Pausing for a moment, he looked up and down the main street of Moonlight Cove, soaking in the small-town charm and tranquility that had drawn him here. Setting his jaw, he started walking back to the station, one thought foremost in his mind: as long as the town was all he was drawn to, he’d be just fine.
* * *
Her cheeks still warm, Phoebe started wiping off the already clean counter. She surreptitiously watched Sheriff Winters go, liking the confident way he carried himself and his decidedly male way of moving. She didn’t want to let on to Molly that she found him attractive, though. Oh, no. That would be a disaster.
As the resident matchmaker, Molly would grab ahold of any tidbit of Phoebe’s interest and never let go. When it came to getting people together, Molly was tenacious. Especially since she’d found true love recently and was engaged to be married to Grant Roderick next month. As far as Molly was concerned, everyone needed the happiness she’d found with Grant.
Especially Phoebe.
Phoebe was having none of it.
Molly interrupted her thoughts. “Sooo,” she said, her voice high, as if she were curious and scheming at the same time. “He seemed nice.”
Very nice, indeed. Phoebe kept wiping the counter, carefully moving and putting back the metal napkin dispensers as she went. “Yes, he did.”
“Handsome, too.” Molly tapped a finger on the counter. “I’ve always thought dark hair and eyes were a good combination.”
Actually, Phoebe found the combination very appealing on the sheriff, too. Not that she’d let Molly know that. “Really? Hmm. I guess so.”
“He’s tall, too,” Molly said. “I like a tall man.”
“I suppose.” Being tall herself, Phoebe had always preferred bigger guys.
“In good shape I’d say.”
Phoebe stopped wiping the counter and frowned at Molly. “How do you know he’s in good shape?” She scoffed. “It wasn’t like he was dressed in workout gear.”
Molly grinned, her blue eyes sparkling. “Let’s just say he filled out the uniform just right.”
Phoebe’s cheeks heated again. Yes, he had made the uniform look mighty good. What was it about a man in uniform, anyway?
Truthfully, when Phoebe had come out of the back and saw him standing in the middle of her store, she’d actually stopped and stared. Sheriff Winters was easy on the eyes, no doubt about it, all tall, dark and handsome. The blue uniform added interest, of course, but she was pretty sure he’d look good in anything he wore.
“I guess so,” Phoebe said offhandedly, throwing the towel in the bin under the counter. “I wasn’t really paying attention.” Well, maybe a little…
Molly snorted. “Oh, come on, Phoebe. A woman would have to be blind not to notice how good-looking he was.”
No kidding. “So he was handsome,” Phoebe said, shrugging. “So are half of the guys in this town.” Actually, maybe a quarter of the guys around Moonlight Cove. On a good day.
“I didn’t notice a wedding ring,” Molly said, resting her chin on her fist. “I’ve heard he’s single. Divorced, actually.”
Really? Very interesting. A handsome single dad…
With a mental admonition, Phoebe jerked her thoughts back to where they belonged—figuring out how to derail Molly the matchmaking train.
Phoebe held up her hands. “Okay, Moll, let’s just cut to the chase.” Sometimes direct was the way to go when Molly was on a matchmaker tear.
Molly blinked, the picture of blushing innocence. “About what?”
“Don’t try to act like you’re not on another one of your matchmaking quests.” Phoebe adjusted the straw holder on the counter to its proper position. “I could see your ploy coming from a mile away.”
Molly’s chin went up. “So what if I am? Can I help it if I want you to find the same happiness I have?”
Reminder time. Again. “I’m not interested in dating.” Phoebe hoisted up a brow. “Remember?”
“But—”
“You know this, and you know why.” Phoebe drew in a large breath. “I don’t want to date anyone ever again.” She’d found true love once in Justin, and when he’d died two weeks before their long-awaited wedding…well, sadly, inevitably, so had her hopes for love.
Molly came over, then drew Phoebe into a hug and squeezed her tight. She moved back, her green eyes intent on Phoebe’s face. “But what if there’s someone else out there for you?”
Phoebe’s eyes burned, and she pulled away, then wiped a waffle-cone crumb off one of the stools. “There isn’t,” she said, covering up the sadness and emptiness her words brought forth with an emphatic tone. “You know I don’t believe in second chances.”
“I didn’t, either, and I found Grant,” Molly said.
“I’m not you. Justin was it for me, and I’m okay with that.” What other choice did she have? Jump back into another relationship, just waiting for something bad to happen, for her heart to be ripped out of her chest? No, thank you.
Molly opened her mouth to speak. To argue, Phoebe was sure.
She held up a rigid hand again. “No, Molly.” She had to be ruthless here or Molly would go into matchmaker overdrive and have double-wedding plans mapped out in no time flat. “I am not interested in dating anyone, so don’t try and fix me up with the new sheriff. Besides, he has a kid.” She swept the pile of contraband off the counter into a bowl before Molly noticed it. “A preteen.” She sighed. “I don’t think that’s God’s plan for me.
“You’d be a great mom,” Molly said.
Longing pierced Phoebe’s heart, and words stuck in her throat. Sadly, with no chance for a husband, kids weren’t in her future. She simply shook her head.
“Well, I think you’re making a mistake,” Molly said. “Love comes when you expect it the least.”
“Love? You’re getting a little ahead of yourself here.” Phoebe laughed, but it sounded hollow.
Molly’s words had a knot forming in Phoebe’s chest; oh, how she wished she could convert to Molly’s way of thinking. But she couldn’t. Justin had been her one true love, and there wouldn’t be another. Period.
“No, I’d be making a mistake if I let you fix me up with anyone when I’m sure I’m never going to fall in love again,” Phoebe said. “Total waste of time.”
“I didn’t want to fall in love, either,” Molly said. “And I was wrong.”
“I’m not wrong about this,” Phoebe stated. “So please back off and quit trying to convince me otherwise.”
Molly reluctantly agreed, then said goodbye to go back to work.
Phoebe headed toward the freezer to check inventory, and her eyes snagged on the candy under the counter she’d confiscated from Heidi Winters. Unbidden, memories of Carson Winters’s dark, chocolate-brown eyes and stunning smile flashed in her brain. He really was a handsome guy.
On top of that, she had to admit she liked the way he’d dealt with his daughter’s shenanigans. He seemed levelheaded, fair, and as if he took his parenting responsibilities very seriously.
She’d downplayed her reaction to Carson in order to keep Molly’s matchmaking instincts in check. But, truthfully, the new sheriff had piqued Phoebe’s interest.
She