the dream girl is.”
“Seressia.”
She sighed and then visibly braced herself. “It’s Mrs. Queen.”
I closed my eyes, counted to five because I sure as hell wasn’t going to make it to ten, and let out a breath. “Why don’t you just send her back? I’m sure she didn’t give you a reason for being here.”
She gave me a pointed look. “Okay, we’ll be here to call you out on business in ten minutes.”
I snorted. “You know what, I’ll take you up on that offer.”
“It’s what we’re here for.”
Seressia left, and a few moments later, I heard the click of heels against the hardwood of the older home we’d converted into my office.
Susan Queen was gorgeous. Vivid red hair and curls that framed her face. Her green eyes were piercing, and you never forgot them. She had a pointed chin and a semi-pointed nose. Her face was dusted with freckles, and she looked like a fey queen. She had sinful curves, something she called them herself, and looked as if she could take on the world.
And she did.
She had taken me on, after all—and then spat me out after she chewed on me a bit.
“Hello, Jacob. It’s good to see you,” she said softly as she made her way inside. She leaned forward, grabbed my shoulders, and air-kissed my cheek before leaning back to study my face.
“You look tired. How is Kelley?”
“Mother’s doing just fine. Father, too. And I’m probably tired because it’s the middle of a workday and I haven’t had coffee since nine.”
“Why don’t we take care of that? I’ll take you out for a cup. There has to be a little café around here. One owned by a little barista with a cute smile. Maybe one that serves the best cinnamon rolls in the state.”
“How many Hallmark movies have you been watching lately?” I asked wryly.
“Enough. They’re on Lifetime now, too. Though those are a little spicier.”
“I don’t have time for coffee, Susan.”
She looked past me to the papers on my desk and frowned. “I’d hoped that you coming up here to this little town of yours would help you not work so much. I can see that isn’t the case.”
I resisted the urge to shove her out of my office because that wouldn’t be nice. And I didn’t hate Susan. I just didn’t like her anymore. “Susan, first off, Fort Collins is not a little town. It’s a city. A decent-sized one.”
“It’s not Denver.”
“No, it’s not. But it’s my hometown and the place I’m living for the time being. Maybe forever,” I added when her eyes brightened at the phrase time being.
“Well, let me take you out for that coffee.”
“I’m busy, Susan. Why did you drive up here? It’s over an hour out of your way.”
She waved her hand. “I have business in Cheyenne tomorrow. A potential story. I decided to visit here first. See what you were up to.”
“And you’re staying the night in Cheyenne?” I asked.
“Bob has a hotel for us.”
“You and Bob still seeing each other, then?” I asked, not sure why I even brought it up.
She gave me a look that spoke volumes. “No, but we still work together. There are two rooms in that hotel, thank you very much. However, I’m sure I could arrange to stay here for the night if you were accommodating.”
I gritted my teeth. “No. There’s no room at the inn for you, Susan.”
“Pity.” She let out a breath and looked up at me with wide eyes. I used to love staring into those eyes, the jade green color so intoxicating.
Now, I only saw all the lies.
“I am sorry,” she whispered.
“You said it before.”
“Well, I am. And maybe one day you’ll believe me. I’m glad that you’re here, settling down. Finding peace. You’ve needed it.”
“Susan,” I warned.
She held up a hand and shook her head. “I know. Can’t touch the heart that is Jacob Queen. That was always the problem.”
“We both know that wasn’t the only problem.”
“Perhaps. However, I am glad you’re here. But I miss you.”
I shook my head as warning bells sounded in my brain. “Okay, go get in the car and drive up with Bob to Cheyenne. You probably left him out there, didn’t you?”
“He has an audiobook. And the man is monotonous. Not Bob,” she said as my lips quirked. “The narrator. He has no inflection, but Bob’s happy with it, so I’m dealing with it. However, I wanted to see you.”
“You came, you saw, now it’s time for you to go.”
She looked at me