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he started
the truck and made his way into town. The market was in full swing with plenty
of people wandering around. He parked the truck along the street next to the
mechanic shop. Brent and Jake stopped working the moment they saw him. He
ignored them both and helped Zoe out of the truck.
    The moment they saw her, they moved
over. Several of the girls had stopped near a bench next to the shop. Their
giggles as they stared at all three of them drove Connor crazy.
    “Zoe,” Jake said. He lifted her hand
and kissed her knuckles.
    “It sounds like you have a bunch of
admirers,” she said.
    Connor cursed. “They’re annoying
little school-girls, Zoe. Nothing to feel threatened by.”
    She turned to stare at him. He saw
the flash of hurt in her eyes. Her walls came up firmly in place. “I’ve got to
go. Thanks for the ride.” She brushed past him, and in the next second she’d
disappeared into the crowd.
    “Wow, what did you do to her,
Connor?” Brent asked.
    “I’m not giving up, and it’s pissing
her off. Have either of you two heard of Bill?” He stared at his two friends.
    They both shook their heads.
    “What’s up?”
    “I was coming out of Zoe’s apartment
over near the trailer parks. A guy was waiting for her. I don’t like him. He
stinks of awful shit.”
    “Maybe he just needs a shower?” Jake
said.
    Connor didn’t rise to the bait of
the joke. “I don’t think so. I didn’t get that vibe from him.”
    Cheryl came out of the shop followed
by Noah and Drew. Connor watched as both men embraced her before she walked off
to where she worked. He wanted that. He wanted Zoe to visit him with a smile
and treats and be happy to be their woman.
    Connor rubbed his chest as an ache
began to fill him.
    “Go and ask the sheriff. I’m sure
he’ll know something if that’s the case.”
    He nodded then made his way back to
work. The sound of the giggling school kids was driving him crazy. Zoe filled
his mind, and all he thought about was the frustration of the fact he didn’t
have her.
    If he didn’t catch her soon, he was
going to lose his mind.
    ****
    Several days later
    Brent sat at the bar watching Zoe
work. Connor and Jake were at home. Connor had fallen asleep after being awake
for nearly forty-eight hours. When he started with the insomnia, Jake and Brent
let him sleep whenever he could. Brent was under no illusion that he’d be out
watching Zoe during the night.
    Vicki handed him a beer. “Why are
you alone?” she asked.
    “The others have left me,” Brent
said, never once taking his eyes off the woman at the far end of the bar. Since
the moment he’d taken his seat, she’d made sure to stay as far away from him as
possible.
    “Are you three still determined to
have her?”
    “That’s none of your business,
sweetheart.” He handed her some money.
    “I just think you’re wasting your
time with her. She clearly doesn’t want anything to do with you.”
    “Shut up, Vicki.”
    “You’re all panting after her like
lovesick puppies. Is that why you’re still here?” Vicki asked.
    Brent glared at her. He saw she
didn’t mean anything bad by what she was saying. “It’s none of your business.”
    “Zoe intends to leave Law Castle in
the next couple of weeks. I heard her talking about it the other day.”
    That was news to Brent. He didn’t
like it. “Thanks for the beer.” He remained in his seat.
    She threw her hands in the air in
exasperation. The Dugout was busy once again. Tristan Carmichael, the local
Sheriff and all around bad-ass, took the seat next to him. The guy had more
tattoos than Brent did. Tristan was forty-five years old with a heart made of
stone. He’d declined to be part of the Law Castle Bad Boys. Brent had a lot of
respect for the Sheriff. He kept the town clean, at least most of it.  
    “Connor came to see me the other
day,” Tristan said, raising his hand to get the attention of the barmaids.
Brent smirked when he saw Vicki purposefully be busy and send