Free Blue Jeans and a Badge by Nina Bruhns

we’ll have to do a bit of hiking.”
    She stared at him. “Hiking? As in out in the wilderness?”
    â€œThat’s generally where box canyons are found. Out in the wilderness.”
    She was used to braving the urban wilderness of the big cities—St. Louis, Kansas City, Chicago. None of them gave her a moment’s pause. But this was a different story. “Are there snakes?”
    â€œYeah, and bears, too, I reckon. And mountain lions and probably—”
    â€œAll right, already. I get the picture.” She pushed past him and grabbed her Walther from the nightstand. “Good thing I’m prepared.”
    â€œYou think that pea shooter will stop a charging thousand-pound bear?” he asked neutrally.
    â€œHell, no,” she said. “But it’ll drop you long enough to distract it and let me get away.”
    He banded his arms across his chest and made a pained face. “Nice.”
    She batted her eyelashes. “A city girl’s gotta protect herself somehow.”
    He stuck his thumb to his chest. “Just let me do the protecting around here, okay?”
    She was about to make a “Yeah, right” kind of retort, but for some reason the words stuck in her throat. Following after him as he strode confidently out the door, she had the most peculiar feeling that she really could rely on Philip to protect her. From bears to bad guys or anything else that came along. For a woman who dealt daily with men who’d sooner put her six feet under as swat a mosquito, that was an unusual sensation.
    And the realization that despite knowing him for less than two days, if it came right down to it, she would probably trust Philip O’Donnaugh with her life…now that was downright sobering.
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    Before leaving Piñon Lake, Philip stopped at a place called the Shamrock Slipper and asked a waitress named Betsy to fix Luce a large decaf and a cinnamon cruller to go. Luce protested the cruller, which was huge and incredibly sticky looking, but the bossy chief of police apparently had everyone in town singing to his tune.
    â€œBreakfast is the most important meal of the day,” Betsy said with a motherly nod as she handed Luce the bag and a shamrock-printed napkin with her coffee.
    â€œSo I’ve heard,” Luce said, and forced a smile.
    Betsy handed Philip a cup, too. “Black, no sugar, just how you like it, Chief O’Donnaugh.”
    Oh, brother.
    â€œThanks, Betsy.”
    â€œWill I see you for lunch?” she asked him, with a sideways glance at Luce.
    â€œNot today, Betsy. We’re headed for the big city.”
    â€œI see,” the waitress said knowingly. “Well, have a good time.”
    â€œIt’s work, Betsy. Part of the Soffit and Dickson robbery investigation.”
    â€œUh-huh.”
    â€œYou eat all your meals at the Shamrock Slipper?” Luce asked Philip as he was pulling out of the parking lot onto the highway.
    â€œNah. Just breakfast and lunch. I get my dinner to go. I like eating that at home.”
    She sniffed at the bag. The cruller actually smelled delicious. “Sounds to me like you need to hire yourself a cook. I’m thinking Betsy would be a good choice.”
    â€œI’ve tried, believe me. She refuses to leave the Slipper.” He tossed her a grin. “Interested in applying?”
    She snorted. “The only thing I hate worse than cooking is washing dishes.” She bit into the doughnut and let out a hum of appreciation.
    â€œAh, well. Betsy tells me I need a wife, anyway.”
    â€œNothing wrong with having both. Not that I’m interested in either position,” she quickly added.
    â€œNot the settling-down type. I remember.”
    â€œRight,” she agreed.
    But as she said it, she felt a weird pinging in her stomach. She looked over at Philip and, for the first time ever, had the fleeting thought that if she found a man like Philip to settle down with, a