“Well, in fairness, Charlie and I weren’t together then, so it would have been weird to bring it up.”
She sighs the smoke from her lungs. “You understand this is why people talk about you, don’t you?”
As I take the joint, the lights I’ve been waiting for turn into the driveway. “Charlie’s helping me accept the real me.”
Hailey laughs. “So you admit you love to cause a scene.”
“No.” He climbs out of the SUV, looking dangerous and hot. I motion in his direction. “Just look at him. Isn’t it obvious he needs to be challenged?”
“Then he’s met the right woman.”
He closes the door and pockets his keys.
I take another drag before passing it to my sister. “Hey there, Sheriff.”
He walks toward us, his long legs eating up the driveway. “Ladies.”
“Sheriff.” Hailey brings the joint to her lips and smiles at him.
He stands at the bottom of the steps. “I see you two are busy being upstanding citizens.”
“We can’t be good all the time,” I say.
Our eyes meet, and electricity pulses along the air.
“True.” His lips quirk in amusement. “Isn’t smoking weed against the city hall drug policy?”
“Yes, but only because the policy was written by Griffin’s admin, who has no idea what she’s doing and is wishing it were still the Reagan era. I’m not even joking. The header on the policy literally says—” I gesture like I’m scanning the top of a document “—‘Just Say No.’”
“That does sound like her.” Charlie’s tone is amused.
“Mrs. Weller used to be a grade school teacher, but now she’s Griffin’s gatekeeper. Whatever stern, authoritarian schoolmarm you’re picturing in your head, yes, that’s her,” I inform my sister.
Hailey nods. “Gotcha.”
“Anyway,” I say to Charlie, “I’m updating the policy to include legalization. Technically, you can still be denied employment, but maybe next time they vote, it will pass. And then we’ll be forced to dismantle something we spent time and resources on, which is only designed to make people’s lives difficult. In my legal opinion, city employees should not be deprived weed.”
“I can see you’ve given this a lot of thought.” He laughs, and it brings me a perverse pleasure.
I like entertaining him. After what he’s told me about his past, he needs fun in his life. He needs surprise and laughter and someone he can trust.
That person is going to be me.
He props his hand on the railing, his gaze making its way over my body like a caress.
I hold out the joint to him. “Want some?”
Hailey pats her knees. “That’s my cue.”
Charlie straightens, a frown on his lips. “Don’t leave on my account.”
“I was off to bed until Jessica insisted she couldn’t smoke alone.” She stands, her blond hair tumbling over her shoulders. “Now, she’s not alone.”
Charlie’s attention slides to mine.
“Night, Hales.” I blow her a kiss before he keeps trying to include her to be nice.
She says her goodbyes, and when the door closes, I turn back to him, holding out the joint again. He needs to relax. He’s had a long night, and I’m going to make him forget all about it.
