Chapter 3

Chapter

Three

Lily waited next to her dad, trying to keep up on the small talk about everything happening at the ranch, and asking where she could help out tomorrow and Friday. She nibbled at her lip, terrified and distracted, and prayed that Clint could find the intruder.

It would be even better if Clint and Mark could prove it was Dr. Hampshire. She knew Clint would want answers. What should she reveal? She’d kept this secret from everyone for so long it was like giving up a lung to rip it out. Could she simply beg the incredible but closed-off sheriff to be her fake boyfriend or fiancé?

No. That was being selfish, again, and she couldn’t do that to another Coleville man. Especially if Dr. Hampshire or whoever left that awful poster tried to hurt her ‘boyfriend’. Slit his throat. Horrifying. Her stomach flipped over, and she prayed harder, clenching her trembling hands together and leaning against her dad’s shoulder.

“Darlin’? You all right?” her dad asked.

“Just worn out.” At least that wasn’t a lie.

Mark walked out of the house and off the porch, lifting a hand to them before disappearing into the dark night. What was he doing? Searching for the intruder? Most likely.

“Wonder where he’s headed to?” her dad mused. “His truck is right here.”

“Weird. I think they have to check everything out when they get a call.” Her heart thudded faster. She was ashamed and frustrated that she’d kept this secret for so long and it kept getting worse. How could she call into question someone her family adored? What if they didn’t believe her? Even if they did, she could endanger Grandma if her dad or Bennett went after Dr. Hampshire. Her family had enough stress with her grandma sick and living an hour away.

Clint walked out the front door, pausing on the porch. Their eyes connected. Longing for him and fear her secrets would be exploited battled within her. His gaze was comforting yet determined. He needed answers and he would get them. Did he need her? She put a hand to her throat. She couldn’t let her mind go there.

He strode down the steps and toward them. She couldn’t catch a full breath. The determination and strength in his confident swagger and his handsome face and alluring blue eyes was too much. He was the most macho of heroes and the only man she wanted. She could hear her sister Daisy’s voice in her head. She loved to call Clint a ‘walking billboard of manly cowboy heroism.’ She was right. He was that and more. It took loads of self-control not to cry out that she loved and needed him.

She bit at her lip again to restrain herself. As he stopped a couple feet away, his gaze dropped to her lips before raising again. Heat rushed through her. Their near kiss wasn’t nearly enough. If he was willing and she wasn’t putting him in danger, she’d beg him to pretend to be her fiancé and pray she could make him fall in love with her through the ploy.

You … me … it’s a no.

She looked away, trying to regain control. She could never handle him telling her that again.

“Thank you, Klein,” Clint said in his friendly but authoritative sheriff’s voice. “I’ll walk Lily in.”

Lily’s gaze darted to him. Alone. With Clint. Safety for her physically but treacherous for her heart.

“Thank you, Sheriff.” Her dad beamed at Clint. He ushered Lily toward him. “Have a nice night. Don’t stay up too late, my Lily-love.” He grinned, pivoted, and walked back along the road to the main house. Stay up too late? As if this were a date. Yet Clint had said she wanted alone time with her favorite sheriff and the two of them had a ‘date’. Her body trembled.

“’Night,” Clint called. He studied her for half a beat. His gaze was too observant.

She looked away.

Clint moved to her side, placed his hand on her lower back, and directed her toward the house. “I think you and I need to chat about that poster and the man you think put it there.”

She swallowed, but her throat was dry. She said nothing as they walked up the steps together, his warm fingers and palm searing heat through her thin scrub top.

They walked into the house, and he nudged the door closed with his elbow. “Don’t want to mess up any fingerprints if the intruder left them.”

She nodded, not looking at the poster. “Would you like a drink of water?”

“Sure.” He took off his hat and gripped it in his hands, ruffling his dark hair. “Shall we sit at the table? You can face the front door and not look at the poster.”

“Thank you.”

