Page 10 of A Texas Hero

But he’d been specifically instructed not to let Zoey know of the real threat her father faced. It might be difficult at times, but Archer would do as ordered.

Chapter Five

Zoey quickly grew a little tired of Archer standing near the doorway like a soldier. Sure, this was his job, but did he have to make it so obvious? Every now and then when things got slow, she’d go up to him and make a funny face, sticking out her tongue.

He blinked. “Why are you doing that?”

“Well, you’re acting like you’re in the King’s Guard, so I thought I’d make a face and see if I can get you to smile the way the tourists do.”

He lowered his aviator shades and peered at her over them. “I will smile when something is funny.”

Twyla stopped in at lunch, bringing Zoey a turkey sandwich from the Salty Dog. Archer nodded to Twyla as she walked by, and when his back was to her, she mouthed to Zoey, “Wow.”

Yes, “wow,” and too bad he didn’t seem the slightest bit interested in Zoey. She supposed it would be too much to ask to get both a handsome bodyguard and a date for Sweetheart Day.

“My new bodyguard, courtesy of my father.”

“That’s the best shop decoration ever,” Twyla said, speaking softly. “When we joked about making him a doorman, well, I didn’t seriously think he’d look like a superhot bouncer.”

“You thought he’d be a middle-aged man? Balding, with a paunch?”

“Exactly,” Twyla said, then studied the ceiling. “On the other hand, I just remembered Ronan Sheridan is a bodyguard and he’s incredibly hot. Maybe it’s a job qualification.”

“They’re calling it executive protection now.” Zoey made air quotes. “But technically he is a bodyguard. I read up on it last night.”

“Hey, maybe he’ll still be here for Sweetheart Day.” Twyla took a sip of her Cheerwine. “And he could be your plus one.”

“If he’s still here by then, it’s because my daddy has money to burn.”

“He wouldn’t call protecting his only child burning money.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Yes, and I also know your daddy does have money to burn.”

Zoey sighed. “I wish he wouldn’t waste his money on me. There are other people he could help.”

It was still top secret, but a while ago when Twyla’s bookstore was in trouble, Zoey arranged on the down-low for her father to come in as an “angel” investor. To this day, Twyla had no idea whom the money had come from, but it didn’t have to be repaid, and it had saved her third-generation family bookstore. Maybe someday Zoey would tell her best friend, but for now, she privately enjoyed the fact that her father had the means to help her friends, too. And who knew? Maybe someday Zoey would also have a multigenerational family business with Glamtique. She already felt her mother’s presence here—a silent business partner, if you will—but if she were so blessed as to someday have a little girl, or a boy who loved fashion, and they had a child…it could happen.

“You don’t have the decorations up yet,” Twyla said with a pout.

“I’ve got all the boxes down. I’ll take care of that this afternoon.”

Twyla hooked a thumb toward Archer. “He’s even taller than you are. Have him help you.”

Zoey shook her head then reconsidered. “You know what, my friend? You are an evil genius.”

She was going to have such fun, watching her sulky and way-too-serious bodyguard, as he helped her tape yellow and orange hearts, pumpkins and leaves in the window.

Twyla took off, greeting Lois Finch as she passed her walking into the shop.

“Weren’t you in that men’s cologne commercial? Dolce & Gabbana?” Lois asked Archer, as she looked him up and down.

“I think it was Giorgio Armani,” said a pretty redhead behind Lois. She was holding a baby in a front pack.

“No, ma’am,” Archer said. “It was not me.”

Zoey smothered a laugh and walked over to greet Lois, who was not a regular customer. She wanted her to feel welcome so that she’d return more often. The holidays were coming up—a chance to make more money in three months than she’d made so far that year.