Chapter 1
Sadie Sue’s diner, like all diners in a small town, is the focal point. A place where everyone comes to meet over breakfast, lunch or supper. The one thing about this diner that is different from all others is the two sisters who own the place and their book club. They have more concerns than what is on the menu to interest them. Sadie, the older of the sisters, is a romantic at heart, while Sue sees what people need. Between them and the other ladies belonging to the “book club” is their reading material. That normally would not fit into the usual book club readings. The personals are where their reading interest lies. Personal advertisements written by lonely men and women looking for someone to share their lives, and these ladies feel some people in their town who would answer none of these personal advertisements might surely benefit from their meddling.
The book club comprises Sadie, Sue, Betty, Lana, Deb, Caroline, Diane and Kelly, all women whose primary hobby is romance and what better way to find their fix than fixing up the lonely patrons of the diner. But under the guise of the book club, no one would ever suspect that instead of reading and discussing books. They spent their time deciding who might be a good fit to go with their chosen diner person. The one they decided needed some spice in their lives. No one would suspect the sisters of doing anything more than looking out for their customers. Betty owned the bakery, and a widow, Lana, owned a lady’s dress shop. Caroline was Lana’s partner in the store. Diane and Kelly are both young and mothers of grade school children. No one in the small town would suspect any of the women of playing matchmaker, and that is just the way they wanted it to stay. Though as soon as discovered, they felt two things would happen. The first is a list of complaints from people like the shy new sheriff. The other would be the people who would want to use them for a matchmaking service. Nothing wrong with that except the ladies decided right from the start there was an order to who they would fix up, using the time during their twice a week meetings at the diner to discuss candidates and matches.
Sadie reflected back on the conversation. They read the Edgar Allan Poe story Lenore, with its sweet sadness. It was an old, rather than a new book; it fit the lives of several of the book club ladies. Some were without a partner because of death and divorce that affected their lives. That is when they began discussing how some of the best people in town were alone and needed comfort that only having a spouse should bring. Lana was the first to speak up with the idea. It started as a joke, but they became serious, and by nightfall, plans were made. How to match these good people up, thanks to Diane. She mentioned that a friend of her husband at work sought dates via newspaper ads.
They also decided right from the start that they would need to check out the person writing the personal ad. They would verify their identities and confirm they were the right fit. Their person they picked, they wanted to fix up with a date and maybe more. The ladies decided they would need to play out each match on a case-by-case basis, how they would go about checking out the person who placed the ad. Considering that men probably bragged more than ladies in their advertisements and it would mean finding out if the person was trustworthy.
Book club comes to order. Sadie laughed as she spoke the words, knowing they were not just a group of women getting ready to discuss a book. But instead, they were about to put one of their ideas into action to help. What they termed the less fortunate. Men and women of their small town who either didn’t see the importance of having a partner or were just too busy to choose the right person to date that would hopefully turn into much more.
“What is first on our list of reading, Sadie?” Betty smirked, aware it didn’t involve the newest book from a famous author. Though the ladies kept their reading going as a cover for others in the diner. In case people in the diner overheard chatting about their plans for matching one local up with someone. Betty considered nothing more exciting than finding the right person for one of the lonely people in town. She realized that her marriage was a blessing. Right from the beginning, Betty and her husband were deeply in love. Now that he was gone, while she missed him terribly, she understood she would never have that kind of happiness again. She thought everyone should experience that kind of soul-deep love.
“Well, I guess we should read Edgar Allan Poe’s Lenore. It might be old, but it has such love and longing that it is timeless,” Sue said.
Kelly shook her head with a smile, knowing that most of Poe’s writings were eerie. She wasn’t so sure about romantic, tragic yes. But then it was short. They might keep up the pretense of the book club; it gave them plenty of time to talk about matchmaking without even hiding it. More of a code kind of discussion. They were all privy to what they were up to while no one else sitting in the diner would not understand anything of their gab session.
“Ladies, what do you think about Sue’s idea of reading some Poe? He might not be new, but she is right. His writing is timeless, whether it is something like ‘Lenore’ or ‘The Raven’,” Sadie questioned. All of them agreed, since the particular book or story was irrelevant for the “book club.” Because it was just a ruse to keep anyone in the diner from suspecting what they were really up to with their meetings. The important thing to everyone of them was to find the other’s happiness in the guise of the perfect woman or man. Who better to find these busy people who didn’t have time to find the right person than them?
Of course, they howled laughing. When they decided at their meeting, they would start matchmaking. How perfect they were for the job. Sadie, whose husband, the diner cook, she’d been with for years.
