The Sheriff's Plus One (The Kincaids) Read online

  “You’re no fun, Parrish.” He winked at her. “See you Friday.”

  “Tell Gunnar I said hey.” She waved her goodbye and whirled around, studying the layout Archer had helped her achieve. Perfect. Now all she needed to do was set the tables, turn up the music, and help Luis in the kitchen.

  Yeah, it would be a long day, but the end result could totally be something that could work for her business in the future, too.

  Instead of bothering his brother at work like Molly suggested, Archer drove to the county’s park and rec community center on the other side of Star Falls. He grabbed his gym bag , changed in the locker room, and headed to the track for a warm up.

  He didn’t enjoy running very much, unless it was while he played on the rec league. He simply wasn’t a solo type of guy by nature. But running gave him endurance and strong lungs, two things he needed on the job. There was a lot of pressure for Archer to be better than the best county sheriff to ever have existed all because of his age.

  Quite a few people—a small, but vocal minority—constantly blamed any mishap or “crime wave” on his so-called youth. Didn’t matter that he was qualified for the job, or that their last sheriff was forced to medically retire because his heart couldn’t take the stress a rapidly growing county presented. Plus, Archer had run unopposed because no one else wanted to step up, or rather no one else wanted to be blamed for growing pains.

  He hated how political the job had become. All he wanted to do was his job, apply the law equally and make sure his fellow LEOs did the same, without having to play the game with whatever party had control of the county’s board in a given election year.

  “Fancy meeting you here,” Gunnar said from behind him.

  Archer didn’t bother to turn around and he sure as hell wasn’t surprised either. His brother’s office building was in the line of sight from the track. It also didn’t hurt that he was habitual either. While he knew not to have an easily tracked schedule, he also felt it was important for people to see him, for them to be comfortable with him whether he was in civilian clothes or his uniform.

  Basically, he wanted to be the county’s crime-fighting but approachable Spiderman, only without the radioactive spider bite.

  “Already take over the world today?” Archer asked. It was a running joke in the family that Gunnar had the brains to be in charge of any company in the world, but he wanted to rule from a town that had a smaller population than the student body of a midsized university.

  His brother had never let things like size stop him.

  Or reality for that matter.

  Might be why Gunnar was already a CEO of a Fortune 500 company at the age of twenty-five. If someone said it couldn’t be done, then his brother would find a way.

  “Not until after lunch.” Gunner sped up until he matched his stride to Archer’s. “Thought I’d get some fresh air with you first.”

  “I feel honored.”

  “You should. I canceled a meeting with a very important client to run with you.”

  “Who?”

  “You wouldn’t know the name, even if I could disclose,” His brother replied. “Anyway, I have ulterior motives for being out here.”

  And here it came, Gunnar was going to ask him about Liz because more likely than not, their momma had put him up to it. Better to go ahead and get it over with. “I’m fine.”

  “What? I haven’t even asked you for permission yet.”

  Archer slowed to a walk and his brother did the same. “Permission? Not this again. You cannot borrow my badge to impress some woman.”

  “Wouldn’t work on this woman. Mostly because she already knows you’re the sheriff and I’m not.”

  “Then color me confused, brother.”

  “I want to ask Molly out.”

  Archer stopped so suddenly that Gunnar practically breezed past him. “Excuse me?”

  Gunnar pivoted, a sheepish smile on his face. “I want your permission to ask Molly out. We’ve been working on the Fall Festival together—well not alone, but on the committee, and the more I get to know her as a woman and not just your good friend, the more I think we’d click. She’s practically family and she knew me before I made my money. So bonus.”

  “Bonus,” Archer repeated. He glanced up at the sun, wondering if he’d actually been running for far longer than he realized and was simply hallucinating.

  “Yeah, so what do you say?”

  “I…uh….” What could he say? He didn’t have a right to really say anything beyond ‘don’t be a dick.’ “Is she interested in you?”

  Gunnar shrugged. “No idea. Figured I’d go for it, with your blessing. Don’t want to step on any toes. Although, if you’d wanted to date Molly before now, you would have. She is pretty hot, you know.”

