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Louellen and her friend paused in their shit-talking. “Thirty-two, why?”

“Because you’re acting like you’re a fifth grader,” she countered. “Grow up and find something to talk about. Not someone.”

Louellen snorted. “Why? It’s not like she cares. You don’t care that we’re talking about you, do’ya, Jessamy?”

“She cares,” Zee said as Brianna brought both of our drinks over.

“Thank you, Brianna.” I waved. “We’ll get out of your hair.”

Brianna nodded.

“We’re not leaving,” Zee said. “We’re going to sit right here and not talk badly about people.”

I closed my eyes. “Zee…”

“Don’t Zee me.” Zee pointed. “Sit!”

I sat, but as far away from Louellen and her friend as I could get.

Brianna winked at me as I sat, and I realized that she had no problem with me sitting there and staying a while.

I relaxed slightly in my seat and leveled a look at Zee.

“I earned my reputation, you know.”

“I’m sure you did if everyone treated you like that.” She narrowed her gaze at the two women. “They’re the ones that act like assholes, and then they get upset when you don’t tolerate it.”

I took a sip of my latte and sighed.

“Brianna always makes these so perfectly,” I said, changing the subject.

We enjoyed our chat for a solid five minutes before I saw the sheriff’s department vehicle pull up outside of the coffee shop.

Son of a bitch.

I glanced over at Louellen’s table and narrowed my eyes.

She waved.

I went back to sipping my coffee. “Here we go.”

“Here we go…what are they doing here?” Zee asked, startled to see two deputies walking inside, side by side.

One of them was Gentry.

However, the other was the newest deputy, Dempsey.

And she couldn’t stand me.

I, apparently, was too argumentative, and she didn’t tolerate that kind of behavior.

But she was shit out of luck, because that was my default attitude.

Especially when I was dealing with a woman that was blatantly obvious about having a thing for the sheriff.

The same man that I couldn’t stop thinking about.

Ever.