Sue, who was married to a man who was a town attorney; Betty, a widow; Diane, the wife of a corporate man; and Kelly, a young divorced mother. Collectively, they’d experienced decades of marriage, widowhood, and divorce. Kelly realized she had made the wrong decision when she got married. She felt certain she was the one woman in the club that might serve as a warning. By helping to realize what to look for, that wasn’t a moral character for whoever they found for someone to date, and possibly more.
The women looked at Sadie in anticipation of whom they would pick to find someone for, but then the perfect opportunity walked in the door. All six of the women turned to watch the new sheriff walk in. They knew a boy whom they welcomed back after his service. Sadie and Sue both watched, and with a gleam in her eye, Sue winked at her sister. This would be their book club project, and no one fit their criteria better or was more deserving of finding the right woman. With a nod to the women, they all looked in his direction, and he became the focus of the book club.
After watching Tom T. Oliver, the women decided he’d be happier with a partner and eventually a spouse. Tom was a good man doing favors for people around town. When he wasn’t on duty as their local law enforcement. At thirty, the women figured he wasn’t getting any younger. Tom had gone away to college and come back after serving in the military. Tom replaced the aging chief of police, who wanted to retire to spend his days fishing. He was a genuine lady’s man as far as the women were concerned, tall, and muscled. A sweeter disposition wasn’t to be found, and a hero serving his country. Light brown wavy hair that fell across his forehead. That made a woman want to push it back. The woman considered in a motherly way, but comprehended a younger woman would want to do it for another reason. Tom possessed a strong, masculine face and eyes the color of a mountain stream’s icy appearance. The women in the book club realized Tom was the warmest person in town.
The women often hoped they would see a personal advertisement from an older woman. Who might have an interest in the old chief? Whose spouse had died ten years prior. Sadie understood he might benefit from the attention a woman would pay him. It would brighten his lonely days since his wife was gone. Sue concurred that the chief loved his wife and grieved her death. To find a new woman for him, she realized, might even extend his life. If not, at least it would keep the lake from being fished out.
“Should we vote, ladies? Is Tom our candidate for the book club?” Sue chuckled.
Their group was anything but a book club.
She reflected that if the town was a little more open to what they do, they might open a matchmaking business and really clean up. The idea of a business caused her to chuckle again. A sign waving proudly when the wind blew identifying the ladies as the town matchmakers.
But the reality of it was they didn’t need to let their victims get any idea what they were up to, especially Tom. He would never go for being fixed up, but what he doesn’t understand won’t hurt. If they do things right by this time next year, he might announce a wedding or even a baby. Wouldn’t that be nice for him? They would be so proud to have played a part in the boy’s happiness.
“I understand Tom is a fine boy, and he sure can do with a woman at home to make sure he is loved,” Betty commented with a gleam in her eye. She always liked Tom. He was a good boy growing up. One that was always way too serious, even at a young age when other boys his age were dating. Tom was making plans for his future. Then, when the country was threatened, he was one of the first people to sign up to protect the country. That alone, Betty felt, made it important. For them to find him the right woman to make him happy and take care of him like he took care of the town.
Caroline quickly quipped, “I agree that a young man needs someone to care about him as much as he cares about everyone. As an old romantic, I say we find him a woman!”
They all laughed because it was true. If anyone was a romantic, it was Caroline, and they were excited to get things underway. It would be so much more exciting than discussing the latest book they were reading. Now, since the decision to use the book club for good, pretending to read and discuss.
“Alright, it seems we are all in agreement. So, I say we split up the personal ads after we decide which women might be a good match for Tom. Then we can read over the ones we have and compare them tomorrow over coffee and pie,” Sadie said, her eyes alight, just considering what the book club was embarking on.
The ladies narrowed down the personal advertisements of women near Tom’s age and ones that sounded like they would be good dating material for their favorite sheriff. Then they split up, promising to meet the next day when they would decide which advertisement they would contact first.

Chapter 2
Sadie spent all night studying the ads and decided on two. They should investigate because it wasn’t enough to set Tom up with dates. They needed to make sure these women were really what they said in their advertisements. The best way to do that was to question them more than what a man would answer their ads. If nothing else, these women could spot a fake or a gold digger a mile away. She felt satisfied with her two choices. The club met later in the day. Sadie was sure there would be a few more advertisements to add to the list. 
She hoped Tom wouldn’t be too angry when he figured out what they were up to and stop their pursuit of the perfect woman for him.
The lunch crowd thinned by the time the other ladies entered the diner. As usual, Betty, Caroline and Lana took their lunch late, and the other two women would soon be on their way to pick up their children from school. The meeting was to trade information about the advertisements they chose and then to decide which one they should contact first.
Caroline spoke up first, not waiting for the other ladies to get settled and have the chance to talk. “One advertisement I found is especially interesting. It’s one I think we really need to consider and one that we might want to contact first.”