He was considerate. She knew that. Would he allow her to skirt his questions about the man and the ‘gross’ comment she’d let out? She doubted it. Considerate or not, Clint would want the truth. Maybe it was time to confide in the sheriff, a Coleville brother, the longing of her heart. Oh boy. If only she could confide in Daisy about how cheesy her thoughts were, but Lily rarely confided in anyone.

Retrieving two glasses, she filled them with ice and water from the fridge. Clint stood and watched her. This alpha male hero was in her home, filling up the kitchen with his broad shoulders and commanding presence. It was unnerving and thrilling at the same time.

She couldn’t stop her hand from trembling as she turned to him and handed over the glass. Their fingers brushed, and tendrils of desire coursed through her at the simple touch.

“Appreciate ya,” Clint said in that deep cowboy drawl she couldn’t get enough of. He set his cup on the table and pulled out a chair for her.

“Thank you,” she murmured, settling into it. She took a long drink of the ice water to cool the heat in her face and keep herself from staring at him. He pulled out his own chair, angled it toward her, and lowered his impressive six-four frame into it.

He set his hat on the table, also took a drink, and then said, “Do you want to tell me who put that poster up there and threatened you and Miles?”

She straightened in the chair. What to say?

“He wasn’t threatening Miles,” she admitted, unless the poster had been there yesterday before the media had exploded with news of Miles and Eva Chevron.

“That’s good.” He swallowed and his gaze became conflicted. “Do you have another … boyfriend?”

“No.”

“Who do you think he was threatening, then?”

Long seconds ticked past as he studied her. If only she could keep hiding this nightmare and didn’t have to admit that she’d lied and claimed they were engaged.

“You,” she finally squeaked out.

“Me?” His gaze became piercing. “Why would somebody threaten me … in relation to you?”

Lily sighed and rubbed at the condensation on the glass. “There’s this doctor at the hospital who …” She paused, not sure how to phrase it and wondering what made her think Clint would accept only a portion of the story. “He wants me to date him,” she admitted, her voice trembling. “I used Miles as an excuse for years.”

“You used Miles?” he repeated. His eyes said he wanted to know why she’d expressed it that way.

She had no idea how to respond, so she told a little bit of the story, leaving out the ‘threats’ from Dr. Hampshire to Grandma. “He’s been after me since he came to Kalispell five years ago. Today he cornered me by my car after work. With all the media coming out about Miles and Eva, he knew Miles and I weren’t together any longer. I … I didn’t know what to do. He refuses to take no for an answer. We have this unsettling relationship where he … hits on me but never pushes too far because of my Navy SEAL boyfriend. When I lost that advantage, I knew I needed an imposing man to keep him away.” She swallowed. “So I lied and told him I was engaged … to you.”

Clint’s blue gaze grew smoldering. He leaned toward her. “Lily.” His voice was husky, deep, and electrifying. He gently touched her hand where it rested in her lap. Warm tremors raced up her arm. The look in his eyes was as meaningful as his voice and tender touch.

A rap came on the front door. Clint drew back and stood, crossing to the front door, one hand resting on his pistol. Just watching him move was mesmerizing.

“Sheriff?” Mark called from outside.

Clint carefully used the bottom of his T-shirt to open the door. She gaped at the ridged muscular abdomen he displayed. He glanced at her and caught her staring.

“Fingerprints,” he said, stepping back from the door and letting his shirt fall back into place.

Her face flared with heat.

Mark eased in. “Lily.” He nodded to her and pushed the door closed with his elbow. He looked to Clint. “I didn’t find anyone, but there were some fresh tracks leading from her steps through the trees and clear to the outer fence. I found tire tracks—seventeen-inch wheel, thick tread, most likely a small SUV, Jeep, or a pansy-man’s truck.”

“Pardon me,” Lily couldn’t help but interrupt. “What is a pansy-man’s truck?”

“A sorry excuse for a truck,” Mark clarified, smiling at her. “You know, like a Tacoma or a Ranger. It’s only driven to claim the guy is driving a ‘truck’; it can’t tow anything or take a load or make it up a mountain in the snow or the mud.”

