Willie shot him a look, and cuffed him on the side of the head.
“That is not how we raised you, Lochland Connall Armstrong.”
He groaned and rolled his eyes. “Grandmother, please.”
Ginger sighed. “Why can you get away with that and I can’t?”
“Well, dear, as family I do have certain privileges. But he’s the Alpha of our pack, so while I may chastise my grandson, I do it discreetly. And not in public.”
“Point taken,” Ginger nodded, and followed him out to his patrol car.
“That was delightful,” she said as they climbed in the car. “Can we go there every day for a nice long lunch?”
“No, we can not.” He glowered. “Are you giving me a hard time? Aren’t you supposed to be trying to please me so I give a good report to your Alpha?”
“You know, you’ve got all these women in town simpering over you and kissing your butt. I think I’m going to take a different approach.” She buckled her seatbelt. “Can we go check on Cletus before we go to your office?”
“Sure thing. And don’t think you’re escaping punishment for your sassy behavior back there, young lady.”
“Oh really? What did you have in mind?”
“Let’s just say you’re lucky you’re not a member of my pack, because I’d likely put you over my knee.”
A sudden image of her over the sheriff’s knee flashed through her mind, and a wave of heat rolled over. She stifled a whimper.
In her mind’s eye she was naked, and squirming, and he was firmly restraining her with one hand and bringing his other hand down on her bare buttocks.
She pressed her lips together tightly and tried to think un-sexy thoughts as they drove. Ashmont’s image flashed through her mind. How they always had sex with the lights off. How he only liked it missionary style.
“Here we are,” the sheriff said, pulling up in front of the community center, which was smack in the middle of the Main Street shopping district. They were on a big lot of land, set back from the sidewalk that led to all the little shops up and down the street. Like the sheriff’s office, it had a big sign with the Blue Moon junction logo of a wolf howling at the moon.
They both climbed out of the car. “Can you follow my lead?” Ginger asked. “Just agree with whatever I say.”
Cletus was in the garden, running his hoe through the dirt. He wore a handkerchief on his head.
“Hey, Cletus, glad to see you made it,” the sheriff said. He glanced at the garden. “You made some good progress here. If this keeps up, I might be able to recommend you to the town’s public works department for a full time job.”
“Really?” Cletus looked startled.
“Swear to God. I’m impressed.”
“By the way, Cletus, I thought maybe you could help me out with something. I’m trying to learn to cook, and I made these brownies this morning, but nobody will try them for me.”
She pulled the Tupperware container full of brownies out of her purse and held them out to him, making a sad face. “Everyone says that city girls can’t cook. Even the sheriff wouldn’t try one.”
Sheriff Armstrong sighed, but nodded. “Yep. That’s true. I don’t believe city girls can cook.”
Cletus took the container of brownies, bit into one, and his face lit up. “City girls sure can cook! Wow. I got to find me a city girl.”
“See? I told you!” Ginger flashed an ingratiating smile at the sheriff.
“Okay, I believe you. In fact I think I’ll try one.” He reached for the Tupperware container.
“You had your chance!” Cletus walked off quickly, shoveling two brownies into his mouth at the same time.
“Nice one,” the sheriff said in a low voice. “You have a way with people, Miss Ginger. You really do.”
“Sometimes.”
“Yep, sometimes. When you put your mind to it.” Was it her imagination, or did he look a little hurt when she said that? Like he wished she’d put her mind to it for him?
His cell phone rang, and he glanced at the number and scowled. He grabbed the phone and answered it. “I’ll be right back,” he said to Ginger, and turned and walked to the edge of the yard.
Ginger walked over to Cletus. “So, is everything else going all right?”
“Sure is. I’m saving the other brownies for my brother and sisters.” He smiled shyly. “You sticking around town, then?”
“Ahhh…” Ginger felt a sudden flash of guilt. She had a feeling that Cletus and his family really needed a friend. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Really?” His face lit up. “That would be nice. Not too many people around here will talk to me.”
Crud. She’d gotten his hopes up. Why had she lied? She couldn’t stay here. She had a job waiting for her back home – maybe. She had an overpriced apartment with a view of another apartment building’s air conditioning unit. She had an aversion to walking in fields full of cow patties.
“You know, when I put those coins back in the fountain…I made a wish,” Cletus said, staring down at the ground.