All eyes were on Caroline as she continued, with the younger two women’s eyes going wide.
“This woman in her advertisement said she was looking for a good man. One that had pride and was loyal. But the thing she said that made me wonder if she was perfect for our young sheriff is that she was close to her father, who was a sheriff,” Caroline said triumphantly.
The women agreed. This would be a woman who would understand the probability that Tom could get called out at all hours. During his off-hours, whenever they were.
“This also assures us she might be a woman of excellent character, which was something we weren’t sure how to check out other than to talk to the person. We couldn’t very well have our local sheriff running any background checks on these women,” Sadie commented.
Though the thought of it when brought up made them giggle. Tom did a background check on the woman they intended to match him with for a date.
Sadie and Sue both were firm believers in fate. How could their plan go so awry in fewer days than it took to set their entire plan? They wanted to fix Tom up with the amiable woman they found in the advertisement? At least they thought she was nice until she blew into town. Then, fate wasn’t looking so kindly on them.
“Sadie, you know we made a big mistake with this woman, don’t you?” Sue was shaking her head and looking toward the friendly young woman they had hired earlier in the day. They both knew was a much better match for the young sheriff.
“Sue, we will think of something. It isn’t too late yet. My goodness, Tom just met the banshee, and what an accident that was certainly. Caroline might have been right about her understanding of the boy’s job. She certainly isn’t a little homemaker; more like a home wrecker.” If Sadie didn’t know better, she would think it was karma on the book club ladies for meddling, but she wasn’t done. Stubborn  — that is what their father used to say about her  — while Sue was more kindhearted.
“What are we going to do? The ladies will be here shortly, and we better come up with a plan or poor Tom,” Sue said forlornly.
The bell over the door jingled as the ladies of the book club filed in. Betty led them to a back booth where they would have the privacy needed for this touchy subject.
The diner was empty except for Nate, who was always at the counter this time of day having coffee and pie. Poor man, Sadie always thought. Since his wife left him, he came in daily. Sometimes to eat and sometimes just for coffee and pie like today. She thought if they ever got their sheriff straightened out. They needed to find Nate a good woman. Not like his wife, who ran home to mommy the first time she didn’t get her way because she refused to live in their small town. It wasn’t exciting for young people, but it was a good and friendly place to raise a family. Tom and Nate were getting old, the same as their own children.
“We need to keep it down, ladies. Nate is still here, and so is Rae. We don’t want either of them hearing what we are discussing,” Sadie said.
Betty was the first one to talk up. “How are we going to fix this? It’s our fault Tom is seeing the wrong woman. How could we have been so blind in reading her correspondence with us or falling for her innocent act? We should have known when we saw her blow into town all she was missing was her broom.” Shaking her head, with her face showing the disgust of the big mistake they made.
“We will come up with something. We have to, and if we don’t when this goes bad, and that witch tells Tom we matched them up, he is likely to throw us all in one of his cells,” Lana said.
Kelly shook her head at the error they had made and tried to cheer them up. “Well, ladies, we found the right woman for the sheriff, and we did it from the personal advertisement. We just jumped too soon. I mean, if we waited until we talked to all the women we chose, we would have come up with Jilly.”
“You are right, of course, Kelly. Once we talked to her and saw her in person, we would have chosen her. We might, mark my words. We will get rid of the witch somehow. Shame bad Jilly had the problems she did after she placed her advertisement. But, she is here now, and that’s all that matters and with Sue and Sadie’s help she isn’t going anywhere.” Diane was convinced the woman Sue and Sadie hired after she said she should have canceled her personal advertisement but had forgotten about it because of the traumatic situation. She was the woman for their Tom. No question about it.
“Have you seen her eyes light up when he comes in, or how bashful he is with her? I don’t think I have seen Tom like that since he was in Jr. high school taking his first girl to the dance,” Betty said.
“She is exactly right for him. It’s a shame she has had such a rough time, but we have her here now and better for all of us and for Tom.” “Even if he doesn’t realize it now. He will. The boy has a brain in that head. I don’t think he is using it right now,” Lana said.
“One thing is certain; we need to see everyone from now on when we match anyone up. Right now, we need to concentrate on fixing this. I feel like it is my fault we are in this mess,” Caroline said, shaking her head.
“No, it isn’t Caroline,” Sadie said firmly. We all agreed that the woman sounded perfect; even her correspondence sounded perfect. “Too bad we met her here, and she latched on to Tom before we got her out of here. From now on, I think we should meet these women and / or men someplace else. Where there is no chance of their running into the person we are matching them up with.” Sadie was sure she was right.
