I looked up. "Holy crap," I said. "Jed?"
A big grin spread across his face. "I'd heard you were coming back to town. I was wondering when I'd run into you."
"I haven't been here that long at all," I said. "Just moved in. But look at you - are you a sheriff now?"
"I am," he said. "Got me a badge and everything." He grinned again, the same goofy smile he'd always had. "You look good, June."
My cheeks felt warm under his gaze. Jed had definitely aged well, which was no surprise. He had always been good looking, in that All-American California surfer kind of way. In high school, he'd really had the whole grunge thing down pat, going for a Kurt Cobain look.
"Look at you, though," I said. "No long hair and flannel shirts anymore? You're all proper."
"Yeah, they kind of frown on long hair in the uniform, you know. It's too bad. I think I could rock the hair I used to have." He winked.
I laughed. "I don't even want to think about some of the hairstyles I went through back in junior high and high school."
"I don't know," he said. "You always looked good to me."
Is he flirting with me?
He'd always been a bit of a flirt, even when we were back in high school. And I know he had a crush on me back then, but I was with Cade and Jed was a year younger than me, which in high school years was everything.
But there was no denying he was looking good now - trim, fit, the sleeves of his uniform stretched around the muscles in his arms. And with a buzz cut instead of his shaggy long hair, he had a military look.
That was exactly what I didn't need. I didn't need another hot guy from my past. And I certainly didn't need one who looked like a military officer, not when I was trying to get away from reminders of the military.
Jed cleared his throat. "So, you bought Mrs. Crawford's old place, huh?"
"Yeah, I'm going to try to run a little bed and breakfast."
"That'll be nice." He moved forward as a customer tried to squeeze past in the aisle, and suddenly we were standing closer together.
"Yeah," I said. I was acutely aware of the distance between us, or the lack of distance anyway.
"You should have coffee with me," he said. The way he said it wasn't a suggestion. Was I being ordered to coffee? I had the immediate impulse to say no. Of course, here was a hot guy from the past asking me to coffee - a nice, normal guy. The exact opposite of Cade.
I should say yes.
"Okay," I said.
He smiled. "Tomorrow."
I nodded.
"Where are the toys?" The pitter patter of little footsteps broke my focus on Jed, and I looked up to see Cade's friends, the ones I'd met the other day at Stan's place, standing a few feet away. I stepped back from Jed, suddenly feeling guilty, like I'd been caught doing something I shouldn't be doing.
I mentally chastised myself for feeling that way. There was no reason to feel like that. It's not like I was dating Cade.
"Are you a cop?" MacKenzie asked. "My dad says cops are pigs. Are you a pig?"
"Come here, Mac," Crunch said, scooping her up in his arms. "She's just turned four." He laughed. "Kids say such crazy things, right?"
"No, daddy," MacKenzie protested, as Crunch started to walk away with her. "You said. And pigs make oink sounds. Will he make a sound for us?"
I heard Crunch "shush" MacKenzie.
"Sorry about that," April said. "I don't know where she gets that stuff sometimes."
"That's quite alright," Jed said. "It's not the first time, and I'm sure it won't be the last. I'm Sheriff Easton." He held out his hand and April took it.
"April," she said.
"And you two know each other?" Jed asked.
"Yes," I said. My heart was racing, but I'm not sure whether I was more nervous that I'd been caught by April and Crunch, standing there with Jed, or that I wasn't sure how to explain them to Jed. Cade hadn't given me an explanation, but I knew their presence here wasn't something Jed needed to be aware of. Before April could answer, I said, "April and the family are relatives of Mr. Austin, cousins or something, I think."
April nodded. "We're here visiting for a few days."
"Well, nice to meet you. I'll leave you to what you're doing." He turned to me. "Coffee. Tomorrow. Nina's."
"Yes." I watched him leave, before I turned to April. It felt like my cheeks were on fire. Why did I feel so guilty, being caught making a date with Jed? Or whatever it was. It was just coffee, nothing more.
"Hi, April," I said, willing my cheeks to cool.
"Hey, June," she said. "Shopping?"
"Yeah, had to get - what the hell was I getting? Cheese." I laughed. "I was just getting out of the house, actually."
April's eyes widened. "Me too. It's beautiful here, don't get me wrong. But I was feeling a little cooped up. I was glad when Stan sent us into town to pick up a few things for dinner. Oh, why don't you come by? I'm sure he would want you to."
Did I want to go to dinner at Cade's house? That was definitely a no.