Maybe she’d smile at me again. And fucking eat something around me.

I stepped into the school office, and Mrs. Quinn looked up at me. She broke into a smile as she stood up. The short little secretary was older than my momma, and her white hair was always curled up tight, her bangs pinned back with a bow like she was seven instead of seventy. Couldn’t help but love the woman.

“Well, if it ain’t Dewayne Falco come to pay us a visit. I’ve heard that you cause less trouble these days now that your buddies have all been tamed by their women.”

Leave it to Mrs. Quinn to know about everyone’s lives. She may be stuck sitting behind that desk and dealing with teenagers all day five days a week, but she when we graduated, she didn’t forget us. People like her were who we needed in education.

“I came to see that pretty smile of yours,” I told her, then winked just to watch her blush and bat her eyelashes.

“Still a charmer, I see,” she replied, beaming at me. I was sure she didn’t get flirted with often, given that she was as wide as she was tall. Still, she deserved some attention.

“Yes, ma’am. I always think a pretty woman needs to be told just that.”

She waved me off and giggled, which was hilarious coming from someone her age. When she retired, it would be a sad day for Sea Breeze High.

“I know you didn’t just come here to flirt with me. Now, what can we do for you, Mr. Falco?” she asked, still smiling.

I nodded at the door I knew belonged to the vice principal. Back when I was in school, the vice principal had been Old Man Warldo. He was grumpy and mean as hell. It was good news for kids in Sea Breeze when the man retired two years ago.

“I need to see Mr. Dodge,” I told her, trying to be as respectful as possible. If I could get through Mrs. Quinn, then I was home free.

She looked unsure, then picked up her phone and pressed a button.

“Mr. Dodge, are you available to meet with Mr. Dewayne Falco, sir?”

The man wasn’t going to know who the hell I was. “Tell him it’s concerning Sienna Roy,” I told her. That would pique his interest.

Mrs. Quinn’s eyes went big, and I knew she recognized that name too. My brother’s death had been a tragedy this whole school had suffered. And Sienna’s leaving had shocked everyone.

“Uh, it’s concerning Miss Sienna Roy,” she added, studying me while she said it. “Yes, sir. I’ll send him right in.”

He was curious. Good.

She hung up and raised her eyebrows. “Is Sienna Roy back home?”

I nodded. “Yeah, she is.”

Mrs. Quinn let out what looked like a sigh of relief. “Well, glory be. It’s about time. That sweet girl was shipped off, and I knew it wasn’t right. Worried me sick. Glad she’s been able to come home. Reckon her father’s passing made that possible.”

How this woman knew so much, I didn’t know. But she did. She seemed to know a lot. I just nodded.

She waved her hand toward Cam Dodge’s door. “Go on in. Mr. Dodge said he would see you.”

I thanked her and headed for the door before he could change his mind.

Cam Dodge stood up from behind his desk when I opened the door. He was young. I was expecting someone older, and that had bothered me. But he was young, and fuck it all if that didn’t bother me more.

His button-down shirt and pressed slacks were part of the uniform, but he looked like he was comfortable in that fancy shit. He was smiling, but his smile was very unsure. The name Sienna Roy had been the reason he’d agreed to see me. So now he wanted to know why.

Well, he’d have to wait. I had some things I wanted to know first.

“How old are you?” I asked, not sitting down but standing on the other side of the desk, crossing my arms over my chest and meeting his curious gaze. I liked that I had to look down at him. He was a good two or three inches shorter than me.

“Excuse me?” he said, his forehead wrinkling.

“I asked how old you were,” I repeated. If he wanted more information from me, he’d need to answer that first.

“Twenty-eight,” he replied, still watching me with an unsure expression.

“You normally pick women up at the grocery store?” I asked.

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “No,” he replied. “Who are you, exactly?” he asked, clearly being careful.

“Mrs. Quinn told you who I was. You ever been married?”

His eyes went wide with surprise, then he narrowed them in agitation. “I don’t see how that is your business, seeing as I don’t know who you are. I was told your name, but all I know is you are someone connected to the woman I have a date with tonight. I’d like more information from you if you intend to grill me.”

He spoke like a principal. I watched him fiddle with his tie and stick his hands in his pockets while he stood tall. The dude was a nerd. He wasn’t anywhere near Sienna’s league. What was she doing with this guy?