  “I’m not blind,” he snapped.

  Gunnar gave him an odd look. “So it’s a no.”

  “It’s an I need time to think about it.”

  A sly grin replaced the odd look. “You are interested in her. All it took was—”

  “No. We’re just… look, neither one of us wants to date anyone because of shitastic, recent breakups, so we’ve made this… pact. Well, she made an offer to be my plus one to infinity after Liz decided to bail on our wedding.” He grimaced. “Honestly, I should have done the same. I’ll tell her that this evening. Or text her after my run. She’s pretty busy today with that book club, so maybe I’ll—”

  “Dude, you’re rambling.”

  “My answer is no. She’s not available because we’re—”

  “Exclusive?”

  “Yes, no.”

  Gunnar’s smile grew as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Which is it?”

  It did not feel good to be on this end of questioning. “We’re off the market.”

  “Wasn’t asking you out.” Gunnar tilted his head to one side. “Not only are you my brother, but you’re not my type.”

  Archer rolled his eyes. Trust his brother to make a joke out of it. “She’s off the market until we decide to—"

  “Breakup?”

  Archer shoved his brother in the chest, causing him to take a step back. “Would you stop interrupting me?”

  “Nah, I don’t think so. I’m having too much fun.”

  “You are so dead.” Archer lunged for him, but Gunnar started running.

  “Isn’t murder illegal?” Gunnar asked as Archer took off after him.

  “Justifiable homicide. Besides, anyone who knows you, would say you had it coming,” Archer shouted.

  He heard audible gasps and inwardly groaned at the sight of several older ladies walking within earshot of their conversation.

  “It’s okay,” his brother said and Archer’s sent up a prayer of thanks. “He’s the sheriff.”

  “Well, I never,” one of them said.

  Archer glared at Gunnar. “He’s my little brother.”

  “Sir, I have never met you before today. Please don’t arrest me for disagreeing with you. I’m so scared!” Gunnar took off running again, and Archer knew he couldn’t chase after him, not after that bombshell of a statement.

  Instead, Archer walked over the group of ladies, giving them his most charming smile. “Honestly, my brother and I were talking about family stuff, and you know how brothers can get. Anyway, I’m Archer Kincaid, and yes, I’m the sheriff. It’s a pleasure to meet you lovely ladies.”

  “Do you normally threaten him with justifiable homicide?” one asked with a twinkle in her eye.

  “Only on days that end in y.” He winked, and that got them giggling. He really was going to kill Gunnar. This weekend. After they ate Sunday dinner at their momma’s house.

  But first, he had to make sure that Gunnar stayed the appropriate distance away from Molly.

  Chapter 3

  “Archer was kind of weird today,” Molly said as she got comfortable on the sofa. “Maybe it’s just I’ve never had him go all cop mode in my shop before?”

  Her best friend Cora sat beside
her, a large plate of pasta in her lap. They were watching reruns of Keeping Up with the Kardashians while eating dinner.

  “I wish I could have been there when he realized that there wasn’t a break-in.” Laughing, Cora twirled noodles around her fork. “Y’all have a date this weekend?”

  “It’s not a date,” Molly replied.

  Cora gave her a look. “It’s a date.”

  “I’m just his plus one.”

  “Seriously? We’re playing semantics here. It’s a date. Even if it’s a platonic date.” Cora tilted her head to one side. “Besides, why do you care if it’s a date or not? It’s not like y’all ever had the hots for each other.”

  That was true enough. Molly had never bothered to put Archer in that category.

  “And it’s not like you’ll suddenly develop them now. I mean, Archer’s alright looking, but—

  “Alright looking? Even I know he’s good looking. Not my type, but handsome.”

  Cora eyed her. “What makes him so good looking… oh, excuse me, handsome?”

  “Height, muscle mass… looks good in a uniform.” Molly tried to think of Archer in generic hot guy terms. “Sexy smile, symmetrical face.”

  “You had to bring geometry into this.”