“That woman, that woman,” Sue laughed, but it was a hollow laugh. “She really isn’t worth using her name, and she has her claws right in Tom. I don’t even think he sees her for what she is at all, the poor man.”
“So, what do we do now? We know who would be best for Tom, but we need to get the other one on her broom out of town, and fast.” Betty laughed at the thought of this woman, who had fooled them until they met her in person, flying on a broom.
“I don’t know what we can do until Tom realizes what this woman is and sends her on her way. She can’t hide the real her for very long. We saw it fast. It might fool him for now, but eventually she will show her true colors. That will be enough to send Tom running,” Diane said confidently.
Tilting her head as though she was thinking very hard, Betty asked, “Then how do we make sure Jilly doesn’t start dating anyone else till we figure out how to make this one leave or our sheriff realizes the huge mistake he is making?”
“Leave that part to me. I can make sure Jilly doesn’t go out with anyone else unless, of course, Tom doesn’t start thinking with the head he has on his shoulders soon.” Sadie assured the women.
“Funny thing is that both of those women felt the need to place an advertisement. I can see why the witch did, but not Rae. Though maybe it is because she is shy or something like that,” Diane wondered out loud.
“I think Rae was looking to get away from her problems and thought maybe she could find the right man. Too bad we messed that up,” Kelly groaned.
“Alright, ladies, listen up. I’m not giving up, and I intend to see both our sheriff and Jilly happy. I think they will be happy together. So, we need to be focusing on that. First, of course, we need to gas up the broom for a hasty exit, and I think I have a plan.” Diane sounded confident, even to herself. She thought now if it really would work.
“This is what I propose. I think we need to have a party. You know something to get everyone out. I will have my husband invite the serial dater. The one I told you to look in the personal ads to find dates. If anyone can get to the witch, it will be him, and he isn’t picky if a woman is with a man. The other thing about him is he loves to brag about himself and all the toys he has, like his boat. The broom will head out of town at the first mention of prepaid travel. I’d put money on it.” Diane lifted her chin in triumph.
“It just might work, but with our luck, she won’t see him as a challenge like she does with the sheriff. She knew we weren’t happy when she ran over to him that day in the diner. At least she taught us an excellent lesson about letting anyone come to town without checking them out,” Sue said in a crestfallen voice.
“We will do it. Let’s plan it for next Saturday night. We don’t want to wait too long or she might have our boy off to the altar, him and his bank book. Then I wouldn’t be able to be held responsible when the good minister asked if anyone objects,” Sadie laughed. Funny thing was, she would interrupt that wedding, and the other women knew she wasn’t kidding.
“If I hear that woman say one more time to Tom, ‘my daddy,’ I think I will puke, and I am not joking. How disgusting for a woman to play little girl when she is nothing but evil,” Lana firmly stated.
“There will be no puking in our diner,” Sue said firmly. “But I can’t say as I blame you. Who would think that a man of the law could ever raise a daughter who acts like that?”
“I would blame it more on the mother. I can’t wait to see her blow into town on her broom. She must have the Cadillac model,” Caroline laughed.
“Now, the party, I know what we can have it for,” Kelly said.
All the ladies looked on in anticipation because Kelly seemed like she was hiding the best secret.
She went on, “the old sheriff. His birthday is coming up in about a week. What better reason to have a party? It will thrill him, and you know everyone, especially Tom, will come.”
“Well darn, how could I forget I have made that man a cake every year since his wife died? Just so I was sure we wouldn’t forget him on his birthday, at least at the diner,” Sue said.

Chapter 3
The Party
The diner was filling up with all the friends and neighbors of the old chief. He is a long-time resident of their community and a respected as a sheriff. His days were now filled with fishing. Sadie watched him walk in. She smiled, knowing he was on the book club list. He would soon fill his days courting some other nice widow. Her eyes caught her sister’s. She noticed she did that have the same yes-saying smile?
 The chief needs us to find him the perfect woman as he came walking in with questioning eyes about what was happening at the diner, followed by Tom.
Tom, unfortunately, was not alone. Sadie noted by the succubus clinging to his arm. The one they in error let get a hold of him when it should be poor Jilly who should hang off the young sheriff’s arm tonight. Darn, she needed to fix this mess before things got out of hand and Tom proposed or something stupid. This woman is a witch and a user. Sadie was sure there were no genuine feelings there. This woman played innocent until you ruffled her feathers, and the actual truth came out. She looked at her sister, whose face she would see the shame. Of playing matchmaker so awful and the dislike for Tom’s current date.
