Duty or Desire Read online

  Bella beamed. “That would be great and I hope you truly will come back. There’s nothing like starting the New Year off right.”

  Myra agreed. “Now I have a request to make of you.”

  “Sure, what is it?” Bella asked, a smile curving her lips from corner to corner.

  “I need to stay here in Denver through Christmas, and not leave until the day after. Miss Bonnie will be returning the week before Christmas and I’ll need to find somewhere to live for about week. Will you have any accommodations at your bed-and-breakfast inn?”

  “I will definitely hold a place for you, but you’re welcome to move in with me and Jason.”

  Myra shook her head. “I can’t possibly do that. A room at your inn would work for me. Just let me know how much it will be.”

  “Nothing. I don’t charge for when the family, friends or business associates of the Westmorelands come visiting.”

  “I have to pay you something.”

  Bella shook her head. “No, you don’t and we won’t discuss it any further. Besides, I doubt you’ll be needing a room. There’s no way Pete will let you leave here without a place to stay. That’s just not Pete.”

  Myra decided not to disillusion her, but it could very well be Pete. To him she was just a paid employee whose time ended when Bonnie returned. He had no reason to care where she would be living after that. Deciding to change the subject, she asked about the twins.

  “The girls are fine and of course they are excited with our news.”

  Myra lifted a brow. “What news?”

  An enthusiastic look shone on Bella’s face. “Jason and I are expecting another baby, or babies. Everyone thinks I’m nuts for even wanting twins again.”

  “Congratulations!” Myra said, leaning in to give Bella a hug. “I am so happy for you.”

  “Thanks. I’m surprised Pete didn’t mention it. We announced at the chow-down Friday night.”

  It was on the tip of her tongue to say that she and Pete didn’t have that kind of relationship. They barely talked. Other than asking her about Ciara’s day, he never said anything except casual comments about the weather.

  “Well, I am happy for you.”

  Bella smiled happily. “Thanks. Oh, I almost forgot. There’s another reason I stopped by. Pam’s acting school is hosting a Wild West festival. They are having a lot of games for the kids and even baby activities. It’s for all ages, including adults. Pam is even getting her sister, the one who’s a Hollywood actress, to fly in and participate. I think it would be great if you brought Ciara.”

  Myra knew that Dillon’s wife, Pam, used to be a movie star and now she owned an acting school in town. From what she’d heard, Pam also held several social events at her school that benefited the community. The Wild West festival was one of them. “Sounds like fun. When is it?”

  “Friday night. We’re canceling our regular chow-down, which means all the Westmorelands will be on hand to help. I’m sure Pete will be lending a hand, as well.”

  If he had planned to do so, he definitely hadn’t mentioned it to her. But he truly didn’t have to since she was not privy to his personal schedule.

  Bella glanced at her watch. “I hate to rush off but I have a couple more stops to make. Thanks for the tea.”

  “You’re welcome,” Myra said as she walked Bella to the door. “And thanks for your visit.”

  Five

  The moment Pete entered his home, Myra came into the room with Ciara walking beside her as she held her hand. When his niece saw him, she said, “Da-da,” before racing across the room as fast as her chubby little legs could carry her. He automatically bent to capture her in his arms. His little bundle of joy.

  Had it only been six months ago that Ciara had come into his life, changing it forever? Honestly, he could barely remember what he’d done before her. When he came in from work, he would go down to his man cave, but he still did that. Now he had company. He also had home-cooked meals and didn’t have to eat dinner alone at McKays, the popular restaurant in town.

  After hugging his niece and smelling the sweet apple scent of her hair, he looked over her head at Myra, who was watching them with a tender expression on her face. Why? He always greeted his niece each day with a hug. Usually Myra would appear from the kitchen carrying Ciara in her arms. On those days he would automatically take her from Myra, giving him the opportunity to smell the woman’s honeysuckle scent, as well.

  “Hello, Myra,” he said, standing to his feet with Ciara in his arms.

  “Pete. Are you ready for dinner?”

  “Yes. What did you prepare today?” Not that it mattered. After skipping lunch, he was hungry enough to eat a horse.

  “I made a meat loaf with green beans, squash, rice and yeast rolls.”

  Pete nodded. It all sounded good. Why was she still standing across the room? He figured since he was holding Ciara, she had no reason to come closer. He intended to remedy that right now. Crossing the room to her, he handed Ciara back, intentionally leaning in to get a whiff of that honeysuckle scent. “If you don’t mind holding her while I wash up?”

  “Of course, I don’t mind.”

  He moved away, then turned to her. “I prefer that you eat dinner with me and Ciara every day.”

  She lifted a brow. “Why?”

  “Because I want you to.” With that said, Pete moved toward his bedroom.

  * * *

  Because he wanted her to...

  Myra watched him leave, not sure what to say. What if she didn’t want to? She hadn’t thought dining with him every evening was a requirement.

  It didn’t matter that Bonnie had mentioned she would join him and Ciara for dinner and that it was time she used to bring him up-to-date about anything she felt he needed to know. Myra had been fine telling him everything when she handed Ciara over to him when he got home. They had established a routine. So why was he changing it?

