Underestimated by Jettie Woodruff Read Free Book Online Page A

grasped my nightgown at my
    chest, and squeezed the material in a tight fist, trying to tell
    my heart that it was okay, and I was safe in my own home
    in Maine. I brushed the damp hair from my forehead and
    got out of bed. It was too early to be awake, and I knew I
    needed to sleep, but I couldn’t. I was too freaked out. I
    made a cup of hot tea. Starlight had given it to me the day
    before when she had told me that I looked tired. She said
    that it was a relaxing tea and would help me sleep. I dozed
    back off on the sofa, wrapped in the fuzzy warm blanket
    from the back of the couch. I woke to the sound of my
    alarm going off in my room.
    I yawned, still tired as I drove the short drive into
    town. I parked my car in the back and unlocked the door. I
    had no sooner gotten the first coffee machine brewing
    when I jumped, startled at the tap on the door. I breathed a
    sigh of relief when I saw the town sheriff, smiling at the
    door, remembering Starlight telling me that he hung out
    there on Saturday mornings.
    “Good morning,” he said, stepping in as I unlocked
    the door for him, “Didn’t mean to startle you,” he added.
    “Good morning,” I returned, and continued to get
    the five machines up and running. “I guess I am not quite
    as fast as Starlight,” I said as he sat at one of the small
    tables.
    “Actually, I’m a little early this morning. You’re
    fine,” he assured me.
    Phyllis showed up with the pastries next.
    “Morning, Sheriff,” she spoke, placing the goodies
    on the counter.
    “Good morning, Phyllis. Please tell me you
    brought those little raspberry filled Danishes today.”
    “You’re in luck, I did,” she smiled.
    Phyllis didn’t stick around and had to get going to
    open her own little shop.
    “Coffee is ready,” I said to the sheriff, not turning
    to look at him.
    I walked behind the counter with my own cup of
    coffee, and he poured himself a cup.
    “My name is Dawson, by the way,” he said stirring
    the cream into his coffee.
    I snickered a little on accident.
    His eyebrows rose as he looked at me. I felt my
    face blush from embarrassment.
    “What?” he asked, and my face became even
    redder. I was sure of it.
    “I’m Riley,” I said, trying to smooth over my
    dreadful outburst.
    “Nice to meet you, Riley. Why are you laughing at
    me?”
    I couldn’t help but laugh again. “I wasn’t laughing
    at you. I was just thinking how much your name fits your
    job description. You know, sheriff in a small town by the
    name of Dawson.”
    He laughed too and sat down with his pastry and
    coffee.
    “So what brings you to this small town, Riley?” he
    asked, and I didn’t want to answer questions for a cop. I
    hated intimidating men, not that all men weren’t
    intimidating to me, just some more so than others, and a
    uniformed man with a gun was one of the others.
    “I’m not sure I have figured that out myself yet,
    sheriff,” I said, and busied myself wiping down the
    counter in front of me.
    I wished someone else would come in, preferably
    the same sex as me.
    He snorted. “You can call me Dawson,” he said,
    and I blushed again. What the hell is wrong with me?
    I only smiled and pretended to be busy. He read
    his paper, and I was happy to see the three older men that
    seemed to drink my coffee faster than I could make it,
    come in for their morning cup of Joe. I knew them by name
    because Starlight had told me, and although they were all
    exceptionally friendly, they never really spoke to me. I
    think that is why I liked them so much.
    I was getting a little nervous when another group
    of men came in, pouring coffee and eating the pastries.
    How the hell was I supposed to remember who ate what,
    and how much to charge each of the five construction
    workers? I was now alone with nine men, and for
    absolutely no reason I felt extremely uneasy.
    I was never so happy in my life to see Lauren
    come bouncing in. She got a cup of coffee and sat on the
    stool behind the counter