Imperfect Justice Read online

  Royce’s throat bobbed as he turned to gaze out of the window into the darkness. “Does he know?”

  “No. But he’s going to find out. You and I are the only ones who know so far.”

  Royce’s eyes widened in surprise. “Ty doesn’t know yet? What about Becky?”

  Jared shook his head, his chest tight and aching. “The doctor pulled me aside just as we were leaving.” He punched a finger into Royce’s chest. “You should have been there with me.”

  Nodding, Royce slumped down into a chair. “Shit, I’m sorry. Jesus, I can’t even imagine Dad…I mean, he’s always been a tough son of a bitch, ya know?”

  Jared sat back down and placed his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “I know. We’ve got to stick together so we can all get through this.”

  “That’s why you were drinking tonight,” Royce stated, knowledge in his eyes.

  “It didn’t help.” Jared sat back in the chair with a groan. “The only thing I’ve done is give myself a pounding headache and an upset stomach.”

  Royce laughed and slapped Jared on the back. “The secret to never getting a hangover is to not stop drinking.”

  “Not an option.” Jared gave his brother a hard look. “I mean it, bro. You need to straighten up and fly right. With Dad sick we can’t trust him to make decisions for the ranch and holdings any more. Ty’s going to need help on the ranch. If all four of us pull together we’ll be okay.”

  “You always sound so sure of yourself, little brother. You really believe what you’re saying at all times, don’t you?”

  It wasn’t that Jared believed what he was saying was true, it was more that he hoped it was. He’d do whatever he needed to do to hold his family together.

  Misty dumped her suitcase inside the door of her tiny apartment and stripped out of her coat, boots, and gloves. The temperature on her dash had read a numbing five below zero and she was darn glad to be in her own home. A home that wasn’t much warmer than outside.

  Rubbing her arms, she turned up the thermostat several degrees but also flipped on the space heater she used to supplement the ancient heating unit. She’d turned the thermostat down when she’d left for Seattle but then it had been a balmy thirty degrees outside. Anyone who lived in weather like this knew thirty felt much warmer than zero.

  The apartment was small but it was all hers. She didn’t have to worry about anyone else but herself and that alone was wonderful. It was really only one large room plus a bathroom, but she’d taken the time to decorate it in the bright colors she loved so much. The daybed, covered in a mound of pillows, called to her tired and aching body. She’d been on the road for hours and she needed rest to clear her muddled mind.

  Although her confusion might be more from Jared Monroe’s kiss than lack of sleep.

  She wasn’t a woman that went around kissing people. And to be honest, she didn’t think the sheriff was either. He’d always seemed serious about his work, not a party boy like his older brother. Perhaps she’d overreacted and made it more of a big deal than it really was.

  The sheriff had a few too many drinks.

  He’d kissed and teased her.

  He hadn’t groped her or propositioned her or anything gross.

  He’d probably forgotten all about it by now. She was the one turning this molehill into a mountain.

  The best thing she could do is go to bed and forget the whole thing ever happened. Except that it had happened and she couldn’t put it out of her mind. There was only one thing to do. Misty picked up her phone and quickly typed out a text.

  R u awake?

  Misty held her breath and waited, hoping that Rayne was having another bout of insomnia. Her best friend lived right across the hall and she’d become the sister Misty had never had. They often spent late nights watching movies and talking until they both finally fell asleep.

  Yes. R u home?

  Yes.

  B there in 2.

  Misty sighed in relief and went straight to the kitchen to start heating some milk for hot chocolate. She would tell the one person in the world she trusted what had happened tonight over a cup of steaming cocoa.

  “Come here and give me a hug, girl. I’ve missed you.”

  Rayne knew how to make an entrance. A pretty brunette, she seemed to vibrate with energy twenty-four hours a day and this occasion was no different. She burst through the front door wearing ratty sweats and a huge smile, arms open. Rayne was in the same boat as Misty as far as the town of Fielding was concerned. She’d moved here to be close to her sister who had married a local, but her dark hair streaked with purple, multiple piercings, and tattoo-covered body put off most people.

