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“Anything for the town crime stoppers.”
Landon chuckles and gives me a chin tip. “Thanks for taking care of Mom’s car yesterday and dropping it off for her.”
My body tightens when I think of Lia again.
Fuck my life, she’s all woman now.
But that’s a dangerous path to head down with her older, sheriff deputy brother standing in front of me. Not to mention, Aidan—the interim sheriff—is Lia and Landon’s cousin.
I’m a big guy and I know how to fight if absolutely necessary, but these two are both former military. They could probably kill me and make it look like an accident.
Not that they would. They’re two of the best guys I know, and we’ve all been friends since grade school. But this is their little sister/cousin and these guys protect their family.
I clear my throat and shrug nonchalantly. “No problem. I finished up sooner than I expected so I thought I’d just drop it off.”
And I was hoping for another glimpse of Lia, against my better judgment.
We shoot the shit for another minute before he heads out the door.
I slide back in the booth and pick up my phone, but now the only thing I can think about is Lia.
Figuring I have a few more minutes since I’m early and my mom always runs late, I look out the window next to me and let my mind drift back to yesterday morning. I wasn’t kidding when I said Seattle looked good on her. Lia was always a pretty girl, even though she hid it behind glasses and clothes a couple of sizes too big. Her dad was the town doc and she was related to the Reynolds—the town’s founders—and everyone knew her, but Lia didn’t run with the popular crowd. She always hung out with the artsy kids.
I, on the other hand, did run with the popular kids, jocks, and cheerleaders.
That summer after we graduated, she let her proverbial hair down and I ended up getting to know her better.
A whole lot better.
To the point that it was too much for me.
And the grown-up Lia? She’s stunning.
Those skinny jeans and fitted winter jacket she wore accentuated all the curves she’d developed over the last decade. She’d let her dark hair grow out past her shoulders, and it framed that heart-shaped face that had always caught my eye in high school even though we ran in different circles.
Until that summer.
“Good morning.”
Mom’s voice breaks through my musings.
I slide out of the booth and bend down to kiss Mom’s cheek. “Hey, Mom.”
A hand lands on her trim hip. “Jacob, you know I like that side best.”
I hold my hands up in a shrug and give her my best grin. “What can I say? I got here first.”
When she tilts her head to the side, giving me the Mom look, I shake my head, laughing. “Okay, fine. I’ll move.”
I help her out of her coat and hang it on the hooks on the back wall near our booth.
She tucks one leg under the other and rubs her hands together before reaching for a menu. “It’s cold this morning. I didn’t think it was going to get so cold just yet.”
“It is December. And did you walk here?”
“Of course I did.”
I sigh. “Mom, why didn’t you let me pick you up?”
