The Comeback Cowboy & The Accidental Sheriff by Cathy McDavid

Author:Cathy McDavid
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Two

Carolina arrived at work twenty minutes early, as was her habit. She liked getting a jump on the day, though lately she felt there wasn’t much for her to get a jump on. While grabbing a cup of coffee in the staff lounge, she contemplated various program ideas and tried to formulate a new approach with her boss. Being shot down seven times in a row had only increased her determination to take on a greater, more respected role than that of morning traffic director.

Step one in her life-redirecting plan.

Cup in hand, she headed toward the cluster of cubicles, one of which she shared with her counterpart, the evening traffic director. A friendly voice stopped her.

“Morning, Carolina.”

“Hey, Adrian.”

The techie—Carolina wasn’t sure of his exact title because he did a little of everything—fell in step beside her.

“How was the wedding?”

“Wonderful. Perfect. The happy couple are leaving today for a ten-day cruise of the Caribbean.”

“I heard you smashed your new car.”

“My niece did, actually. It’s not too bad.” At least that was what she kept telling herself. “I have an appointment at the body shop after work.”

“Hey, listen.” Adrian turned suddenly shy. “My brother scored a couple extra tickets to the jazz concert at the casino October sixteenth. You want to go?”

Carolina flashed him a wide smile, hoping it would help ease the letdown. “Sorry, Adrian, I can’t.”

“Other plans?”

“Yeah.” Her plans didn’t involve a date but rather step two of her life-redirecting plan.

As recently as last week, she might have accepted Adrian’s invitation, despite the six-year age difference. Carolina wasn’t bound by convention and had dated men both younger and decades older than her.

Today, however, marked a change in policy. Henceforth, she refused to go out with anyone who didn’t genuinely appeal to her—which made Neil Lovitt the only candidate.

Until yesterday she’d considered him a lost cause. But then he’d smiled at her and told her he was looking forward to seeing her again. Carolina recognized interest when she saw it. Whether Deputy Sheriff Lovitt would act on it was another thing.

Not that she was planning to wait and see. Carolina had every intention of eliciting another smile from him and finding out how far it would lead.

Her boss, the news director, poked his head around his cubicle. “Carolina. Good, you’re here. I need to see you.” His head promptly disappeared.

“Catch you later, Adrian.”

“Sure.” He lumbered off, eyes glued to the carpet, the bounce gone from his gait.

For an instant, she regretted her actions. Maybe later she’d offer to bring him back some lunch. That should help restore his good mood and reestablish that their relationship was strictly platonic.

“What’s up, Ward?” She sat on the visitor chair squeezed into a narrow space between her boss’s desk and the cubicle wall.

“I need you to pull double duty today. Melanie called in sick.”

“Oh, okay.” Carolina periodically covered for deejays. While the position was considered senior to hers, she didn’t think it was anywhere near as enjoyable or challenging as the one she had in her sights—roving announcer.

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