  But Rayne had a heart of gold. She’d quickly seen how lonely and solitary Misty’s life was and made it her mission to be the best friend ever.

  Misty gave Rayne a hug, feeling better than she had all night. Just talking about things would calm her and enable her to sleep. She would miss Rayne’s easy-going friendship when she moved to Seattle.

  “Relax and have a seat. I’m making hot chocolate.”

  Rayne sprawled on the couch with a smile. “Double marshmallows for me. So how was your trip? Tell me every detail, although I should say don’t tell me anything. I can’t believe you’re leaving me and moving. I’m going to miss you so much.”

  “I’m going to miss you too. I wish you would come with me. I’m sure you could get a job in any tattoo shop in the city. You have real talent.”

  “Thank you, but my sister…” Rayne’s sister was pregnant and she wanted to be close by.

  “I know. You’ll just have to come visit me, that’s all. And as for the trip, it was fine. I sold some paintings and made some money. All good. It was when I arrived in Fielding that something happened.”

  Rayne’s brow went up. “Something happened in Fielding? I guess there’s a first time for everything. Sit down and tell me.”

  Misty poured out two large mugs of hot chocolate, dumped in some marshmallows, and settled down on the other end of the sofa. Handing a cup to Rayne, Misty wasn’t sure where to begin.

  “I was driving home,” she began. “Coming down Main Street.”

  Rayne blew on the steaming liquid and then took an experimental sip. “This is good. I was up reading since I couldn’t sleep and I was out of marshmallows. Go on.”

  “There was a man sitting in front of the B&B and I was worried because I thought he might have frozen to death or something. So I pulled over to check on him.”

  Rayne set the mug down on the coffee table. “Let me get this straight. You stopped in the middle of the night in front of a bar to check on some guy who might or might not be dead but could have been drunk and packing a gun or knife? Have you lost your mind? You could have been killed. I know you go overboard caring for people but this was dangerous.”

  Misty shook her head. “No, no, no. It wasn’t like that. It was the sheriff.”

  That statement seemed to take Rayne aback. “The sheriff? You have my attention. Was he okay?”

  “He’d had a few too many and was waiting for a cab. I was afraid to leave him in case they didn’t show so I offered him a ride home.”

  “I swear you are the original Girl Scout. Did he accept? Damn, he is one fine man. I wouldn’t mind having to give him a ride home one day. Maybe I could convince him that he was lonely and needed some company.”

  “He did accept. So I drove him home…and it was really windy…”

  “And?” Rayne prompted. “Did you have trouble with your car? You should shoot that thing and put it out of its misery.”

  “No,” Misty said slowly. Now that the time had come to tell Rayne about the kiss Misty was wondering if maybe she shouldn’t say anything at all. Rayne had made her opinions of Misty’s love life – or lack thereof – very plain. “He was a little unsteady on his feet so I helped him into the house. I made him some coffee and found some aspirin.”

  “That was sweet and certainly above and beyond the call of duty. I
hope he was sufficiently grateful.”

  Misty felt the heat rise in her cheeks and her heart rate pick up. “He did thank me…with…a kiss.”

  Rayne’s eyes went wide with astonishment. “A kiss, huh? I knew the sheriff was hot. How was it? You didn’t have a case of the vapors and faint on him, did you?”

  “I did not.” Misty’s tone was indignant. “I–I kissed him back.”

  “Now that is good news,” Rayne approved with a grin. “Now answer my question. How was it? Is he as good as he looks? That man is sex on a stick.”

  “It was good. I guess. All we did was kiss and then I jumped up from the couch and left. The only reason he did it was because he’d had too much to drink.”

  Now she was feeling like an idiot.

  “Good? Then you ran away?” Rayne groaned and rolled her eyes. “What am I going to do with you? The hottest guy in Fielding – maybe in Montana – kisses you and you run for the hills. What were you thinking?”