Lily half-laughed. “I see.”

Clint gave her a reassuring smile, then refocused on Mark. “Size of the footprints?”

“Eleven. Male. Not too heavy, but definitely not a woman’s print.”

“Thanks.”

“’Course. I’ll test for fingerprints and bag the evidence while you … chat.” He nodded to her again and then set a kit on the entry table.

“Appreciate ya.” Clint walked back to her and settled down in the chair again. “Where were we?” he asked, but then his cheeks darkened and his eyes grew deeper blue. They both knew exactly where they’d been. He’d been touching her hand and giving her a longing look to beat the big screen. Eva Chevron’s co-stars in her romance movies had nothing on that look.

He cleared his throat, leaned back against the hard chair, and folded his arms across his chest. The muscles in his forearms and biceps popped. If she could take a picture of him looking so enticing, she’d blow it up to life size and kiss it every morning.

Lily needed another drink of water. She grasped the glass and chugged a mouthful. The cool liquid hit her throat as she took a breath. She coughed and sputtered, water spraying the table and him.

“Lily.” Clint’s voice was all concern, not annoyance. He leaned forward, reaching for her. “Are you all right?”

“No,” she shot at him, holding up her hands so he wouldn’t touch her and mess with her mind again. “I’m a hot mess.”

Clint studied her, dropped his hands, and then murmured, “Definitely hot.”

Her eyes widened and she heard Mark hide a laugh behind a cough in the adjoining living room. Her face flared hotter still. He thought she looked ‘hot’ after back-to-back shifts?

“Forgive me,” Clint said quickly. He pulled out his phone and started tapping on it. “I should take some notes. First of all, does anyone have a key to your front door or have you loaned your key to anyone who could’ve made a copy?”

“I didn’t lend it to anyone. Daisy has a copy.”

He jotted that down. “Can you tell me what happened when you got home tonight?”

She talked through walking up to the door, noticing it was open, pulling out her pepper spray, shoving it wide, turning on the lights and seeing the poster. Then running back to her car and calling 911. She got it all out without breaking down and was proud of herself for that.

“You didn’t call Bennett or your dad?”

“No.”

Clint studied her but thankfully moved on. “What’s the name of the doctor who threatened you?”

“Some idiot threatened our Lily?” Mark burst out, whirling from his task.

“Mark.” Clint gave him a pointed look.

“Please.” Lily looked between them, her voice and hands trembling. “This has to stay with us. My parents, Bennett, my sisters… Nobody can know.”

Clint’s gaze zeroed in on her. “You haven’t told your parents, Bennett, or your sisters about this guy who’s been threatening you for years?”

She could only shake her head no.

“That’s not the confident Lily we all know.” Clint’s voice was softer now, his gaze probing. “Why haven’t you reported him?”

She drew in a breath. Clint would never settle for half the story, but he couldn’t understand how it felt to be threatened and hit on by a man in a position of authority. She was ashamed she hadn’t broken out of the nightmare, but she’d been scared and alone, not wanting to upset her family or hurt her grandmother.

“He threatened my grandma,” she admitted.

“Pardon me?” Clint’s voice was a low growl now. Grandma hadn’t lived in Coleville for years, needing to be close to the hospital, but Clint would never stand for her grandmother or any grandmother to be threatened.

“It’s too much, too many interactions.” She sighed. Would he think she was exaggerating or being a wimp? “He has the power to hurt Grandma, to make a mess of my career, and nobody else sees what a manipulative slime he is.” She twisted her hands together, studying them. “I reported him multiple times when he first started flirting and refused to stop. I was asked every time to please bring irrefutable proof and to think very carefully about making accusations against one of the top cardiologists in the West and the only cardiologist in our region.” She stopped talking. She’d just told both of them who it was. Not that they knew Dr. Hampshire personally, but they could figure it out now.

There was quiet for a beat.