  Looking down at Ciara, she said softly, “There are days when I don’t understand your uncle, sweetie. If he wanted me to join you guys for dinner, then why didn’t he say so that first night?”

  Not expecting Ciara to respond, she hugged her and headed for the kitchen. She had already set the table for one, so after placing Ciara in her high chair, she moved around the kitchen to put another place setting on the table. She could hear Ciara practicing some words she’d been teaching her. The little girl was a quick learner and the things she could comprehend always amazed Myra.

  Myra knew the moment Pete entered the kitchen. Glancing over at him she saw he’d taken a shower. The top of his head still glistened with water. Ciara, who’d been busy with blocks, began clapping and said, “Da-da back.”

  He went over to her, lightly pinched one of her cheeks and said, “Yes, Da-da is back.”

  Myra looked away; otherwise she knew she’d get emotional. Whether Pete knew it or not, what he’d just said was monumental. He was acknowledging that his brother was gone and wouldn’t be returning. However, Matt had left him with this special gift and allowing her to call him Da-da was something he could deal with. He would tell Ciara the truth as she got older.

  He sat down at the table and so did she, after putting a small plate of food in front of Ciara. Before Bonnie left, she’d told Myra that Ciara was ready to feed herself. Myra had continued to show her the proper way to use a spoon. Although the end result was somewhat messy, Ciara managed to put more in her mouth than on the floor.

  They were in the kitchen’s eating nook instead of the huge dining room. Bonnie had told her Pete preferred the smaller area since it was normally just him and Ciara and Bonnie. After placing their food on the table it occurred to Myra just how small the area was. Just how cozy.

  “Is anything wrong?” he asked, sitting down at the table.

  She looked at him. “No. There’s nothing wrong.” She quickly finished what
she was doing and sat down.

  Before Pete could reach for anything, she said, “Just a minute, Pete.” Then, glancing at Ciara, she said, “Grace, Ciara.”

  Ciara didn’t disappoint. She bowed her little head and said the recitation Myra had been teaching her to say all week. When she finished by saying the “Amen,” Ciara lifted her head, smiled and began clapping her hands.

  Myra heard Pete chuckle. “Well, I’ll be,” he said in amazement, glancing over at her. “When did you teach her that?”

  Myra was glad he was pleased. “This week. Today I decided to put it to the test. She did good, don’t you think?”

  He nodded. “Yes, my girl did excellent. Thank you for teaching her that.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  They began eating in silence and then after a short while he asked her, “How did your day go today, Myra?”

  She tried looking down at the food on her plate and not at his face. The last thing she needed was to get mesmerized by his eyes or turned on by his lips. Both had the ability to render her senseless when she dwelled on them for long.

  “My day went fine. The usual.” After she said that it occurred to her that he probably didn’t know what “the usual” was. So, she said, “We got up around eight, ate breakfast, did our classes and—”

  “What classes?”

  She glanced up and the moment their gazes connected, she felt her muscles tighten as desire warmed her to the core. It was desire, she recognized it, although she wasn’t used to the reaction. But she knew what it was. It was there whenever she looked at him. There whenever she lay in her bed at night and thought about him.

  At first the desire bothered her and she appreciated that when she woke up in the mornings, he was gone. Then she had all day to pull herself together by staying busy. Then when he walked through that door in the evenings and she looked at him, her torment would start all over. Heaven help her. What was there about Sheriff Peterson Higgins that got to her?

  “Myra?”

  She blinked upon realizing she’d been sitting there staring at him. He probably thought she was a nitwit. “Yes?”

  “What classes are you teaching Ciara?”

  She swallowed and broke eye contact with him to glance over at Ciara and smile. The little girl was doing better with the spoon today. “Her colors and shapes. And in addition to her saying grace, we learned another song this week, but we’re not ready to share that with you yet.”

  He seemed amused and the husky-sounding chuckle caused a frisson of fire to rush up her spine. Eating dinner with him wasn’t a good idea. Not when he was this close, sitting right there in front of her.

  “Okay,” he said, smiling broadly. “I’ll take your word for it.”

  His smile did it to her again and she nodded. She couldn’t help a smile touching her own lips. “Bella stopped by today.”

  “She did?”

  “Yes. She wanted to tell me about the Westmoreland Charity Ball. She’s chairperson this year.”

  “That’s what I heard, and I told Jason we better have something stronger to drink than tea,” he said, chuckling again.

  Myra grinned, not sure how to take this side of him. This was the longest conversation they’d ever held and he seemed to be in such a good mood. “Tea isn’t the only drink Southerners drink, you know.”

  “You could have fooled me,” he said, grinning as well, tilting his head to acknowledge her teacup and the tea in it.

  She laughed as she took a sip. Moments later she said, “Bella also told me that she and Jason are having another baby.”

  Another huge smile spread across Pete’s lips, making Myra’s heart skip a few beats. She still didn’t know how a man’s smile could affect her that way.

