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“Captain Macon!” The sheriff’s voice grated against my ears as he began walking to meet me with that stupid shit-eating grin plastered across his face.
“Sheriff Hayes,” I said stoically.
I’d forgotten how much he loved showing up at events like these. Since our county encompassed both Ocracoke and part of the mainland, the Sheriff only came to town when it pleased him.
Or when it made him look good.
Today was one of those days.
“Come meet our little one,” he said with a slight emphasis on the wordour.
It wasn’t a request.
I gritted my teeth and walked with him, just in time to see my ex-wife turn, her eyes bright with excitement and energy.
“Macon.” Her smile faltered.
Well, at least I could still get some reaction out of her.
“I guess congratulations are in order,” I managed to say.
“Oh, um, yes. Thank you.”
“Isn’t he just perfect?” Hayes butted in as he snaked a hand around my shoulder and gave me a friendly pat.
If my job wasn’t dependent on this guy, I would punch him so hard that he’d be on the other side of the country with a palm tree stuck up his ass.
I took an honest look at the newborn, and I hated to admit it, but he was quite precious, at least as far as babies went. His cheeks were pink, and he had light-blond hair that matched his mother’s.
Thankfully, I didn’t have to answer his slightly rhetorical question because Molly chose that exact moment to interrupt our uncomfortable reunion.
I hadn’t wanted to talk to her a moment ago, but right now, she was a fucking lifesaver.
“Hey, Macon,” she said, walking toward one of the tables. I took that as a cue to follow her. “You coming to the gala?”
“I don’t think so. Not really my thing.”
“Not going?” someone echoed behind me.
I turned to see Sheriff Hayes hot on my heels.
“You have to go,” he said decisively.
I had a feeling the phrasefuck my lifewas going to be the motto of the day.
“I’m pretty sure I don’t,” I argued. “I’ve looked at my job description a few times, and I don’t recall any mention of mandatory gala attendance.”
His arms crossed his broad chest, and he stood a little taller—an obvious attempt to make his authority known. “It would be in bad form for you not to attend, Macon. You and I need to show a united front and make sure the town knows we support them.”
Fucking hated it when he used my first name.
We were not on a first-name basis before you fucked my wife, and we certainly aren’t now.
“You really should attend,” Kristy chimed in, coming to stand next to her husband, which just made the situation all the more uncomfortable. “People will expect it.”
My jaw twitched, hearing her try to offer up an opinion on the matter. Like she still had ownership of my life.
“I’m sure no one will care.”