She already regretted saying anything as she clasped her hands tighter together. Did she sound whiny and weak? Would they think she was making something out of nothing?

Mark’s voice broke the silence. “Vigilante justice, then?”

Clint cracked a smile at that, and she was blown away by the beauty of his face. The most manly beauty she’d ever seen. “No,” he said, wiping his smile away. He studied Lily. “You think this doctor is the one who made your poster?”

“I don’t know who else would.” She worried her lip. “But I don’t know how he would’ve beaten me here. He talked to me in the parking lot right as I pulled out. He would’ve had to pay someone to come hang it up. He’s kept his badgering of me off everybody’s radar. I don’t know that he’d involve anybody else.” That put a wrinkle in her certainty that Dr. Hampshire was to blame. She guessed he could’ve put it up anytime the past two days as she hadn’t been home. Her brain hurt trying to riddle him out. If only she could sleep and shut out all this stress.

“So we probably have another idiot to worry about, besides the doc,” Mark put in.

He was standing by the poster. She looked at it and quickly away.

“Maybe,” Clint said. He clenched his fist and bounced it on his leg. “Why don’t you back up and tell us the story from the beginning?”

Lily sighed. She didn’t want to, but there was no getting around it now. She started with Dr. Hampshire starting at the hospital about five years ago. He hit on her the first time they met, and she told him she had a Navy SEAL boyfriend. He eased off for a bit, but after her grandma was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and became his patient three years ago, he started up again. He added in little quips about Grandma’s health that could be interpreted any way, but they just rubbed wrong.

She made it to today and how he found her in the parking lot, how she lied and told him she was engaged to Clint and he seemed to know she was lying and said she should think about her story because he could keep her safe, Grandma safe, and make her happy.

As she finished, she finally looked up to see Clint studying her as if she were a 3D 5000-piece puzzle. Mark must’ve finished his work while she spoke as he wandered in, pulled out a chair, and sat.

Nobody said anything for a beat. Her head hurt and her stomach was sick. What had she done? She hadn’t confided this story to anyone and now she’d told two mature and tough men who’d seen all manner of criminal activities. They probably thought she was a head case and making a mountain out of a molehill. Regret coursed through her, and she wished she could close her eyes and make everything disappear.

“Would you like a glass of water?” she asked Mark. She hadn’t been to the store in a while and doubted there was anything but expired milk, some eggs and cheese in the fridge.

“No thank you, Lily.” Mark looked to Clint.

Clint considered her for a couple seconds, clearly unsure what to say. “Any prints?” he asked Mark.

It made sense. He was turning to the facts of the case. If they found prints and could tie this back to Dr. Hampshire, maybe this nightmare could turn into something good. Everyone would know how disgusting Dr. Hampshire was and he’d finally leave her alone.

“He was wearing gloves, but maybe he made a mistake while making the poster. I’ll send it in and see what they find. I was also thinking about that fence he had to cross and hoping he didn’t have gloves on. I’ll go look at it closer in a bit.”

“Thanks.” The sheriff’s gaze returned to study her. “The sign says boyfriend, but you told the doctor you were engaged to me?”

“I did.” Her brow furrowed. Maybe that meant Dr. Hampshire had put the threatening poster up before he had cornered her in the parking lot.

“So the doc might not be our suspect,” Mark mused.

“I think he put the poster up earlier today or yesterday, before I told him I was engaged to you.”

“Why did you say you were engaged to me?” Clint asked in a low rumble.

Lily was grateful Mark was here as a buffer. She was grateful she was sitting down. She was not grateful she had to answer.

“Um … I just scrambled for a name. Of course I thought of the Colevilles immediately. That left you, Rhett, Walker, or Easton. Dr. Hampshire thinks he’s the king of the earth, so only someone of authority, like you as the sheriff, would make him think twice.”

She swallowed hard, trying to act like she wasn’t longing to be engaged to him, protected by him, and surrounded by him. That she hadn’t been thinking about how it would feel to be engaged to him and that was why his name had come out when Dr. Hampshire pressed her. “Would you have preferred I said Walker or Easton?”

