Page 67 of Guarded Deputy
“I dropped it already, evil thing! Go grab it over there!” Nate yells.
I clutch my stomach, unable to stop laughing enough to help him. The seagull takes the pizza and flies away.
The bird makes a noise that sounds like it’s cracking up, which makes me guffaw. “Is it laughing at me?” he asks incredulously. “Not only does it steal my dinner, it makes fun of me?”
“Oh, you think that’s funny?” He reaches for me, his fingers tickling my ribs without remorse.
“Stop,” I beg, laughing and twitching in his arms, trying to get away.
Now two birds laugh overhead, and Nate tenses. “I do not want to get a black eye from those animals. Listen to them!” He tries to imitate the noise they make, which sounds like laughter. “Ha ha! Ha ha!”He calls after them.“It’s like they are straight up mocking me.” He tilts his head back to look at them.
“That was hilarious.” I giggle.
“I’m glad you enjoyed the show. Now, I’m afraid to eat anymore.”
“And here I thought you were some badass deputy. I may have to change your nickname to Mr. Beat by a Seagull Deputy.”
“Har, har. I can take on a seagull if it isn’t a surprise attack.” He crosses his arms and looks adorable as he pouts.
“You’re cute when you’re defeated.” I jab my finger at his ribs, and he twitches.
“Careful or you’ll be defeated in a tickle fight.”
I arch a brow in challenge, ready to attack, but the seagulls laugh again and Nate stares up at their silhouette in the sky.
“I hope they fly away.” He shakes his head and looks at me. “So, counseling?” He changes the subject back to our previous conversation, and I chuckle.
“Yeah. Either a school counselor or a child therapist. Although my job allows me to help children with their emotions as well as educate them academically, I’ve felt like something is missing.” I polish off the last bite of my pizza and set the plate beside me. Now I’m also afraid of eating anymore in case the seagulls come after me.
“I can understand that. How did you get into teaching?” His body is slightly turned to mine, and his eyes are on me with attentiveness.
“I started substituting while I was finishing college and got offered a job soon after graduation. It’s not always that easy to get a job in a small town, but I got lucky, I guess. I took it and told myself I could go to grad school later on. Four years later, I finally applied.” I lift one hand, palm up.
“That’s great. So you’re going to stop teaching?”
“No. The program I applied for is online, so I’ll be able to keep my job and go to school. I’ll figure out how it’ll work out once I have to do my internship. That is if I even get into the school.” I tuck my lips between my teeth.
“I’m sure you will.” He smiles encouragingly.
“How about you Mr. Deputy?”
Nate tries to stealthily grab another slice of pizza, barely opening the box and sliding it out. Sitting cross-legged and glancing around for seagulls, his knee presses into my thigh.
“When I was eighteen I knew I needed to make a decision about my future. I had a neighbor in Dallas who helped guide me—Mr. Braden. He was in law enforcement, so that influenced me.”
“I think we all have adults like that in our past.”
“Yeah,” he says quietly.
“Do you miss Dallas?” I tilt my head.
“In some ways I do. I miss the buzzing energy from a city, having a variety of places to go out, the anonymity. I’m not used to people knowing who I am everywhere I go, even when we haven’t met.” He breathes out and turns his head to look at me.
“I bet it’s a hard adjustment. I’ve never been to Dallas. Or Texas for that matter. I studied in FSU, and Tallahassee, while being our state’s capital, isn’t exactly a big city.”
“It’s different than this.” He waves his hand. “But Emerald Bay has it’s positive points, like a sexy teacher with no filter.”
“Smooth talker,” I tease. “Did you leave a trail of broken hearts in Texas?” I arch a brow.