Defying the Odds Read Online Free PDF Page A

woman had genuinely golden hair that didn’t seem to be bleached. In her knee-length, fur-lined peacoat and red pantsuit, she was one of the most pressed, put-together females Melody had seen in Garnet. She looked like she’d walked off the pages of a magazine, certainly more city than country. But her fancy clothing didn’t stop her from reaching up and smacking the sheriff’s head.
     
    “Your mouth,” the pretty woman snapped before turning to follow after Clay. “It’s always running twenty feet ahead of that dented brain of yours.”
     
    The sheriff gripped the counter, taking a deep breath before he lifted his head to look at Melody. “I guess I wasn’t supposed to let on we heard you talking about the heat in your truck being broke.”
     
    Melody shrugged. “It is broke. Lying about it and putting on airs ain’t fixing it any faster.”
     
    “I sorta wish you’d said that ’bout a minute sooner.” He grunted, still wheezing through the pain. “I’m gonna go sit down now.”
     
    “I’ll get out of my jacket and bring the coffee.”
     
    “Sounds good.” The sheriff did a thumbs-up, still looking miserable when he turned and started walking to the booth his sister and Clay sat at.
     
    Melody laughed, having to reluctantly admit the sheriff was hard to hate. Something about him was endearing, even if she found his devilish charm more than a little off-putting. He wasn’t her type of man, not anymore, not ever if she was being honest, but he seemed nice enough.
     
    She took a couple more big gulps of coffee, ignoring the burn to her mouth as she walked to the back. She shrugged out of her jacket, then hung it up in the corner next to the other employees’ hats and coats before she found a pad underneath the server station. Deciding she’d work on gathering her other supplies after she’d gotten their order, she dashed to the front of the diner with more enthusiasm than she should. She was probably being pathetic and obvious, but who the hell cared? That fighter had her feeling young and alive when she’d felt worn-out and beaten for so long.
     
    “Slow down; they ain’t going anywhere. We’re not even officially open,” Mary scolded when Melody quickly collected three cups in one hand and a steaming pot of coffee in the other. “No sense getting flushed and flustered over those three. Not a one of ’ em can cook. They’re Hal’s customers for life.”
     
    Not bothering to explain her excitement, Melody rushed up to the booth. The sheriff sat next to his sister, his hat on the table next to him as he smoothed out his hair. But Melody didn’t bother to pay more attention than that. She put the coffee cups down, asking, “ Coffee?”
     
    “Yes, please,” the sheriff said quickly. “We’ve been up since four.”
     
    “That’s painful to hear.” Melody filled up the sheriff’s cup and his sister’s, who nodded to Melody’s silent offering, before she turned to Clay. She studied his face beneath the low brim of his hat, knowing she was probably gawking like a lovesick fool. He had a small line of stitches at the corner of his right eye and his face was showing bruises and swelling, but the damage wasn’t terrible. “You don’t look that bad. I was worried you’d look as rough as the sheriff.”
     
    “Well.” Clay swallowed hard, a smirk trying to tug at his lips. He pulled off his baseball hat, running his fingers through inky hair. He turned back to her, giving her a real smile despite his swollen bottom lip. “That’s ’cause I won.”
     
    “Glad to hear it.” Melody beamed as she filled his cup, her cheeks hurting from the happiness she knew just spilled out of her, making her totally obvious to everyone. It was a good thing he was well-known and probably used to girls crawling all over him, because she was certainly starry-eyed. “Hal said you’re real good, like famous and all. That’s exciting.”
     
    “Is it?” he asked, his smile becoming bemused