  That was the problem. Misty hadn’t been thinking at all – only feeling. It had been overwhelming.

  “I was thinking that I didn’t want to be a casual piece of ass to some drunk guy.” Misty slapped her mug down on the coffee table. “Are you saying you think I should have slept with Sheriff Jared Monroe?”

  “What I am saying is that you should sleep with someone,” Rayne shot back. “You could certainly do worse than the sheriff. Everyone says he’s a good man and you never hear a peep of a complaint from his ex-girlfriends. Geez, you dress like a nun, Misty. You might as well be one. Repressing your sexuality isn’t healthy. Like, at all.”

  Misty’s hand went reflexively to the collar of the shirt – buttoned all the way to the top – underneath her sweater. “Just because I don’t show a bunch of skin–”

  “You don’t show any skin,” Rayne interjected, a fierce tone in her voice. “It could be ninety degrees outside and you’re covered head to toe. You’re an attractive woman and the way you hide away from men and life is sad.”

  Misty’s lips trembled with the wave of emotion that ran through her. She and Rayne had discussed this so many times and it never seemed to get any easier. “You know why.”

  Rayne’s expression softened and she patted Misty’s hand. “You don’t want to be like your mom. But can’t you see? You already aren’t like her. She let booze and men run her life, although from what you said she didn’t regret a day of it. She lived life to the fullest in her own way. Going to bed with a sexy man and – dare I say enjoying it – doesn’t make you your mom. It just makes you human. Believe me you don’t want to miss out on one of life’s greatest pleasures.”

  “I’ve had sex and I think you exaggerate.”

  “Tell me again how many times you’ve had sex.”

  Misty had a cringe-worthy image of her college boyfriend standing next to the bed with a disgusted look on his face. She’d been mortified as he’d pulled his clothes back on and explained that he simply couldn’t date a girl who was frigid.

  “You know I’ve only had sex three times with Steve.”

  Rayne snorted. “It could hardly even be called sex from what you told me. He got on top of you and pumped away and then blamed you when you didn’t swoon over his technique. Asshole.”

  Misty pressed a hand to her hot cheek and winced at Rayne’s bald but true statement. “He was an asshole but maybe I am frigid. I didn’t really enjoy it at all. I just wanted it to be over.”

  Rayne took a sip of her cocoa. “How did you feel when the sheriff kissed you? Did you just want that to be over too?”

  “No,” Misty confessed softly. “It felt…”

  She didn’t even have the words for how it had felt except that her body hadn’t even seemed like her own anymore. She’d spent so many years stomping away any semblance of sexual desire and he’d managed to blow a hole in her defenses with one kiss.

  “Yep,” Rayne nodded in satisfaction. “You were kissed by a real man. A man who knows what he’s doing. I bet if you’d gone to bed with him you wouldn’t be talking about all this frigid crap. You’d be smiling. A lot.”

  Misty picked up her cooled mug and took a drink, taking a moment to gather her scattered thoughts. The night had thrown her carefully curated world onto its ear.

  “Well, I didn’t and I doubt I’ll see him again before I leave so it’s over and done with. Besides, starting a relationship with someone when I’m leaving for Seattle doesn’t seem like a smart thing to do.”

  That made Rayne laugh. “A relationship? Honey, I’m not talking about a relationship. I’m talking about a night of passion with a man that knows his way around a woman’s body. Forget the gossips and busybodies in this town and have some fun. What does it matter? You’ll be long gone and people can talk about you all they want. Believe me they’ll lose interest when someone else does something even more juicy.”

  “I’m not going to drive back there and offer myself to him. I guess I’ll have to find another candidate for this night of passion you speak of.”

  “The world is filled with them.”

  That might be true but she’d only come alive with one man.

  Sheriff Jared Monroe.

  Chapter Four

  “Can you fix it?” Misty anxiously asked the garage attendant as he peered under the hood of her car. It had seen better days but for the most part it was reliable transportation. Until today. This afternoon she’d wanted to go to the store but the car wouldn’t start. She’d been forced to call a tow truck and now here she was with the repairman who could make or break her day.

