LITMIR.BIZ

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      The microwave buzzer went off, pulling him back to reality. He realized he’d been standing there in the dark looking into other people’s lives.

      Hell, he was one pathetic guy who didn’t have a life. He turned away and took the casserole out of the microwave. Once the word of his move had circulated through the Hidden Springs family, the contributions poured in, starting with sheets and towels. Mysteriously, his refrigerator had been stocked with food staples; butter, eggs, bacon and milk. Brooke had added a chicken casserole, and she’d also taken some to Shelby and Ryan at the cottage.

      Cullen walked over and flipped on the overhead light, then reached in the drawer and found a fork, then poured a glass of milk and sat down at the large table.

      He wasn’t sure if he was ready to make a home here in this small town, not beyond the next few months of his interim job anyway. He wasn’t the down-home type of guy.

      Ever since he’d been a little boy, he wanted to be a cop like his dad. He’d idolized Neal Brannigan, the highly decorated, by-the-book cop.

      And it had been Cullen’s goal to follow after him.

      Since the day he’d entered the police academy, he’d been dedicated to his job, a job that he had learned would cost him relationships and friends.

      He’d worked his way up the ranks from patrol officer and earned detective, then went into a special department for white-collar crimes. He found he liked it, and best of all, he was good at going after cybercriminals. Then he messed with the wrong people, and he got too close to breaking up an illegal credit card ring.

      The next thing he knew he’d been arrested for taking bribes. They found large deposits in his bank account, all the evidence he’d compiled on the ring had disappeared and Internal Affairs came in to investigate. He’d been humiliated, but the worst part, he didn’t get any support from his own father. Captain Neal Brannigan said he had to stay neutral. Cullen knew his father had always been a hard-ass, but he never thought the man would desert his own son.

      It had taken nearly a year, and a chunk of his savings, before he was cleared of all the charges, and reinstated in the department. The question was, did he want to go back? How could he trust his fellow officers, if they didn’t have his back? Maybe that was the reason he didn’t trust many people.

      Cullen took a last bite of food, then carried his plate to the sink, his thoughts still on his new neighbor. Even though he found nothing about Shelby Townsend, he also searched the national database for information on her sister, Georgia Hughes. Only a month ago Mrs. Hughes was murdered in her home.

      He glanced at the cottage again. It seemed that Miss Townsend had withheld a lot of information the other night. Not that she’d been involved in any criminal activities, but the cop in him sure was curious.

      There was a soft knock on the back door and he wondered if it could be Trent. He walked through the kitchen and flipped on the light in the mudroom to find Shelby and Ryan standing on the stoop.

      He opened the door, but before he could speak, Shelby spoke, “Good evening, Sheriff.”

      “Hello, Shelby. Ryan.”

      “I don’t want to bother you. I only wanted to drop these off to say thank you for all your help.”

      “Not a problem.” He took the covered plate. “What is this?”

      “Cookies,” Ryan announced.

      Cullen couldn’t help but smile. “Please come inside for a moment.”

      Shelby shook her head. “We really can’t. I should get Ryan to bed.”

      He found he didn’t want her to leave. “At least come in and tell me how work went today.” He was hoping to get more information about her sister. And he had four long hours of solitude before he left for his shift on patrol. “Or are you afraid I won’t like your cookies?”

      She straightened. “Please, Sheriff. If there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s my baking skills.”

      So he hit a sore spot. “Just for some coffee, and some milk for Ryan and share a cookie.”

      “Okay, but not too long. I have the early shift tomorrow.”

      “And I have the late shift tonight.” He allowed them in ahead of him. He inhaled her soft womanly scent. Whoa, she was intoxicating.

      In the kitchen, he watched as Shelby looked around.

      “The place is pretty big, isn’t it?” he said.

      “Yes, it is. I didn’t get a chance to see everything when we arrived. I love all the character.” She ran her hand over the tiled counters. The cabinets had been painted white, and the floors were the same hardwood that ran throughout the house. She went to the older stove.

      “Lucky you. This is an O’Keefe & Merritt stove.” She ran her hand reverently over the chrome handles and white porcelain top. “I know the newer models are more efficient, but I love this. Reminds me of the one at my grandmother Ivy’s house.”

      Good opening for some info. “Does she still live there...in Kentucky?”

      She shook her head. “There isn’t anyone else left, just Ryan and me.”

      He caught the sadness in her eyes. “I’m sorry. Please, have a seat,” he said, but Ryan had wandered through the dining room to the living area. He stood staring at the big screen over the fireplace. The only thing Cullen had gotten done since yesterday had been to mount his television.

      “Hey, Ryan, would you like to watch a movie?”

      The boy looked at his aunt and said, “Thomas the Tank Engine, please.”

      “You just said the magic words. We don’t have a television right now.” She looked at her nephew. “Maybe next time, sweetie. We can’t stay long tonight, remember?” The child didn’t argue. He just climbed up on the chair at the table.

      Cullen walked to the coffeemaker, took down two mugs from above and poured them both a cup. “Cream or sugar?” he asked. “Whoa, I’m not sure if I have any sugar. I do have milk, though.”

      “Black is fine,” she said.

      “How did your first day at the café go?”

      She smiled. “Good. Bill and Bess are sweethearts to work for. Bess even let Ryan stay at the restaurant. She made a place in a corner of the kitchen away from the work areas. A little table where he could color and play on his tablet.” She shrugged. “It’s temporary. I’m looking into some day care, but this week he can stay with me.”

      “That’s great.” Cullen brought the full mugs to the table as she removed the foil from the plate of cookies. Oatmeal. He got a glass and filled it half-full with milk for Ryan and set it down in front of him. He took the chair across from the pair.

      Shelby felt nervous being here with Cullen. She was attracted to this man, and that wasn’t something she needed to be thinking about, or giving him any ideas about being available. There was no time, or room, in her life for a man. Too bad.

      She took a sip of the rich brew with a touch of almond favor. “This is good. The only problem might be I’m up all night.”

      Cullen nodded. “And I need it to stay awake for my shift.”

      “Why is the sheriff working the night shift? Aren’t you the boss?”

      “The interim sheriff, and I’m the new guy here. I’m trying to get to know the area.” He took a drink of his coffee. “I should be used to pulling an all-nighter, but my body tells me differently.”

      She couldn’t help but watch the man. Just his good looks drew her, but it was more. He had a way of making her aware of herself as a woman, maybe too aware. Working in a male-dominated field, she had to become one of the guys to survive in her profession.

      His gaze met hers.

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