Page 21 of A Texas Hero

Once they’d arrived and parked, Zoey waited for him. He reached for the shop door of a store similar to Zoey’s boutique, except it apparently sold nothing but books. Stacks of books were displayed in the window, along with cutouts of famous literary characters, like Sherlock Holmes.

“Twyla!” Zoey called out. “You here?”

A pretty brunette wearing fashionable glasses appeared.

“Aw, you remembered. It’s book-go-away day.” Twyla lowered her head.

Zoey stepped forward and embraced the petite woman.

“But it’s also book delivery day! Let’s focus on the positive. And guess what? I brought you a new customer!” She stepped aside and pointed to him. “You haven’t been officially introduced. Twyla Cavell, meet Archer Rossi.”

He noted that she hadn’t introduced him as her bodyguard, which was just fine with him.

Twyla smiled. “Are you looking for a book?”

“I prefer mysteries. Lots of action—at least a couple of dead bodies, but preferably more. Plenty of suspense.”

“Well, too bad you’re too late for copies of a debut thriller I already packed up to send back today. But, lucky for you, I received more copies of the latest blockbuster thriller by a New York Times best-selling author. It’s a book everyone’s going to buy, so you may as well, too.”

“Oooh, that sounds good, even to me,” Zoey said, following Twyla as they walked farther into the store. “I’m usually a romance fan,” she said over her shoulder. “Especially Westerns.”

“Like we don’t get enough of that around here.” Twyla scoffed, smiling.

“It’s the whole ranch-lifestyle aesthetic and a simpler kind of life. There’s nothing better than a good cowboy romance.”

“You just keep telling yourself that,” Twyla said, and handed Archer a book. “If you’re to go by all of the reviews, you’ll like this one. I’ve read it even if it’s not what I typically enjoy. But there’s lots of suspense and three dead bodies. One explosion, if I recall.”

Archer found it hard not to smile. He was kidding about the dead bodies. Only his buddies understood his sense of humor.

Turning it over in his hands, he read the back cover. “I’m sure I will enjoy this.”

“Now, direct me to the latest Beverly Jenkins book,” Zoey said.

“Sure, but you know it’s not a Western.” Twyla smirked.

Zoey elbowed her. “I make exceptions for great authors.”

“Big of you.” Twyla chuckled.

They moved to another area of the store and Archer didn’t immediately follow. This was a small place. He could watch her from here and still have a great view of the front door. Also, there weren’t any men in here but him. He’d seen a photo of the man suspected of sending death threats to Patch Lambert: Tall, thin and gangly, with a full dark beard and long scraggly hair, at least at the time of a booking photo for another arrest unrelated to Patch.

Before getting this assignment, Archer had come down to Charming a couple of times and hung out at the Salty Dog Bar and Grill. There, he’d run into Ronan Sheridan at least once. Archer had a photographic memory for faces, which served him well in this line of work, and he didn’t remember ever seeing the man then, either. Then again, he lived hundreds of miles away and hadn’t made any direct threats to Patch’s daughter. Archer was fully aware the assignment might end soon. The only issue that remained was this party she wanted to host. He’d be here until he talked her out of it, which might involve a little too much honesty. It wasn’t his place to explain to her that her father was once again receiving death threats and the party might draw too much attention. But he’d tell her as a last resort.

After Zoey browsed what seemed like the entire romance section, she was finally ready to go. They each paid for their purchases, and he held the door open for her, following closely behind.

Zoey suddenly stopped and turned, almost running into him. “Again, do you have to make it so obvious that you’re my bodyguard?”

“This is not top secret work. It’s good to be obvious. That keeps bad men away.”

She quirked a brow. “Well, it keeps all men away. Didn’t we already talk about this?”

“Maybe that’s best for now.”

After a long moment, she sighed. “It’s just…can you please try not to be so obvious? I hate people knowing my business.”

“No one has to know but us.”

He followed her to her vehicle and waited until she buckled in.