As Betty entered the diner. She didn’t have to ask the other women if Tom and Vivian had shown up. She was better known as the woman who should make use of her broom and fly off. She can tell from the appearance on Sadie and Sue’s faces that they were not looking happy. Betty heard it, sending a shiver up her spine from the shrill tone Vivian the witch was using. The girls were right. All she needed was a broom, and the woman sure didn’t deserve their local hero sheriff. Betty was aware the boy, a former soldier, was now the sheriff, ensuring everyone’s safety. He deserved a lot more, like the nice new waitress Jilly. Cute little thing, smart as a whip and nice to boot. The book club was right. Tom needed to be with this waitress, and she was certain he would find happiness.
The party was in full swing now. Sadie and Sue both recognized everyone was having a good time, well, except for Tom. He was looking very miserable the longer the party went on and the more Vivian acted up and used her shrill voice. Both sisters witnessed with horror and anger a stunt that only a spoiled, nasty, and vindictive woman would pull.
“Girl, oh girl, yes you,” Vivian said in her most uppity, indignant, and vindictive voice. “Girl, get over here, see this,” as she pointed to a fork with a water spot left on it from the dishwasher. Vivian realized she was being petty, but she was sure the worthless girl had eyes for Tom. While she was in town, she was not having any of it. No one would even dare glance at the man, even though she knew he would take her over any of these local women. She sensed she was far more beautiful and worldly than anyone there, and more than most women.
Jilly finished handing out the plates. She walked over to the table with the sheriff and the woman, tray in hand. She wondered if she was some kind of model or movie star. The way she dressed, looked and acted made Jilly nervous every time she came into the diner. She was, calling her like a servant in one of the historical romance books she once read. She took a second to question what she’d done to cause this. It wasn’t like she was used to working as a waitress.
Sadie headed toward Tom’s table. If something was wrong, she was the owner. No one was going to embarrass her waitress or anyone else in her restaurant, like dirt, calling them a girl like a servant. Who did the woman think she was, and with everyone, there just a way to embarrass poor Jilly?
Both women headed to the table. Sadie told Jilly to head back to what she was doing and that she would take care of whatever the problem was. Because not to worry.
Tom cringed at the spectacle Vivian was making of themselves. These were his friends and what he considered a family most times.
“Vivian, what are you doing? What’s wrong, and why are you even calling the waitress like that? You realize her name is Jilly, no need to treat her like she’s nothing.”
“Tom, isn’t it her job to see that things like this don’t happen?” Vivian said as she held up a fork. She wanted Tom to see how inept the girl was. The whole place. That Sadie and Sue assume they have something here. When it’s a filthy little diner that serves slop, she ruminated to herself. Vivian recognized she wouldn’t say something like that to Tom — well, not yet, anyway. He had some kind of affinity for these people.
“I don’t get what you see wrong with it, Vivian. If there was something wrong, there is no reason to treat anyone precisely as you did. I reckon it might be best if we leave.”
“Oh, I never considered we would get out of here this early. I’m sure we can find a much nicer place for dinner. A nice romantic meal and an even more romantic night.” Vivian said while pushing out her breasts and giving Tom a seductive leer at what he might expect later.
Tom was in no mood for any of Vivian’s over the top flirting skills. After making him appear like an idiot for bringing her to the old chief’s party. She might not like it, but he was partial to these people who worried about him and treated him like family. He took her away, avoiding further explanation of his reasons for being with her. Hell, he got first thing tomorrow Sadie was going to tear into him about that scene. He felt bad about Jilly. After all, the woman knew at the diner, but there was something about her. The woman was a wounded bird in body armor. But sweet to everyone and always pleasant. That’s the woman Tom sensed he should be with, someone who would go out of her way for anyone. 
Nothing fake about her, unlike Vivian. The way she dressed said she was too good for the people around here. He surmised without a doubt that he would not be leaving again for any reason. Because Sue comprehended she would lay into him too. But not so much about how Vivian talked to Jilly, but about how the woman simply didn’t fit him. She would be tactful and shy about it, where Sadie was going to bulldoze him as soon as she caught hold of him. Now, in dealing with this mess he made by even going out with Vivian in the first place, he sure wasn’t contemplating. He’d seen her type before. Out for what was in her best interest and too bad about anyone else. Consisting of the man she planned to get everything from. Subsequently, there were the fake actions she used to get her way. That was wearing thin with Tom. He acknowledged her beauty and elegance, yet he’d grown weary of her spoiled behavior. 
Tom watched as Sadie walked up to the table instead of Jilly, knowing this would not go well. It was clear from the rosy cheeks Sadie wore that she was anything but pleased at Vivian’s behavior. “Tom, Vivian, what seems to be the problem here?” Sadie made sure she said it with a force there would be no sweet talking Vivian’s way out of belittling her waitress.
