Taming a Texas Devil - Katie Lane Page 0,16

or get a different job?” If anyone needed a different job, it was Deputy Meriwether. “What will she do then? Go back to stealing?” He expected her to argue with him. She had certainly argued when he’d caught her having a spa day. But this time she didn’t.

She glanced at Cheyenne and shrugged. “He’s right. You need to overcome your fear, honey. My mama always says that the only thing to fear is lack of courage. Tomorrow, we are going to walk into that pharmacy together with our heads held high and you’re going to apologize to that sourpuss owner, and then you’re going to buy the biggest box of tampons they have.”

“But . . . Joey Mac works there,” Cheyenne said. “He’s the hottest guy in high school. I know I’m only a stupid seventh grader and he probably doesn’t even know I exist, but I’d die if he knew what I’d stolen.”

Having been a boy, Lincoln decided to step back in. “Believe me, when you walk into that store tomorrow, all Joey Mac is going to see is a strong young woman owning up to her mistakes.” He glanced down at the floor. “Now why don’t you get these things collected so Deputy Meriwether can drive you home.”

“Yes, sir,” Cheyenne said as she knelt to put all the tampons back in the box.

Figuring the deputy could handle things from there, Lincoln grabbed his hat from the hook and headed out of the office. But before he reached the outside door, Deputy Meriwether stopped him.

“Officer Hayes.”

He turned to see her standing there smiling the soft smile that made him feel extremely uncomfortable.

“You didn’t want her arrested, did you? You just wanted to get her out of the pharmacy so she wouldn’t be embarrassed in front of all those people.” She studied him, her green eyes twinkling with something that looked a lot like admiration. “So maybe you aren’t such a big badass.”

“I’m still a badass. If anyone needs to remember that, you do, Deputy Meriwether.”

“Dixie.”

He ignored her olive branch. “You’ll have to tell Cheyenne’s father. Nothing remains a secret in a town this small.” Like Sam Sweeney’s disappearance. Which was why he wasn’t going to start calling Deputy Meriwether by her first name. First names were reserved for friends and family. Deputy Meriwether was neither. She was just a burr in his butt that he needed to get rid of.

And the sooner the better.

“Goodbye, Deputy Meriwether.” He hoped the goodbye would be their last.

Unfortunately, on the way to the mayor’s office, he got a call from his immediate superior Major Macky. He quickly answered the call.

“Hello, sir.”

“Hey, Lincoln. How’s the vacation going?”

“It’s going well, sir. But if you have a job for me, I can cut it short.”

There was a long pause. “Actually, I do have a job for you. But it doesn’t mean you have to cut your vacation short. In fact, it might add another week or so to your stay in Simple. And I don’t think this job will be that difficult so you should still be able to enjoy your time in the country.”

“What’s the job, sir?”

“I got a call from Senator Meriwether. I guess his daughter has decided to become a sheriff’s deputy and he’s worried about her. He says you’re helping her with some missing persons case and asked if you could keep a close eye on his baby girl. I told him that wouldn’t be a problem.”

Well, hell.

Chapter Five

“You’re really pretty.”

Dixie glanced over at Cheyenne. The young girl looked a lot more comfortable in the front seat of the sheriff’s SUV than she had in the back seat. Of course, that could have to do with Queenie sitting on her lap. Animals soothed people. Especially kids. “Thank you, sugar. So are you.”

Cheyenne shook her head as she stroked the cat’s head. “No I’m not. I have ugly hair and an ugly body and ugly . . . everything.”

Dixie smiled. “I can remember feeling the same way when I was around your age. Every time I looked in the mirror, I found something else wrong with me. I think it has to do with all those puberty hormones racing around inside you.”

“And my mama’s bad genes.”

“Who said they were bad? Why, I would kill for those long eyelashes of yours and your full lips. Half my makeup time is spent applying mascara and lip plumper.”

“I don’t wear makeup.”

“My daddy didn’t want me wearing it either when I was your age. Of course, I