Jeff Summerside came up. He was one of Rafe’s newest hires, just three years on the force and rising through the ranks quickly, already chief of police. He kissed Janie’s hand, the one that didn’t hurt. It only took the tiniest narrowing of Rafe’s eyes to send Summerside to another table.
“Of course we knew Brittney had worked at Yano’s, but what we weren’t aware of until just two minutes ago, was that the preacher’s son had a thing for Brittney and he says she returned it.”
Janie took a good long look at Samuel. “He told you that, just now? That makes sense. Amanda said that Derek and Brittney weren’t a couple. I think we—or I, at least—kept lumping them together because he wrote about her.”
Before Rafe could comment, another officer stopped by to say hello. Rafe tried to smile, but he almost felt like he was at a Dean Martin roast, and that at any moment someone would get behind the mic and admit that the whole force had gotten together and determined that neither fine dining nor uninterrupted conversation was on the agenda for Rafe tonight.
Rafe carried on what he hoped was an intelligent conversation with the officer from Gesippi while he kept one eye on Janie, who was chatting up a guard from the jail division in Florence, Arizona. This particular man could down a polar bear with one arm but usually lost his tongue when faced with a female. Janie had him blushing but made him comfortable enough around her to remain coherent.
Hmm.
Rafe could stand on his chair and shout to the room that they weren’t a couple, but people believed what they wanted to believe. And for some reason, just about every soul on the Scorpion Ridge police force wanted Rafe and Janie to be a couple.
Before Rafe had a chance to whisper to Janie the rest of what he’d heard or even finish his first piece of garlic bread, the conversation at the table turned to a debate over the use of the M26 Advanced Taser.
Mitzy rolled her eyes and pretended to shoot her husband. He put a hand over his heart, winked and continued talking. Janie said that she wanted an M26 Advanced Taser to help keep her safe, and Rafe felt a lump in his throat that he couldn’t blame on the garlic bread. But just then Mitzy’s husband threw down his napkin and headed for the stage.
One thing for sure, tonight wasn’t going as planned. It would sure help if Janie Vincent was boring. Then maybe when his crew accused him of having more than a professional interest, he could at least pretend they were wrong.
Not that she was making it easy. In the last twenty minutes alone she’d managed to touch his hot buttons.
Rafe was territorial, and he was starting to consider Janie his territory, not just his responsibility. In his profession, he rubbed elbows with plenty of charming, attractive women. None came close to making him feel the way Janie made him feel.
He shouldn’t have invited her tonight. She would have been safer with her sister and brother-in-law.
He motioned for Chief Jeff Summerside and said, “I’ve got some things to do tonight. I’d like you to see Janie home and stick around until you’re sure she’s secure.”
Jeff seemed a bit confused but immediately said, “Yes, sir.”
Someone on stage called his name, and suddenly Rafe had two plaques in his hand: one an outstanding achievement award and the other a President’s award. He tried to act nonchalant, but winning an award felt different when somebody in the audience was clapping not for the sheriff, but for Rafe Salazar, the man.
* * *