Underestimated Part 6

"Good morning, Sheriff," I said and nervously moved my eyes away from his.

That wasn't the only day that Dawson showed up.

He was there every morning after that. I tried not to let things be awkward between us. I also made little comments about not being interested in romance or dating, hoping that he got the hint.

My week was going well. I had managed to get the entire front of the store reorganized and looking like a new place. I worked late into the night, mostly because it did wear me out and I slept better.

My next project was the office, and I had to keep telling myself that the store was just as bad, and the outcome was well worth the work. I was going to start on it as soon as I had locked up on Friday. I was on the phone with Starlight wanting to know how things were going when Dawson walked in.

What the h.e.l.l is he doing here?

He only smiled and took the last little bit of coffee from the pot.

I finished up my conversation with Starlight after telling her that things were going great and not to worry and have a good time.

I started rinsing the pots and cleaning up when Levi walked in, as well.

"h.e.l.lo," I said, surprised that he was there. I had only seen him in there once since I had started.

"Hey, Riley. How are you?"

"Good, Levi, and you?" I asked as I continued to clean up.

Levi and Dawson exchanged greetings, and Levi turned his attention back to me.

"Ms. Riley, would you like to accompany me to dinner tonight?" he asked, and my mouth dropped.

No, I wouldn't.

"Thanks for the offer, Levi, but I am not leaving here for a while. I need to get some things done in the office, and I can't really do it until I close the store."

"How about I bring us food here?"

Now what the h.e.l.l do I say? Just be blunt and tell him Ry.

"Levi, I appreciate the offer, but I'm really not interested. Okay?" I asked, hoping he understood that I wasn't going to date him.

"Okay, but just so you know, I don't give up easily."

Great.

"I'll see you around." He nodded to the sheriff and was gone.

"Turning down Levi Straits uh?" Dawson said with some sort of stupid s.e.xy grin that made me crazy.

"Yes. I guess so."

"Why?"

None of your business.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Not interested in men," I said matter-of-fact.

He looked at me with narrowed eyes. "Were you married before moving here?"

"Yes," I said with only that and continued to clean up the coffee bar.

"How long?"

I looked at him, hoping that he could read my face and take the hint that I didn't want to talk about my past with him. "Six years," I replied.

"Was it ruthless or mutual?"

Okay, now I am getting a little annoyed.

"Mutual," I lied. "What are you doing here?" I bluntly asked.

He snickered. "I was going to ask you out to dinner, but now I am afraid to."

"I would say no anyway."

"I didn't ask you out on a date. Just because you are not the same s.e.x as me, doesn't mean that we can't be friends, does it?"

"We are friends, but I still don't think dinner is a good idea."

"Why? You do eat, don't you?"

I snickered that time. "Yeah. I eat, but I wasn't lying about tackling the office tonight."

"How about you give the makeover a break and go out to eat with me. Not on a date, just as friends. You've been in here from daylight to dark all week. Take a break."

Say no Riley, say no.

"Fine, I need to go home and shower."

"Me too, you didn't think that I was going to take you out in this, did you?" he asked, looking down at his uniform.

"You're not taking me out. We are going to get food, something we both need."

He laughed. "I'll pick you up at your house in an hour."

My house!?!

"Okay, see ya in a little while."

I groaned as soon as he was out the door. Why can't I just learn to say no? Why was that such a challenge for me?

Because you were never allowed to say no, that's why, but you can now you coward.

Chapter 4.

Dawson picked me up in his pickup truck. He got out and opened the door for me. I was chastising myself as soon as I saw him in his jeans, b.u.t.ton up s.h.i.+rt and brown leather loafers. I reprimanded myself again when I breathed in his cologne.

"You look very nice," he commented, and I gave him a look.

"This is not a date remember?" I said but was smiling on the inside.

He playfully put his hands in the air and laughed.

"I am sorry, but it's really hard not to notice how nice your a.s.s looks in those jeans."

How many shades of red are there?

"You are definitely not allowed to say stuff like that."

He laughed and closed my door.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Put your seatbelt on, we're going into Marshall and eat ribs at 'Hogly Wogley's."

"I was going to put my seatbelt on, sheriff," I said, and he laughed.

We were talking about the coffee shop while we drove through the little town. When we pa.s.sed the bar that Lauren had taken me to, Dawson pulled into the parking lot. I wondered what he was doing, and then I saw what he was doing.

"Stay in the truck," he said and got out.

I rolled down the window so I could listen. He grabbed a guy off of another guy who was punching him in the face. He jerked him to his feet and stood between the two men.

"What the h.e.l.l are you doing, Mike?" he asked, holding him by the chest.

"He started it. Tell him to keep his mouth shut about s.h.i.+t he doesn't know anything about," the guy yelled, angrily, pointing his finger at his opponent.

"Tim, what's this all about?" he said turning to the other guy.

"Dude, I didn't mean to p.i.s.s you off. I didn't know Chuck was your boss."

Dawson facilitated the conversation and in no time had the two men calmed down.

"Are we done here?" he asked them. They both said yes.

"Good, shake hands and go drink a beer. No drinking and driving," he warned and left with the two guys walking back inside as friends.

I looked up to the crowd that had gathered out front and saw Levi staring right at me.

Oh, how nice.

He gave me a nod, and I did the same.

"Sorry about that," Dawson said as we backed up.

"It's okay, but you just got me in trouble. Levi was there."

"And you care?"

"No, not necessarily, but I did blow him off, remember?"

"Trust me, Riley, Levi Straits is not going home alone tonight."

Well, I'm glad I did shoot him down then.

We ate the best and messiest ribs I had ever tasted in my life. There was nothing elegant about them at all. I couldn't help but think about Drew eating something that messy. He would have had his little servant there picking the meat off the bone for him.

I had a good time with Dawson, and we talked and laughed about nothing at all. That too made me think about Drew. I had never in the six years that I was married to him, laughed with him. Yes, I am sure that I faked many laughs, but this was different. Dawson was just a charming funny guy, and so much fun to be around.

Dawson had no sooner dropped me off when Lauren walked uninvited through my front door.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going out with Dawson?" she spouted.

"I didn't know that I was," I replied.

"Levi called me. He said you blew him off to go for Dawson."

"Levi wanted to take me on a date. Dawson and I are just friends."

"Do you really believe that, Ry?"

"What?" I asked surprised, "that we are just friends?"

"Yes."

"Of course I believe it. There was nothing romantic about it."

"Yeah okay, whatever."

"There wasn't, and I am not dating Dawson, Levi or anyone else. Now stop it."

"Let's go to the bar," she said letting it go.

"Um, no. I am staying home."

"Come on, Ry. Don't make me go by myself."