Brokedown Cowboy

“That would be a shame.”

“Not really. But I need the paycheck.”

“So when do you want to move, then?”

She kicked her foot across the top of the gravel, the rocks clacking against each other. “I don’t know. I mean, I have time...”

“Well, whatever you want. I’ll even help you move.”

Liss pulled a face. “What exactly has come over you? You’re being all helpful and things.”

“I guess it’s the realization that I haven’t been very helpful at all recently.” They both knew exactly since when.

“I understand. I’m not going to tell you how you should handle all this. It’s not my place.”

“You’re about the only one who thinks that. Eli thinks I need to get over it. Jack thinks I need to get laid.”

Liss cleared her throat loudly. “With that in mind, I will be the one who thinks you just need to do what you can.”

“I can do this,” Connor said. “I can give this to you. So let me.”

She scuffed her toe over the gravel, the rocks clicking together. “I am. We’ll work out the logistics later. Thank you.”

He gave her a halfhearted wave and turned away from her, walking back up the steps before pausing and watching her get into her car. Waiting until it started to go back inside. At least the thing would get her home tonight.

He shut the front door behind him and walked into the dining area, coming face-to-face with three very rapt sets of eyes. “What?” he asked.

“So, Liss is going to move in?” Eli asked.

“Were you not here for the entirety of this?” Connor returned.

“Just confirming.”

“She needs me. She’s a friend.”

“I know,” Eli said.

“Well, you look too interested. There’s nothing to be interested about.”

Sadie’s expression turned placating, which only irritated him more. “Of course not.” She reached into her offensive orange bowl and started digging around for candy. “It is very nice that you’re doing this for her.”

“You all have the wrong end of the stick,” he said, pointing at the group. “You would not be reacting like this if I offered Jack a place to stay. And if Jack needed me, I would have him stay here, too. And he’s a way bigger pain in the ass than Liss.”

“True,” Kate said. “On all counts.”

“See? Katie agrees with me.”

“Not,” Kate said, her tone filled with warning, “if you keep calling me Katie.”

A smile tugged at his lips. “Whatever you say, Katie.”

It was Kate’s turn to reach into the bowl. She pulled out a couple of M&Ms and hurled a couple at his head. “Serves you right,” she said when one clocked him in the temple.

“Oh, no,” he said, in mock terror. “You threw candy at me.”

“Beaver candy,” Sadie said.

“Okay, ladies, let’s get out of Connor’s hair,” Eli said, showing an uncharacteristic amount of sensitivity. Eli usually thought nothing of running roughshod over him. Mainly because Eli always seemed to think he knew how other people should live their lives, and Connor was no exception to that.

Eli lifted Sadie from his lap and stood, raising his arms behind his head and stretching. “I need to sleep,” he said. “With the election so close now, I’m not doing very much of that.”

“But you’re going to win,” Sadie said, her tone confident.

“You are,” Kate agreed.

Both women looked at Connor. “You are,” he said, and he wasn’t just saying that to stroke his brother’s ego. He was the best choice for the county; there was no question about that.

Eli was a professional at sacrifice. He had sacrificed for Kate when he’d been a teenager. Had sacrificed his safety when he’d agreed to wear the uniform. And Connor knew, and never took for granted, the fact that Eli had sacrificed by being the one to come and tell him about Jessie’s accident. Connor knew that no one in the department would have ever asked it of him. But Connor also knew that Eli would have never given the responsibility to anyone else.

For those reasons, and for so many more, Connor knew his brother was the man Logan County needed as its sheriff.

“Well, I appreciate the votes of confidence. Just make sure they’re also physical votes on election day.”

“Are you kidding? I’m going to go stand by the ballot drop boxes with my shirt off and my chest painted,” Connor said. “A big painting of your face.”

“I will arrest you. And I’m not joking,” Eli said, lacing his fingers through Sadie’s and heading toward the door.

Kate stood up and followed after them, offering him a goodbye wave.

“Goodbye, Connor,” Sadie said as they headed out, shutting the door behind them.

And he was left alone again, by himself and in his big empty house.

But that was about to change.

Disquiet lodged itself in his gut. He’d had quite enough change over the past few years, and this was more of it.

But he wouldn’t be alone. He was really fucking tired of being alone.

But he was alone now so he took another beer out of the ice bucket. A couple more drinks would help drown out the silence. Would help him fall asleep.

And there was no one here to tell him no.

* * *

“I THINK I SOLVED my rental problem,” Liss said, sliding a paper clip onto a stack of papers and looking up at Jeanette, her coworker, who sat at the desk opposite her.

“You found someone to rent to you?” Jeanette asked, licking an envelope and smoothing it closed.