Free Count on Me (Petal, Georgia) by Lauren Dane Page A

agreed.
     
    Royal hadn’t expected her to pitch in the way she had. She’d told him he’d cooked so she’d clean up. So he perched on the counter and watched her move around his kitchen as she rinsed and put things away, loaded the dishwasher and all that stuff.
    As they worked they talked. An easy back and forth. He’d learned she loved action movies and historical romance novels, as well as going to the batting cages and ice skating.
    She carefully edged around the subject of her father, though he knew, as she’d told him the Friday before, it was an important part of her life. On one hand, he liked that she respected him enough to not shove it in his face, but on the other hand, he found himself wanting her to open up and share her struggles with him.
    Once they’d finished up, they headed out.
    By the time they walked through the front doors at the Tonk, things were in full swing. The dance floor was packed, tables full of laughing, drinking people. He loved the place on a Friday, so full of energy.
    He also wanted to show her off, he couldn’t deny it to himself.
    Plenty of men looked at her and then to him as he kept an arm around her shoulders. It was the way of things round those parts. Caroline was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, obviously, but there was no harm in letting folks know she was with him.
    He wanted her comfortable in town. First, because he liked her. He liked her, and he wanted her to feel positively about her new home so she’d stay. And because he knew there were rumblings about the whole case and her trying to prove her father’s innocence. He didn’t like that one bit. Mindy and Shep got a free pass, but somehow Caroline was going to get shit on because she believed differently? Because she’d done the work to look into the situation, which he knew damned good and well 99 percent of the shit talkers in town didn’t bother to do?
    He wanted his friends to like her. He hung out with them all the time and knew if they gave her a chance—and that night was a step in the right direction—she’d find her place in their group as well.
    He saw Jacob and Trey first, along with Cassie and Shane Chase, and Joe and Beth. Trey waved when he caught sight of them and the others turned.
    “Do you mind if we sit with my friends?”
    She shook her head. “Nope.”
    He kept a hand at the small of her back as they wound through the crowd to get to the table.
    He pulled her chair out and sat close, his arm around the back of her chair. “Hey, all. Caroline you know Jacob and Trey.”
    She waved.
    “I bumped into Caroline and my dad last week on their way to the courthouse.” Shane turned to his wife. “This is Cassie.”
    Cassie raised her glass. “Nice to meet you. My mother-in-law adores you. She’s a good judge of character.”
    “Thank you for saying that. I’ve decided I want to be Polly Chase when I grow up.”
    Beth had been frowning until Caroline said that and her expression softened.
    Cassie laughed. “Right? She’s incredible. You should see her with a group of small children. She’s like the baby whisperer.”
    Shane’s smile widened at the interplay between the women. “Just give her a wide berth if you see her on the road.”
    “Well that’s how Shane and I met. Polly rear-ended my car on my first day here in town. So it’s not all bad that she’s a menace behind the wheel.”
    “And this is Joe Harris and Beth Murphy.”
    Caroline tensed ever so slightly. He wouldn’t have even known if his forearm hadn’t been touching the back of her neck.
    “We were in the same class, Beth. Nice to see you again.”
    Beth nodded. “I remember. Welcome back to Petal.” Joe also murmured a hello.
    “There’s a pitcher on the way. Do you want anything else?” Trey asked them.
    “Beer is just fine with me. I’m still stuffed from dinner.”
    One of Royal’s favorite songs came on, and he stood, holding a hand out to Caroline. “Darlin’, you said you liked to