“Sienna’s son is my nephew. Since she met you in the bread aisle of a grocery store, I’d like to know more about you before you take her out tonight. I’m also going to make sure you understand that her safety is really fucking important. You hurt her, and you won’t live long enough to regret it.”

The man flinched. At least he believed me. He took in my tattooed arms and the piercing in my lip before meeting my gaze again. He cleared his throat. “You’re her son’s uncle . . . but you aren’t her brother? Does that mean you’re the boy’s father’s brother?” he asked.

I nodded.

He studied me a moment. “Is the boy’s father still in her life?”

I shook my head. “You don’t get to ask questions. You asked her out. I’m asking the questions. Have you been married? I’m assuming you don’t have a record, since you’re a principal. The school board would have checked that shit. But do you have a girlfriend? Or a drinking problem? Drugs?”

Cam held up his hands and laughed nervously. “Whoa. Okay. Wow. No to all of that. I’m completely clean and unattached. I was engaged five years ago, but she had cervical cancer, and she didn’t make it.”

His slight wince when he mentioned his fiancée’s death didn’t go unnoticed. He was a man trying to move on. He had a good job, and he seemed pretty damn sincere. This was not enough for me, but I’d ask around and find out more about him. My gut was telling me he was safe.

“Don’t hurt her,” I repeated. “That means touching her in ways she doesn’t want, or touching at all. Remember, I’ll know and I’ll come after you. I’ve got a fucking record, and I’m not scared of prison.”

I turned and walked out of the small office, and waved good-bye to Mrs. Quinn before leaving.

I had some more poking around to do about the guy, and only eight hours left to do it.

SIENNA

I wasn’t ready to introduce Cam to Micah. I wasn’t sure if I would ever go out with Cam again after tonight. There was always a chance it wouldn’t go well. I hardly knew this man. No reason to introduce him to the most important person in my life. That would be for later, if I liked him and wanted to spend more time with him. Tabby agreed, and she’d had Micah come over an hour before Cam was supposed to show up.

It also gave me time to change clothes five times and worry with my hair. Micah would have been right under me, asking me why I was changing clothes so much and messing with my hair. He would then tell Dewayne, which would be humiliating. I already knew he didn’t think there was much that could be done with me.

Fortunately, Cam disagreed with him. That eased my mind some, and I put back on the skirt I had tried on first and slipped on my wraparound blouse. This was casual but nice. It would work for anywhere. I slipped on a pair of black pumps and fought the urge to go pull my hair back up again. Letting it hang loose had been my last-minute decision, but now I was questioning it.

The doorbell stopped me from doing anything more. I gave myself a quick pep talk in the mirror and then headed for the door. It had been a very long time since I’d been on a date. And I’d only dated one guy. I didn’t know how to do this. Dustin had been my best friend. I‘d known everything about him. I had never dated someone I didn’t know.

“You can do this,” I said one last time before opening the door.

Cam was dressed in a pair of khaki pants and a light blue polo shirt. I had dressed appropriately. One worry off my list.

“Hello,” he said with a grin. “You look gorgeous. I feel like I need to go back home and try to make myself look like it’s actually believable that we’re out together.”

Yes, he was doing wonders for my self-esteem. “Thank you, but you look very handsome yourself. I don’t think anyone will question that we are together.”

He chuckled, then shrugged. “I’m not sure how you’re that blind, but I’m just counting my lucky stars.” He held out his arm to me. “Ready?”

I nodded and stepped outside onto the porch, then locked up behind me before sticking my keys in my purse. I’d had a key made for Tabby this week and given it to her, so if she needed to get inside to get Micah anything, she’d be able to.

“I made reservations at Le Cellier. I hope you like steak,” he said with a smile. I had heard of Le Cellier, but I’d never been there. “I love steak,” I told him. And I intended to eat a filet, which felt nice. I wouldn’t have to pick at my food because I was worrying about what he was thinking. This was going to be a good night. I could already tell.

* * *

Two hours later I was ready to go back home and put on my pajamas. Cam was really nice, but I was a little bored with him. He talked about work and asked me about myself. He did everything right, but there was something missing. I wasn’t sure if I was just being picky because my last relationship had been with someone I was already so close to.