“What’s the ETA?”

Mabel was already prepping paperwork. “He said he was five minutes out. It’s not an emergency. Armie doesn’t think he broke the ankle, but he wanted to be careful. He didn’t want to throw the kid in lockup until you have a look at him. I’ll go prep room one.”

She was gone before Lila could call her back to let her greet the sheriff.

She was not this woman. She was not the woman who lost her cool when an ex walked in the room. Hell, she was friendly with some of her exes. Not the one who’d hit on her sisters, but a couple of the men she’d dated in college were people she would stop and say hi to and ask after their families.

Of course she hadn’t cried over those men. She hadn’t woken up in the middle of the night, reaching out for them and praying it had all been a terrible dream. Those breakups had been logical. She’d moved on without this horrible ache in her gut that something was missing and couldn’t be replaced.

The doors swooshed open and there he was—big and manly and gorgeous. The fact that he was an asshole who couldn’t see past his own fears didn’t change the way her body responded to him. She wanted to do nothing more than walk into his arms.

Except his arms were full of whining drunk boy.

“Didn’t do anything wrong. It was the gator. That gator made me swerve.” Every word came out slurred.

Mabel rushed in, pushing a wheelchair. “Put him down here, Sheriff. I’ll take him back and get started on his vitals and the initial exam.”

“I’ll come back with you.” It would be a good excuse to not be alone with Armie. “He looks like he’ll be a lot to handle.”

The kid was in his early twenties, but he grinned up at Mabel like she was the hottest thing he’d ever seen. “Hey, pretty lady.”

Mabel frowned and looked back at the sheriff. “I’ll definitely run a blood test. I can handle this puppy. Lila, you stay here and find out what happened. I’ll call you back when he’s ready for the exam. Hush now, you infant. And don’t you try to flirt with me. I like my men elderly and somewhat infirm. Don’t you knock it ’til you’ve tried it.”

“Sorry I didn’t give you more warning.” Armie stood in her waiting room.