Page 14 of Blue Norther
Violet’s eyes went wide, her lips opened like she was about to tell me off and run right out of the station. But then her eyes dropped down to the envelope again, and she squared her shoulders, taking a step towards me.Interesting.Whatever wasin there was bad enough that she’d set aside everything between us.
And honestly, that terrified me.
“You two know each other?” I asked as she got closer.
“What?” she hissed.
“You and Deputy Jones. He called you ‘apple-anche’. What the hell does that mean?”
“Oh.” She smiled. “I caused a bit of a scene at the Shop and Save the other night. He helped me with my groceries. The day…the day I got into town.”
Fuck. I hated that. I should have known she’d need to get things once she got settled. Why hadn’t I offered to take her? Oh, yeah. I was too busy thinking I was having a heart attack…
“What’s going on?” I asked as my hand slipped to the small of her back. Violet stopped walking, pulling away from my touch.
“I’m just here to speak to a deputy. My dad…Well, he thought it might be a good idea. But it seems like you all are busy, so I’ll just set up an appointment and come back at a better time.”
“Nope. Not so fast. My office. Let’s go.”
Violet’s bottom lip was immediately assaulted by her teeth, but that frustrated pout had lost its power on me years ago. I just chuckled as I turned, leading her back to Hank’s office. Her eyes went wide as she read the plaque on the wall just outside the door.
“I drove to Bell Ridge because I thought you still worked out of the Silver Springs satellite office. You’re the sheriff now?”
“No. Hell no. I’m just filling in. Come on and sit. You want to take off your jacket?”
“Um. Maybe? It’s warmer in here than I was thinking it was going to be.”
“I imagine carrying the baby makes you warm, too.”
Her eyes dropped to her hands, then looked back at me. “Colt…I…I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
I stopped, sinking into the chair before pointing from my wife to the chair in front of the desk. Really fucking wished there was a sofa or something more comfortable for her to sit on, but Violet just sighed and rolled her eyes as she sat down across from me. She slipped her arms out of her blazer, and I had to fight every damn desire in my body to look her over.
Instead, I cleared my throat and distracted myself with logging onto the ancient laptop I’d just been reading reports on.
“Why would I be uncomfortable?” I asked, raising my eyebrow. I knew what she was going to say. I’d been fucking avoiding her every chance I got. But part of me wanted to hear her say it. To admit that the circumstances of her return to Silver Springs, so far into a pregnancy and without the baby’s father anywhere to be seen, was suspicious.
“You just sort of ran away right after you saw me. And I wouldn’t expect you to stay. It’s just that…” Her eyes dropped to that damn envelope again. “I want to talk to you about all this, but not when anyone else is around. I need to explain. I didn’t think you’d betherewhen I pulled up the other day, and I got flustered. I should have said something then.”
I crossed my arms, pressing back into my chair. “So say it now.”
“I can’t. I shouldn’t have come down here. I thought you’d be out on patrol in town somewhere. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t even think about getting out of that chair.” My voice dropped low, the vibrations of a growl rumbling through my chest as my eyes snapped to her emerald green ones. Her hand came up to twist the gold bracelet she was wearing, one I didn’t recognize. I wanted to smack myself.Why would I?She’s been gone so long, away from me and from Texas, there was no doubt in my mind nearly everything about my wife would be unrecognizable to me now. “Tell me why you’re here, and we can go from there.”
“I wanted to know if the road my parents’ house is on is frequently patrolled.”
Ice filled my veins.
“Why, Violet?”
“Because I’m about to be a mom, and I’d like to know that the baby and I are in a safe place.”
Alarm bells blared in my mind as she looked at everything in the fucking office except for me.
“Look at me.”
Her eyes closed for half a second before she sighed, looking directly in my eyes. “Are you in danger?” I asked.
