Page 11 of Caught With the Sheriff

Laughing, I push back from the table. “I usually do.”

“Why don’t we watch something while Claudia goes to clean her room.”

“Hey,” she groans. “How did I get sold out here?”

“You’re not. But you didn’t clean up after you built your masterpiece last night. Your dad isn’t going to be happy. You know how he loves everything in its place.”

I can picture that. Jasper Lockhart seems like a guy that’s a little stiff and sober.

Nothing like his mother with her wide smile and sparkling eyes.

“Have you checked out the new bachelor show?”

“No.”

“Oh, you’re missing out. There are some men on there that seriously need to be a hero in a romance book. You just need some inspiration.”

Laughing, I cross my arms and follow her to the living room. “If you say so.”

“I do. I could use a little inspiration as well. Even old ladies like to see a little eight-pack abs every once in awhile. Maybe those little v’s that drive all you young girls crazy.”

“And you older ladies don’t like those?” I laugh, sinking down on the cushions of the couch as she grabs the remote and turns the tv on.

She smirks. “I don’t think I ever said that.”

The show comes on and as soon as the bouncy music tapers off and the first guy pops up on the screen, shirtless of course, I let myself sink into the trials and tribulations of sexy singles trying to find the one.

It doesn’t take much for me to lose myself in the stories and the drama.

The girl is not nice. Not heroine material. But the guys? There are a few that might have enough character to make a good hero.

Maggie leans into me and we laugh as one of the guys makes a plan for a date that absolutely won’t work with this girl.

They grab the bicycles and hop on. Or at least the guy does.

The girl is wearing heels and immediately falls off of the bike. He hops off to help her but she pushes his hands away.

I have a feeling he’s gonna be heading home real soon.

Three episodes later and the door opens as Maggie and I laugh our asses off at the guys dancing on the screen.

It’s a challenge to see which guy can get her attention in a glorious strip tease.

They’re doing pretty good but I’ve seen two of them fall over their feet and off the makeshift stage.

“What the hell are you two watching? And where’s Claudia?”

“She’s taking a nap. She got her room all cleaned up and then decided to go outside and run around the yard with Fred.”

“Fred doesn’t run. He’s a stuffed dragon.”

“He absolutely does run, Daddy. He’s super-fast. How do you think that he always catches the prince before he can run off with the princess?”

“I thought you were sleeping, Claudia?”

“I was. But then I heard you get home. I wanted to see you. You’ve been gone all day long.”

“Only half the day is gone, kiddo. But I need to take Willow home. I’m sure she’s got stuff she needs to do.”