Haughtily, Vivian said, “Merely gander at this fork. It has water spots on it, and do you assume anyone should eat off of it? Why, if I were in charge, I would have fired that little tart on the first day. I don’t understand how you can put up with her, but consequently, I’m sure you are doing it out of the goodness of your heart to keep her from living on the street like she may have before she came to work here.”
Angry Sadie marched over to the couple, but it was all she would do to keep from throwing her right out the door on her designer-clothed butt. She detected her cheeks burning and her hands shaking with anger. “First, Jilly does not do the dishes here, nor did she set the tables today. Second, never come to this diner and speak to anyone like you did. Tom, you are lucky, very lucky after Jilly being embarrassed in front of most of the town if I let you in here again, sheriff or not. Perhaps especially because you are sheriff, I hold you to a higher standard. Anyone with you — it extends to what you represent. I simply don’t even perceive if I should ask you to leave or not. I’m sorry, Tom, I am ashamed that a man I’ve known since he was a boy. You should have better manners than to bring someone to a party for the old sheriff acting that way.”
“I’m sorry about this, Sadie. I realize it is best we leave, and I won’t be bringing Vivian back here. Sadie, please tell Jilly I’m sorry if she was upset or embarrassed.” Tom registered, so he got chastised. He understood he deserved it for bringing Vivian into the diner. He knew what she thought of the place. She thought she was too good to eat here or associate with any of the people.
When Tom was leaving, he saw his friends watching him closely. People merely lost a lot of respect for him as sheriff. Guilt by association. He understood it was time to get rid of Vivian, no matter what the relationship between them was.
At his truck, he unlocked the doors, helping Vivian into her seat. He walked to his side. He reflected on how he was going to handle this. Not without taking her shoulders and shaking some sense into her for the way she acted. Girl, what kind of way is that to call a waitress over and for a water spot?
“Vivian, I don’t supposed I need to tell you how I feel about the way you acted in the diner. What you did was embarrassing not only to the waitress, but to me and to yourself. You acted like a shrew in there, better than everyone else. You aren’t and you aren’t half, no, not even a quarter as good as Jilly. Who is kind to everyone and works hard?”
Taken aback, Vivian realized she needed to use drastic measures fast before she lost Tom.
 Her plan wouldn’t afford any problems, like not having the town sheriff wrapped around her finger. She realized her beauty did not mandate her kindness toward those less fortunate than her. She needed to appease his anger towards her. Vivian let out an enormous sigh and at that point turned to Tom. “Do you imagine I acted badly, Tom? So, do you suppose it is because Sadie talked to you like a little boy? I mean, isn’t it the waitress’s job even during a party to make certain everything is perfect? If you consider it, calling attention to that fork, let Sadie and Sue understand they might not have hired the best help.”
“Vivian, listen to me. The only one who didn’t fit in there tonight was you. As for Sadie and Sue’s hiring, they have been in business more years than most places around here. So, I imagine they understand who they are hiring. No one else had any problems, simply you. I assume maybe you simply don’t fit in here because you consider yourself too good for the people here?” Tom can detect his anger rising, since rather than feel bad about how she acted, Vivian attacked Sadie and Sue’s business management. Not to mention how she viewed Jilly as a funny thing. Tom found nothing wrong with her as a waitress, a person, or especially a woman.
“Tom! How can you, how would you talk to me so mean? I assumed you cared about me. I merely don’t understand how you might even discern the way you do when that girl shouldn’t be working anywhere near food or even in this town. Who knows where she came from? Perhaps you should check her out. I mean, you care an awful lot about Sadie and Sue, who have hired a stranger. She might steal from them and be gone with no way to find her. What if she isn’t even using her real name? You sit there and attack me about what I said when it is an acceptable reason to be upset in a restaurant.”
Laughing mirthlessly, Tom found it hard to voice what he ideas he had. “So you perceive that Sadie and Sue don’t understand how to hire employees? Even though right out of Sadie’s mouth, the waitress did not set the tables, she was busy serving. Further, you surmise you may belittle and embarrass someone who works for a living simply because you can? What kind of woman are you, Vivian, that you can be so ill-mannered and vicious to another person? I reckon once we reach my house, you need to get in your car and leave. So, leave and don’t come back because we are nothing alike. I cannot abide the excuses you have for treating the waitress as if she were in such a class lower than you that you would mistreat her.”
Tom held up his hand before Vivian might get any words out. After she interrupted him, he wasn’t done. “Vivian, don’t even try to talk; I don’t want to hear anymore from you. You not only embarrass yourself by playing princess. But you embarrassed me by being with you. I live here and am the law in this town. How do you assume it makes me feel to understand every person I run into from now on is going to wonder if I lost my mind? Bringing a snotty, self-righteous bitch to the diner? Including my mentor.”
