New Hope, Old Grudges Read Online Anne Malcom

Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary Tags Authors: Anne Malcom Advertisement

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“Did he now?” I asked, taking a sip of my own coffee.

Hannah nodded. Despite her consistent lack of sleep, it didn’t show on her porcelain skin which was as clear as ever. She had delicate features and a petite frame that fooled plenty of people into thinking she was weak. She was anything but. As the asshole ex of hers who’d tried to lay a hand on her found out.

“He did. I took his statement, of course.”

“Of course,” I hummed. We ran a clean department, and even if I was well liked by my deputies, I would never expect them to look the other way if I ever broke the law. They knew that.

Hannah looked like she was hiding a smile. “And then I went down to Kelly’s to get witness accounts, and wouldn’t you know… I couldn’t find a single person willing to corroborate his story.”

I swallowed a smile of my own. I didn’t expect people to do anything like that, but I wasn’t all that surprised either. We were a close-knit town, looked after each other, and I tried my best to do right by everyone living here. Sam did not. He was not well liked.

“So you and Willow Watson, huh?” Her smile tilted, teasing in her tone. A fond kind of teasing, though.

I wasn’t one to talk about my personal life, namely because I didn’t have a personal life beyond one-night stands I had exclusively with the winter tourists because I didn’t shit where I ate, and all the single women around here were looking for something serious.

I was not.

I was content being the sheriff, with my cabin, my dog, and having a good fuck with a woman who knew the score.

Then Willow happened. And I knew I wouldn’t be content until she was mine.

I debated over shutting Hannah down. She wouldn’t be offended. She’d respect my need for distance and privacy. She didn’t take shit personally.

“Yeah, me and Willow Watson.” I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my jaw.

“I did not see that happening,” she replied.

I frowned at her. “What makes you say that?”

“Well, I was two years below you in school, but I remember you, I remember her. You and Sam were rough on her. Well, you not as much. It was more Sam and the rest of the asshole football team. But you definitely weren’t her white knight, coming to her rescue.”

My jaw clenched, hearing her lay it out. I didn’t like that someone I respected, someone I wanted to respect me, knew what a piece of shit I’d been.

“Fuck,” I muttered.

Hannah put her hand on my shoulder. “You’re not the same person you were then. None of us are. She’s obviously forgiven you. By the looks of that tortured expression, you’ve got to forgive yourself.”

I snorted. “You talking in fortune cookies now, Fields?”

She laughed. “Nah, I’m just sentimental now that I’ve got a kid. Or maybe I’ve completely lost my mind since she’s decided screaming at three in the morning is her new favorite sport.”

I winced. “You need the rest of the day off?”

“Fuck no,” she rubbed her eyes. “This is the only peace I get. Don’t get me wrong. I love her more than life, but I’m not exactly the stay-at-home mom, baking cookies type of woman.”

I smiled at that. Despite her small stature, delicate and feminine features, Hannah was not that. Her golden hair was always slicked back in a severe bun, she never wore a lick of makeup—though she didn’t need it; she was pretty naturally, though I’d never look at her that way because I was her boss, and I thought of her as a kid despite our slim age difference. She worked out daily, and all of her small muscles were defined, powerful.

“Better get back to this statement.” She held up the thin file. “I’m thinking that Sam had too much to drink, slipped and fell, then had an unfortunate memory lapse as to how the incident occurred.”

I chuckled. “You don’t want my statement?”

Again, I wasn’t a dirty cop. If my deputy asked me what happened, I’d tell her straight, on the record, come what may.

“Nope,” her espresso eyes twinkled, popping the P with a wink.

As much as I wasn’t a dirty cop, I was happy that I didn’t have to deal with the paperwork.

She turned to leave but paused before looking back. “Happy for you, boss. You deserve it.”

I pursed my lips, leaning back in my chair.

There were a lot of things I was sure about in this world, top of the list being I didn’t deserve Willow Watson.

But I’d have her anyway.

WILLOW

ONE WEEK LATER

Something had come over me. Beyond getting back into my father’s forge, making jewelry again and not totally hating living in New Hope.

I would go so far as to say I was liking it. Especially as Christmas got closer, and I became wrapped up in traditions I’d made myself forget.

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