like that?” So would Gemma …
“She’s been hounding me lately to settle down again.”
Again? “You were married before?”
The tension reappeared beyond the iron wall that shielded his eyes. “What do you want to do for dinner?”
Wow. That was definitely another touchy subject. He didn’t like talking about his family or his past relationships. Except for Anna. How odd.
Sensing she’d get no more information out of him, she remembered she was supposed to meet Lacy. “Oh.” She checked the time. “I almost forgot. I have to stop by Cold Plains Coffee to pick up Lacy.”
“You have plans tonight?” The annoyance in his tone was unmistakable.
What didn’t he like? The fact that she had to go out and he’d have to go with her or that it was Lacy she was going to see? “We’re going to a seminar.”
“You just went to a seminar.”
Clearly, he didn’t approve of them. “When I called to tell her I couldn’t stop by today, she asked if I’d go with her tonight.”
After a lengthy pause, he said, “Be careful who you befriend at those.”
His warning made her search his eyes to see if he was serious. He was. “Do you mean Lacy?” She laughed a little. Lacy was the friendliest person she’d ever met.
“Haven’t you noticed anything odd about the community center?” He turned to face her full-on.
“No. It’s modern and beautiful and it serves a wonderful purpose.”
“Yeah, yeah. Samuel is a godsend. What would Cold Plains do without him?”
“Why don’t you like Samuel?”
“I don’t like what he’s doing to this town.” He sounded disgusted.
She angled her head in question. Why did he think there was something wrong about Cold Plains? “Who wouldn’t want to live here?” This was paradise compared to where she’d come from.
He leaned against a post supporting her covered patio. “It wasn’t always this way.”
“What way? Perfect? Idyllic? Safe?” At least it had been up until Jed showed up.
“This town was full of crime and cowboys before investors came and turned it into a tourist attraction.”
He didn’t like that? “What’s wrong with improving things?” Gemma asked.
“Nothing.”
She was pretty sure he thought there was something wrong with it. Why was he a cop here if he hated it so much? “You’d rather have it full of crime?”
“No.”
“Then …?”
He stared at her for a long time. “You’re new here.”
What was that supposed to mean? Old-timers knew something she didn’t? She found that so hard to comprehend. Cold Plains was a haven for her.
Straightening from the post, he walked with slow, sure strides to the patio door. “I’ll drive you and Lacy to the community center.”
Following him into her house, she wondered if the reason he didn’t like talking about his family situation had anything to do with his opinion of Cold Plains. She sensed a strong connection between the two. Was he here to right a wrong? Or did he have some kind of vendetta against certain people? Against Samuel Grayson?
Or Bo Fargo? She’d seen the way he’d looked at the man and it hadn’t been friendly. Ford didn’t respect the police chief. But why? He wouldn’t tell her if she asked. He’d already cut the conversation off.
He led her out the front door and she locked it behind her, watching him scan the neighborhood with trained eyes. She wished he didn’t attract her so much. His mysteries kept mounting. And now he’d warned her to be careful who she befriended. Was he one of those she should steer clear of? Instinct told her no. Her heart was drawn to him for some reason. Then again, her heart had been drawn to Jed, too.
She’d be careful all right. She’d be careful not to get too starry-eyed over Ford, police officer or not.
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