Vivian recognized she had to do something fast. She wouldn’t let Tom go. Not only because she enjoyed having him, but because she would not be able to monitor his work activities. At that point, if he was getting too close to the counterfeiting going on at the abandoned house. She would be conscious of it in time to warn them. Sure, Tom was only a distraction for now until they finished printing and left. But he was a handsome, well-muscled man. “Tom, you can’t mean that there is a chance I came on a little strong calling that waitress over. In my defense, I have been jealous of her. I’ve seen the way she looks at you when we go to the diner. If she is doing that to you when I am there with you. Tom, can you imagine how many other men she is doing it to or sharing more than glances with her? It all simply got under my skin, and for a second, I lost myself. All I experienced was the anger that comes with jealousy.”
There, she figured she had made her case sound strong for why she had reacted the way she had and to stop him from sending her away. “Tom, please, understand how much I care for you. I can’t bear the idea that the waitress looking at you with such longing. I’m sure if she had the chance, she would steal you away from me.” Giving him a longing and coy glance while hoping he would give in to her pleading tone and male compliments.
Tom remained quiet. He didn’t understand what to assume about Vivian. Tom understood without a doubt that she was inconsiderate. The sheriff wondered if she cared about him enough to be jealous of Jilly. However, Jilly’s conduct was completely friendly. Part of her job if she expected to get good tips. She seemed like a friendly and kind person. He’d witnessed her buying food and taking it out to old Andy. The man everyone understood he was homeless and broke. Tom watched Jilly take the food across the street to the park, where the semi-homeless man was sitting on a bench. With a friendly smile and soft-spoken words, he saw one of the first authentic smiles from Andy.
As he rounded the last curve before Tom’s house, he still debated about Vivian. His brain was telling him he needed to be rid of her, and so did the town. People here were too nice and not prepared for someone with a viper mouth. His body was telling him something quite different. She was a very attractive woman and one that not only looked good hanging off his arm in public. However, private moments were still insufficient.
Tom heard himself saying, “I suppose it is best we end this because after tonight, the only thing we would have is a private relationship. I cannot take you out in public again. There is no way I would subject anyone in town to your nasty mouth, nor will you embarrass me. All you did tonight was embarrass yourself and me. You gave three-quarters of the town fodder for gossip about their sheriff. I am sorry it has to end this way when we began learning about each other.”
“Oh, Tom, you will never realize how sorry I am to hear you say that. I figured our connection was special. You are going to let one misunderstanding end it? Tom, did my bad decisions make us end things before they might begin?” Vivian looked at him with puppy-dog eyes shining with tears. She realized their impending arrival at his home and needed to make him understand his importance. 
There was no way she would risk not knowing what he was doing once the forged money started showing up in town. They needed to spread enough counterfeit bills around before they packed up the printing machine. To have real money gained from the unsuspecting merchants in town. Vivian would make sure too; she was going to make certain enough of it passed in the diner. On the damn homely waitress’s shift so she would lose her paycheck if not her job. Not that she cared about whether she might keep Tom. Sure, it would be nice if he went to the next town with them. But she wasn’t counting on that out of Mr. Morals. Formerly a military man, he now holds the position of sheriff. But it would be nice to keep the hot, muscled cop.
“Look, Tom, I understand how you might see things, and you have explained why. If I were that rude, and you became embarrassed. I will see where our relationship goes by only seeing you at your house. No going out in public unless there comes a time we want to make the relationship permanent. Which would be far away and give people in town time to forget my transgression. Please, you have to recognize we fit. We have fun, and no one can make me hot the way you do. Please let’s try this. You see, I will do most anything to keep you in my life.” There, that should be enough, Vivian figured. Lots of begging, compliments about him as a man and letting him understand she would have a permanent life with him. It was hard for her to hold the snicker back, saying syrupy promises. No way would she let him see her without attending everything with him. It was part of the plan to be glued to the town’s sheriff.
Tom was aware of his feelings for Vivian, even if they were complicated. He wouldn’t deal with her attitude at any point. He was not cut from that kind of cloth where he never assumed he was better than anyone else or that it was ever alright to talk down to other people. Still, he pondered if his actions, like putting her in a room of strangers, led to her behavior. Or perhaps he was only telling himself that to give her an excuse for the way she behaved in front of the people. He’d always wanted these people to respect him, as their sheriff. The other reason, of course, was because Vivian was a beautiful woman who intrigued him to a certain point.