  “Of course I can fix it.” The man gave her a reassuring smile but it did little to bolster her spirits. She was getting ready to start a new life in Seattle and it was much more expensive to live there. Although she was making good money with her paintings, she’d been poor too long to take anything for granted. “It’s probably nothing big. Maybe the alternator or the fuel pump.”

  Misty knew nothing about cars and even less about the internal combustion engine. Was an alternator worse or better than a fuel pump? She hated feeling helpless in any situation but this repairman could rip her off and she’d never know it.

  “Trouble?”

  That deep voice that had been running through her mind was suddenly right behind her. Misty had gone out of her way the last ten days to neither see nor speak to Jared Monroe and so far she’d been successful. He’d been haunting Misty’s dreams every single night since she’d helped him home. Her sleep was punctuated with images of the two of them doing things she’d never pondered until…that kiss.

  She stiffened her spine and turned to face him. He was so tall she had to look up into his handsome face. “Just a little car trouble, Sheriff. No big deal.”

  “That’s good.” The sheriff gave the mechanic a sidelong glance. “And please call me Jared. Sheriff seems too formal.”

  “Fine. Jared,” she said stiffly, wanting him to leave her alone. Her knees were going weak and her heart had sped up to an alarming rate. That couldn’t be healthy.

  The repairman was watching them both, his gaze finally resting on Jared. “Hey, Sheriff. I’ve got the oil changed in your SUV. It’s all ready for you and parked out back. Keys are hung up in the usual spot and we’ll send the bill along at the end of the week.”

  “Thanks, Ray. I appreciate the quick service.”

  “Any time, Sheriff. Day or night.”

  Jared shoved his hat back on his head and strode over to the front office a few feet away.

  The repairman’s gaze swung back to Misty. “So we’ll need to get your car up on the lift to really see what’s wrong. I’ll call you tomorrow with an estimate.”

  “Tomorrow?” Misty echoed with alarm. “You can’t fix it today? I can wait.”

  The man shook his head and nodded to the clock on the wall. “It’s already after two and we have a full day’s work and then some. Tomorrow morning is the best I can do.”

  He tried to sound regretful but he had to k
now she was in a fix. She wasn’t going to have the car towed anywhere else.

  “I’d take it as a personal favor if you would take a look at Miss Foster’s car first thing in the morning, Ray.”

  Misty opened her mouth to object to Jared asking on her behalf but then remembered that she really wanted her only means of transportation back. His words seemed to have a magic effect on the mechanic. The man’s expression grew serious and he scratched a few more things on the clipboard in his hand.

  “I didn’t realize Miss Foster was a friend of yours, Sheriff. I’ll make sure her car is first up in the rotation tomorrow morning.”

  “He’s not my friend.” Her protest came tumbling past her lips before she could censor it. It sounded mean and a little desperate. Her cheeks flamed and she had to take a few deep breaths before speaking again. “What I mean is, Sheriff Monroe is everyone’s friend of course, but I don’t want any special favors.”

  The mechanic looked at her strangely, his bushy dark brows pulled down in question. “It’s no trouble. I’m happy to do the sheriff a favor.”

  “Thank you, Ray. I appreciate it,” Jared interjected smoothly before turning back to Misty, his keys dangling from his fingers. “Looks like you need a ride. I’m going off shift in a few minutes so I can run you home.”

  Misty wanted more than anything to object but the fact was she did need a ride. She just didn’t want it to be with Jared Monroe. She could always get a cab.

  “Um, thank you,” she replied awkwardly. “But I really need to stop at the grocery store. That’s what I was coming into town for.”

  “That’s fine. I need to finish some end of shift paperwork. How about I pick you up in front of the store in about half an hour?”

  He’d swept away her objections so easily she didn’t have any choice. Numbly she nodded and turned to the mechanic who was watching them with great interest.