  “Yes, and I’m happy for them. I remember the first time I met Bella. I was a deputy and got called out to her grandfather’s ranch on official duty. Someone had thrown a huge rock through her living room window with a note telling her to leave town.”

  “Did you get the person who threw the rock into her house?”

  “Yes, we got them.”

  “Them?”

  “Yes, it was two.”

  She waited to see if he would fill her in on the rest and when he didn’t, she decided to change the subject. It was then that she told him about the Wild West festival. He seemed interested.

  “Not sure if I’ll be able to attend since I might be working that night, but you should take Ciara. It sounds like a lot of fun.”

  “I think I will.” Bonnie had mentioned that periodically Pete worked nights. Myra couldn’t imagine having him home during the day and being underfoot.

  She glanced up at him and caught him staring. “What? Is something wrong?”

  He shook his head. “No, nothing is wrong.” He broke eye contact with her and began eating again.

  Drawing in a deep breath, she then asked him the same question he’d asked her. “So, how was your day?”

  * * *

  Pete wasn’t sure Myra eating dinner with him and Ciara had been a good idea after all. He could barely eat with her sitting right there. But then, that was why he’d suggested she eat with him. He had wanted her close. He was tired of her conveniently being absent during mealtime when he would sit and wonder where she was and what she was doing.

  Although it was pure torture, he liked glancing up from his meal every so often to see her sitting there. She looked pretty today like always, and he hadn’t realized until now just how much he liked the sound of her voice. He also liked sitting here sharing a meal with her. Holding conversation. That was when he remembered she’d asked how his day had gone.

  “It was pretty busy. First off, I answered a call at Katherine Lattimore’s house. She’s in her eighties and a retired teacher here in town. She claims she gave up teaching after the likes of Bailey and Bane Westmoreland.” He heard the sound of Myra’s soft chuckle and it seemed to caress his skin.

  “I understand those two cousins used to be a handful while growing up.”

  “Yes, and whatever you were told, believe it. Derringer, Riley and I were constantly covering up for them to keep them out of trouble. Bailey and Bane, along with the twins—Aiden and Adrian—were the terrible foursome.”

  “So what was wrong with Ms. Lattimore?”

  Pete found himself sharing Ms. Katherine’s ghost story and liked how Myra would tilt her head, listening attentively. “So, there you have it. She actually captured a ghost on video. Now it’s my job to find out what in the heck is going on.”

  “How do you intend to do that?”

  “Not sure yet,” he said. “And by the way, this food is delicious.” He truly meant it.

  “Thanks.”

  “Who taught you how to cook?”

  She shrugged what he thought was a beautiful pair of shoulders. “In college I assisted at a homeless shelter’s soup kitchen for an entire year. Various chefs would volunteer their time and they often held cooking classes. It was fun.” Not only had she learned her way around the kitchen, she was also educated on how to eat healthy foods without sacrificing the delicious flavor.

  He decided to ask the one question he’d pondered. “How did you become a Gators fan? Did you attend the University of Florida?”

  She smiled and he swore he felt the brilliance of it spread to him. “No, I didn’t, but Wallace did.”

  His hand tightened on his glass. He recalled the name on her Facebook page. He also recalled the man it belonged to. “Wallace?”

  “Yes, Wallace Blue. He works for my father’s company and attended the University of Florida. I went to a small all-girls university in Boston for college. My school didn’t have a football team so when I wanted to learn about football, Wallace was eager to teach me.”

  I just bet he was, Pete thought and wondered where the anger toward a man he didn’t
know came from. “Do the two of you still date?” A part of him regretted asking the question, but it was too late to take it back.

  “Date?” She laughed. “Wallace and I have never dated. We’re good friends. He’s like another big brother to me.”

  A part of Pete was glad to hear that.

  “What about you, Pete?” she asked. “Why are you a Buckeyes fan? Did you go to Ohio State?”

  Her question gave him pause and he stopped eating for a minute. Drawing in a deep breath he glanced over at her and said, “Yes, but just for a year. My dad died and I came home to attend college here. But I traveled back to Ohio whenever I could to see Ellen.”

  “Ellen?”

  He met Myra’s gaze across the table. “Yes, Ellen, my fiancée. When we graduated from high school, she and I left Denver to attend Ohio State together.”

  He waited for the next question. The one that usually followed whenever people heard he’d once been engaged. People who didn’t know him well enough to know the full story of what had happened.

  When she didn’t ask, he glanced up and saw her eating. “Aren’t you going to ask what happened?” He wasn’t sure why he’d prompted her. For all he knew she’d already heard the story. Bonnie might have told her.

  She looked up at him. “Not unless you want to tell me.”

  He thought about her response. In the past, people had asked him about it even when he hadn’t wanted to tell them. “Ellen was killed two weeks before our wedding day. She was an excellent rider and participated in the Martin Luther King parade every year. That year someone tossed a firecracker near her horse’s feet. The animal panicked and threw her.”

  “I am so sorry, Pete.”

  “Thanks. So am I.”

  Silence covered the table and he glanced over at Ciara. He’d just shared a part of his past, but Ciara was his future. Making sure she grew up happy was what he intended to do for the rest of his life.