Page 120 of Hometown Hottie

“What a slime ball,” she muttered beside me, her head shaking even as she stretched out her hand to shake with the sheriff.

I could think way better things to call the guy than a slime ball, but there was a lady present.

Biting it back, I shook hands with him too, still unable to believe that the man had been willing to destroy a generational ranch because of his own foolishness. The sheriff tipped his hat at us again and chatted to some of the kids who had now arrived as he made his way back to his cruiser.

Nova and I remained exactly where we were for a long minute, ignoring all the curious looks we were getting from the teenagers. At this point, everyone in town knew about the bakery burning down and I was sure that most of the kids were assuming, correctly, that was what the sheriff had been talking to us about, but thankfully, they gave us a wide berth to process and started their own, individual warm-ups instead.

“We’d better get to it,” Nova mumbled, looking slightly dazed as she watched the sheriff drive out of the parking area. “They’ll be wondering what’s going on.”

“Let’s tell them the slowest kid at practice is getting arrested,” I said.

She laughed and slapped my arm. “We can’t terrorize these children.”

“They’re teenagers. Nothing scares these little monsters. I’m more concerned about you. How are you feeling after hearing that? The guy wrecked your business for nothing.”

She closed her eyes and breathed in and out deeply a few times before she looked at me again. “I’m not angry anymore. To be honest, I just feel kind of bad for Frank. He must’ve been really desperate and I understand what that feels like.”

Awe and admiration rolled through me at the sincerity shining in her eyes. Her kind heart and her willingness to forgive someone who didn’t deserve it had been my saving grace more than once, but I couldn’t believe she felt like that even about a low life like Frank. She really was too good of a damn person.

I wrapped my arms around her, holding her until I felt my own anger starting to subside. “I’ve got to say, I’m really impressed with you. I definitely wouldn’t have taken that news so well. It’s not even my bakery, and I’m not taking it that well. If we weren’t standing here together right now, I’d have been on my way to that police station to break his teeth.”

She chuckled into my shirt, holding on to me and looking into my eyes. “I’m just happy that this chapter is over. Frank has been arrested. The case is closed. Work on the new bakery is starting soon, and more importantly, Ryan is getting used to us. We won, Carson. Frank lost. Life in prison is going to break more than just his teeth. Let it go.”

With that, she smiled and sashayed away from me, giving a sharp blow of her whistle to draw the girls’ attention. I shook my head, a grin on my lips. How had I gotten so lucky? After practice wrapped for the day, I was definitely taking her out to celebrate and then I was going to worship at that woman’s altar all night long.

I really was the luckiest man alive, and tonight, I was going to tell her exactly how I felt about her.