“No,” he said in a fierce, protective growl, his gaze intense. “You’re my fiancée.”

Lily’s stomach did the happiest dance. He wanted to be her fiancé. He wanted her to be his. She said nothing, only stared at him.

“Wow. That gave me goose bumps,” Mark teased them both with a smile.

Clint broke his concentration from her face and gave Mark a warning look.

Mark’s grin didn’t diminish. In fact, it grew.

“Lily.” Clint focused back on her. “You can’t stay here tonight. Can you stay with your parents while we figure out who broke in?”

She felt like she had whiplash. Was he going to be her pretend fiancé or not? “They’ll ask questions. I don’t want to worry them.”

“Why haven’t you told them about any of this?” His voice was gentle, but his blue eyes were intense.

“It seemed like more of an annoyance at first.” She looked away, embarrassed and afraid he’d think she was overreacting, especially as tears stung the corners of her eyes. “I’m used to doctors, other workers, and patients at the hospital hitting on …” She trailed off and studied the table.

“Hitting on you,” Clint finished. “I’m sure you are.”

She looked at him and flushed. That look in his eyes … was he jealous? Certainly not.

“Well, of course they hit on you,” Mark said. “You’re Lily Lillywhite.”

Lily half-laughed and was grateful for the slight break in tension. She used to hate her name, but she didn’t mind it anymore. Especially when people like Mark and his family said it, people who thought she could do no wrong and would be on her side. Suddenly she was glad she’d told Clint and Mark. Neither of them had acted like she should be ashamed that she hadn’t broken out of the nightmare yet or that she was at fault.

Clint smiled, his face crinkling as beautifully as any ideal sheriff cowboy’s face should. “He’s not wrong,” Clint said, and her own eyes widened as Mark grinned widely. “You were saying the doctor was an annoyance?”

She nodded, wringing her hands. “My relationship with Miles kept him at bay. I prayed he’d grow bored of rejection. But it kept going, and with my supervisor cautioning me not to report anything, I didn’t know what to do.”

“Your supervisor should’ve supported you,” Clint muttered, indignant.

Lily swallowed hard, touched by his support more than she could express.

“You haven’t told anyone but your supervisor?”

“I hadn’t even told my sisters.” It was humiliating to admit, and her throat felt scratchy. She hated crying and hoped she wouldn’t.

“You’ve dealt with this alone?” Clint’s voice was soft with compassion.

Lily was always independent and didn’t seek help, but Clint’s understanding and his tender voice was a much-needed balm.

She blinked quickly and luckily no tears escaped.

“I just kept dealing with it and trying to avoid him,” she admitted, the familiar shame coursing through her. “I didn’t want to upset everybody. My parents love Dr. Hampshire. Grandma was in heart failure when he started working with her. The cardiologist they drove her four hours to in Missoula claimed she had three to six months left. Dr. Hampshire moved in and tried some cutting-edge treatments and a different mix of medication, vitamins, dietary restrictions, and exercise, and she’s improved significantly. He is an incredible cardiologist and has taken a personal interest in Grandma, given her better quality of life, and extended her life.”

“All so he can coerce her granddaughter into dating him?” Mark asked.

She shrugged, wishing she could tell Mark and Clint how much she appreciated them being on her side. “It feels like that, but he’s almost worshipped at the hospital. I seem to be the only one who has any issue with him. I’ve tried to feel out the other nurses and they all rave about him. It’s made it even harder to solve the issue and stop him.”

“I’m sorry you’ve dealt with this,” Clint said. “You’re very brave to fight through it, and on your own to boot, Lily.”

Lily stared at him, and the tears she’d been fighting sprung to her eyes. She hadn’t felt brave. Not at all. “Excuse me for a moment.” She jumped to her feet and rushed to the bathroom, closing the door softly behind her. Splashing water on her face, blowing her nose, and saying a quick prayer, she hoped she could keep the tears at bay. Otherwise, she was afraid she’d throw herself at Clint. He was not only the most handsome and imposing sheriff in the west; he was also understanding and kind.

