Page 13 of A Texas Hero

“I can’t quit the game. My players need me and I made a commitment to the team,” her father had said every time.

The arguments would go on for a while, and they would inevitably end with her mother giving in to her dad because she had no choice. She loved a man obsessed with the game and she had to take everything that came with it.

“I feel bad if you injured yourself helping me,” Zoey said.

“No, I didn’t. It’s fine.”

She didn’t know Archer well enough to press further, so she let it go. Maybe he didn’t want her to worry that she had a second-rate bodyguard, but for the love of God, had he looked in the mirror recently?

Zoey reached for her naked, headless mannequin and carried her to the front of the store. Time to dress Ophelia again. She began grabbing clothes off the rack. Slacks, a sweater, a colorful scarf. She’d complete the outfit with a kickass pair of knee-high boots. This mannequin would be placed next to the barrel of apples Zoey would pick up tomorrow. Perfect.

“I’m going to dress Ophelia in a new season-appropriate outfit. It’s the only thing missing from the window. Well, that and a barrel of apples. I’ll get the apples fresh from the market.”

“You named her?” Archer narrowed his eyes.

“Yes, Ophelia and I are old friends. I found her for a bargain.”

“Yeah, that’s not weird at all.”

Zoey shook a finger at him. “No judging, please. Here, help me pull her pants on. As long as you’re here.”

Like her, Archer did not have a light complexion, so if he blushed, she couldn’t see it. But he did hesitate a moment before he pulled the sweater over Ophelia’s torso.

“This is strange.”

“What? Not in your usual job description?” Zoey teased while she pulled on Ophelia’s pants one leg at a time.

He snorted his answer.

When they were done, Zoey locked up and went outside, Archer following her. That’s when they both noticed, sitting just outside the storefront, a bouquet of red roses lying on the ground.

Archer picked them up and handed them to Zoey. “Read the card.”

Zoey did and couldn’t believe her eyes. “They’re from Scott.”

Chapter Six

“‘Why did you block me? Stop ignoring me.’” Zoey read the card out loud. “‘I’m not mad. I still love you. Nothing will ever ruin my love for you.’”

Archer took the card from her. The crease between his eyebrows deepened.

“I finally blocked him so he couldn’t send me any more text messages,” Zoey explained, fumbling in her bag and removing her phone. “His feelings are hurt. Maybe I shouldn’t have done that.”

Gently, Archer removed the phone from her hands. “You did the right thing. This is his problem.”

He sounded like her father now, but the funny thing was she didn’t actually mind the advice coming from Archer. He wasn’t an overprotective father getting into her business from hundreds of miles away. He was her bodyguard, a professional, and he’d now witnessed the situation firsthand. Obviously, Scott must have noticed her inside after shop hours, with another man inside, and just left the flowers for her. Maybe he didn’t realize this was creepier than simply knocking on the door.

“So… I should just ignore these flowers?”

“Yes, certainly do not call or text him.” Archer handed the phone back.

“Not even to say thanks?”

Archer quirked a brow. “It isn’t the roses that are concerning but the note.”

“He doesn’t want to give up on me.”

“It’s straight out of the stalking playbook. Unwanted gifts and phone calls. But he will have to accept ‘no’ eventually. If he does not understand no in English, I will speak to him in my language.”