  “It’s a proven fact that people find symmetrical faces more attractive,” Molly pointed out. “Anyway, objectively, Archer Kincaid is a handsome man who looks good in a uniform. A lot of guys look good in uniform. It’s not unique to him.”

  “But he’s still not your type—objectively speaking of course.”

  Annoyed, Molly made a face. “Why all the questions about Archer?” Then it hit her. Cora was interested in him. “Oh my Lord.”

  Cora set the plate of pasta on the coffee table. “I’m going to go ahead and nip this in the bed, because I know right where your mind has gone. I am not in any way or shape or form interested in dating Archer Kincaid. His brother Asher, however... I could work with that.”

  “Oh. Ew. Gross.” Molly all but hurled her dinner up. “Please don’t talk about his little brother like that.”

  “Little. He’s twenty.” Cora’s face got all dreamy. “He’s so fine. Those blue eyes. That golden hair. And don’t get me started on his other attributes.”

  “I’ve seen his naked behind.”

  “Lucky you.”

  “Nooooo. Not lucky me.” Molly rubbed her eyes as the memory bubbled up. “He was like five, and I was thirteen. Archer and I were working on our science project for the fair. Asher streaked across the kitchen with their dog chasing after him. I will forever see him as a child. I don’t care how many women think otherwise.”

  “I take it you don’t follow any of his social media accounts.”

  “Uh, no. He can TikTok and Instagram all by his lonesome for all I care.” Molly meant it, too. She would forever view him as a boy who just so happened to be extremely talented at basketball.

  “He made the top twenty hottest collegiate athletes list.” Cora grinned. “I’d let him shoot his shot with me.”

  “Don’t care. Don’t go there. And no shooting anything.” Molly shuddered. “Can we change the subject?”

  A text came through on her phone. Grabbing it from the coffee table, she read the message while Cora resumed eating.

  “Archer just asked me did I need him to be my plus one.” Molly shook her head. “There’s literally nothing—"

  “Say yes.”

  “What?”

  “Say yes. It’s obvious he’s realized that for the past two and a half months, your relationship has been incredibly one-sided. He wants to make things right.” She punctuated her words by stabbing her fork in the air. “Let. Him.”

  “I didn’t think it was one-sided. I thought I was—”

  “Being a really good friend. Which you are, but that still doesn’t make it less one sided.” Cora shrugged. “You do you, but I’d say yes to him.”

  “There is literally nothing I need a date for in the foreseeable future.” Molly’s thumbs hovered over the screen. “I told him I didn’t want things to be weird, and everything about us is headed into weird territory.”

  “It’s only weird if you make it weird.”

  “Fine.” Molly tapped out her response, then set her phone down. “I told him that if I needed one, he was my guy.”

  “Your guy, huh?” Cora grinned mischievously.

  Molly groaned. “There is no winning with you.”

  “Where are you going this weekend?” Cora traded her fork for a glass of cherry coke.

  “The Mansion—Casino night.”

  “Get me a ticket. Heck, I’ll be Archer’s plus one.” Cora was obsessed with The Mansion. She insisted it was just as grand and as large as Biltmore House in Asheville, only better because she didn’t have to drive four hours to tour it. “Do you know if Graves will be there? A charity event sounds like something he’d want to attend.”

  “I have no idea if he’ll be there or not. Sorry.” Molly patted Cora on the leg. Cora had a huge crush on Graves, a crush that had yet to diminish over the years. “I don’t think anyone will be going inside because Knightleys haven’t opened it to outsiders.”

  “Yet. That house is hella-expensive to maintain. I don’t think the Knightleys want to spend their entire fortune on it either.” Cora uncrossed her legs. “I heard that it’ll be open just in time for Christmas.”

  “You heard it huh?”

  “The ladies at the yarn shop are very knowledgeable.”

  “Your aunts and their friends are the gossipiest gossips to ever have gossiped,” Molly countered. “They have no idea if something is true or not and they don’t care as long as it’s juicy.”