“It’s a weird obsession this dude has,” Mark was saying as she walked back to the table. “We know Lily’s the most charitable and beautiful nurse around, but a respected, single doc like this joker should have plenty of women interested in him.”

Clint nodded, studying her as she settled into the seat. “Maybe just a power play or wanting what he can’t have?”

“Could be.” Mark looked at her. “Is he handsome?”

“Yes,” she admitted.

Clint’s mouth tightened. Lily wanted to reassure him that nobody was as handsome as him, not to her. Besides, she wouldn’t date Dr. Hampshire if he was the last man on earth.

“Have her stay at your parents’ ranch,” Mark suggested.

Lily thought the world of the Coleville family. Her mama and Millie were the dearest of friends. But she didn’t want to stay there, not after recently breaking up with Miles, maybe being fake engaged to Clint, and worrying if Walker would find a time to express his interest. Her parents reported he’d stopped by while she was at work earlier in the week and yesterday. She had no desire to reject the handsome steer roper. Any woman would be thrilled to date him. She glanced at his older brother. But who could possibly compare to Sheriff Clint?

“It’s … a busy time for them right now,” Clint said with an exchanged glance with Mark that she didn’t understand.

“Breeding the bulls?” she guessed.

Clint focused on her and didn’t answer her question. “You’ll stay with me.”

The happy leap of her stomach earlier had nothing on the exhilarating roller coaster ride that was happening inside her right now. “Pardon me?” she managed, her throat thick and not from withheld tears this time.

Clint nodded as if it was decided. He stood and offered her a hand, pulling her to her feet and much too close to him. She put her free hand on his forearm to steady herself. “Please pack what you need for at least a few weeks.”

“Clint. I can’t just … stay with you.”

“Why not? I have plenty of space.”

She had never been inside his home but thought the exterior of the two-story country-style home was lovely—wide gray planks, white trim, black shutters, loads of windows, and a wraparound porch.

Maybe she didn’t want plenty of space. Maybe she wanted to be cozy with this handsome sheriff.

“People will talk,” she said. “We’re not married.”

He gave her an enticing grin that made her knees quiver. “Now there’s an idea,” he said in that husky voice she wanted to record and play back when she was missing him.

Mark hooted. “I like it. Let’s get you two hitched and this annoying doc will stay far away. Nobody would dare mess with our tough Sheriff’s wife.”

Clint arched an eyebrow at her as if questioning whether she agreed. She couldn’t believe what they were suggesting. Fake married. She’d be ecstatic to date and marry Clint someday, if he was interested and chose to pursue her, but she wasn’t messing with the sanctity of marriage, even if it got Dr. Hampshire off her back and brought her closer to Clint.

“Oh, my goodness.” She pulled away from him. “I’m not roping you into some fake marriage. I’ll go pack my things.” She whirled away and hurried to her bedroom before she could see how Clint reacted to her words.

Married?

Her heart raced out of control. No way could she handle being fake married to Clint. Being fake engaged and staying at his home was already too much to handle.

She’d be safe from Dr. Hampshire. But at what cost? If she and Clint were still a no, she couldn’t handle being close to him and knowing it wasn’t what he wanted.

Did he still love Sheryl Dracon? Could he ever love Lily?

Neither question mattered right now. She had to focus on being grateful she was safe, she’d bravely shared her story, and neither Clint nor Mark had shamed her or questioned her interpretation of things. They’d both been supportive and kind, especially Clint. It was a relief to have shared what was happening and to know she had two strong men on her side.

Maybe things would finally come to a head with Dr. Hampshire and that awful chapter of manipulation could be finished.

Where would that leave her and Clint?

You … me … it’s a no.

Her hands shook as she packed her clothes. She wanted her and Clint to be a yes. That could never happen.