly, I am not, nor have I ever, slept with Leo Hudson. I wouldn’t know the first thing about having an affair and even if I did, Leo wouldn’t be my first choice. I already told you he’s like a brother to me.”




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