  “You’re just mad because my aunts haven’t invited you into the shop yet.” Cora’s hazel eyes twinkled, but she didn’t bother to correct Molly on her accusation. “I swear that I’ll wrangle an invite out of them soon.”

  “Spare me,” Molly said in a huff. “I don’t care about The Yarn Shop anymore.”

  “Too bad.” Cora swirled the rose’ around in the glass. “You wouldn’t believe the women who go there for advice.”

  “Including you?”

  Cora tipped up her chin. “That’s not nice.”

  Molly’s heart sank. She was acting like a real jerk. “I’m sorry. I’m also jealous and ill that they not only don’t invite me, but they won’t let you, their own niece inside. I mean, I was in a serious relationship and could’ve used their help! You’ve never been in one. Ever. Well, except once and we know how that turned out—asshole.”

  “That’s because I’m holding—”

  “Out for your one true love,” Molly finished. Cora twisted her lips, her eyes narrowing. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with your plan. I’d do the same except I don’t believe true love exists anymore.”

  “Molly Vale Parrish, you take that right back.” Cora’s full lips went from twisted to a hard-set line. “I refuse to be best friends with anyone who doesn’t believe in the power of love.”

  “Oh I believe in the power of love all right.” Molly lowered her gaze. “It hurts like hell.”

  Cora patted Molly’s leg. “I know, honey. But you can’t let him have control over you like that.”

  Hadn’t Molly basically, said the same thing to Archer about Liz? Wow, she was really good at giving advice, but sucked at taking it. “We were together for so long. When he asked me to meet him for dinner, I, uh… I thought he was going to propose.”

  “Oh no.” Cora leaned on Molly’s shoulder, her long dark hair streaming down between them. “I was hoping you hadn’t thought that. Don’t be sad Molly. Be angry at him. He was a jerk who didn’t know what he had in you.”

  “I don’t want to be anything at all when it comes to Travis.” Molly sniffed as tears gathered in her eyes, despite the fact that she’d sworn she cried her last tears over him months ago. Only she could still hear his words, his tone… could still feel the cuts to her heart as he made them that night. �
�Is it too much to ask that a guy be decent and kind, and be the one?”

  “Nope. It’s not too much to ask decent and kind guys who want to be someone’s one. Unfortunately, we tend to fall for the ones who are total opposites of that.” Cora sighed thickly. “Then we get our hearts broken. It sucks.”

  “Archer’s one of the good ones and look at what Liz did to him.”

  Cora nodded against her shoulder. “I should totally see if Archer is the one for me. Asher is way too young for me.”

  For no reason at all, jealousy surged in Molly’s veins. Unreasonable. Ugly as hell. It was all she could do not to say something incredibly awful that would most likely ruin her friendship with Cora. “He said that he’s not ready to date for at least a year.”

  “Unless he were to meet the right woman.”

  Molly couldn’t disagree with that statement. “For now, he’ll have to put up with me,” she replied instead.

  “So that’s a no.”

  Finally, Molly gave in a little. “It’s a no, but only because he’s very insistent, and I don’t want my bestie hurt by him.”

  “Fine. Guess I’ll have to look elsewhere,” Cora said, but her tone wasn’t sad. In fact… Molly glanced at her. Cora was smiling, then again, smiling was her default.

  Still…

  Molly shook her head. She was sure she was just being overly sensitive. All because of that jackass Travis. Cora didn’t deserve to be treated poorly because of him either. “Maybe the next time you talk to your aunts, you’ll ask about me? Please.”

  “Consider it done.” Cora’s smile widened. “All you had to do was ask.”

  For as long as Archer could remember, The Mansion had been a private residence. Some said it was haunted. Others liked to spin tall tales about sleeping beauty or a beauty and the beast situation going on there. All Archer knew was that the family who lived there had a son about his age or a little older, and he never went to the local schools growing up.

  Hell, Archer wasn’t sure where he went, but he had gotten a glimpse of the kid back in high school. Out on the lake, sailing with a group of friends that Archer hadn’t known either. Honestly, he wasn’t sure which guy had been Knightley.