“Alright, if we were to keep seeing each other, and I mean if  — next it will not be in public in this town. Unfortunately, you have ruined that tonight. I can’t figure out why you would behave the way you did, and I can’t say it pleases me at all to consider this might be the way you act in public or in private. I also suppose it might have been my fault because I put you in a room filled with strangers. But that gave you no excuse to treat someone as if they were lower than the dirt on your shoes. I don’t grasp that I will get over this experience about how you acted.”
Sighing, Vivian understood she was going to eat dirt to get Tom to forgive her, and she needed that for the plan to work. “Oh, Tom, I am sorry about how I spoke, and you are right. I was nervous about meeting all those people. I worried they wouldn’t understand I was good enough to be their sheriff. Can’t you please forgive me? I assume there is something special between us, and I would hate to lose that before we are familiar with what it is because of tonight. I promise I won’t ask or expect to go anywhere in public with you.”
The silence was getting to Vivian. She didn’t understand if Tom was considering what she said, resigned to breaking it off. If he did, how would she explain still showing up in town? Of course, if the worst happened, afterwards, it might simply appear like she was chasing after him, and she should act the part of the spurned lover. Then, an idea began forming in her mind, one that might work to her advantage with Tom. Take off some of the pressure by risking getting caught at the abandoned house. What if her elderly aunt showed up in town? Which of course isn’t an aunt at all but the key person funding the counterfeiting scheme along with her brother. Who chose this town based on their actions?
“I hope you change your mind. I so wanted to see where this relationship would go. Understand I care about you, Tom, and even though we didn’t start out looking for something that might lead to more, I want you to realize I imagine it would.”
There, mused Vivian, that should cement it. The man has to be contemplating what a catch she would be. He’s traveled and knows that no one in his little town of his would hold a candle to a woman like her.
“I’m willing to let tonight go on several conditions, Vivian. First, you will apologize to both Jilly and the ladies. Sadie and Sue. We will go nowhere in town as long as we are seeing each other, but I will take you to other places outside of town as long as you act right. First time you decide to act like you did tonight, that will be the end, no matter where you assume this might go. Let me also tell you I have no intention of our relationship leading to marriage. I’m not ready for that, and if it were to get that serious, it would be very far into the future. I had only gotten settled back here before taking on the job as sheriff, leaving me no time for a new wife. You understand it would be years before I am ready for that kind of commitment.”
“Tom, I didn’t consider we would run out and get married tomorrow. I merely meant that I consider the connection between us to be worth following to see where it leads. If it were to lead to us deciding to marry, waiting wouldn’t be a bad thing. It would give us more time to get familiar with each other. With the divorce rates today, you can’t know a person too well before deciding to make it a permanent relationship. I’m not a silly schoolgirl waiting for a proposal. I’m a woman who knows what she wants and will work to get it.”
Vivian got him interested by mentioning a future together. Not that she planned on marrying him. Not unless they could talk him into joining her team instead of staying as a small-town sheriff. She needed a man who was bigger than the life he would give her as a sheriff’s wife, and she wasn’t sure he was someone she would be able to put up with for years. But the main aim right now was to occupy his time, so he didn’t go snooping around in their direction when it came time to flood the town with counterfeit bills. Damn if she wouldn’t try to fix it, so the doughty little waitress got a lot of the blame. 
Sadie and Sue would suffer too for not backing her tonight, especially Sadie.
“So, are we good, Tom? It will take time for you to forgive me, but I don’t want us to stop seeing each other. I’m willing to do whatever you say, and I don’t expect you to offer to take me anyplace in public. Now I understand how I made your experience, and I will apologize first thing tomorrow to Sadie and Sue. The waitress had simply come over to the table, they might have avoided the entire scene. Still, I don’t believe she was doing her job, and I am sure she likes you. She wanted to make you feel bad for her, I’m sure of it. I have seen the way she looks at you. Can you blame me for my outburst, knowing that I’m jealous and afraid of losing you to her?”
“Vivian, whether Jilly seems to like me, you embarrassed yourself and me tonight. I don’t find that the least bit attractive, and if because of jealousy when I gave you no reason to perceive it that way, I like it even less. Let’s simply stop talking about this tonight, but I expect you to apologize to all three women tomorrow. If you don’t, that’s it. We cannot continue seeing each other no matter what feelings you have for me or I have for you.”
Tom wasn’t sure he wanted to keep dating Vivian. Especially when he considered the beautiful waitress, who might have feelings for him. Since she started working there, he’d never seen her be anything but respectful to people. Even when she helped people with no money at all. She seemed to show everyone her radiant smile and treat them pleasantly. How in the world would Vivian talk that way to Jilly? It defied logic. He was certain, though if Vivian didn’t apologize to Jilly, that would be the end of them seeing each other. She’d embarrassed Jilly in front of the whole town. Worse yet, how was he going to face her at the diner when he was the one that brought Vivian?