Sorry for the wait, I could distracted by many, many other things. And yes this is still the same story, I just wanted to change my username to something that suited me better. I also changed the rating because I feel like I cussed somewhere in this story (and probably will again) and really I just felt like T would be better. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and followed and Favorited this story. :)
Veronica was sitting at her computer, searching for some information on a case her father was working. Lamb was out with the boys, and though he was taking them to the park, she figured he would come back with some kind of dessert or something stupid (he once came home with lottery tickets). She should have been working on some school work, but she figured it could wait. It was nothing pressing. Veronica reached to change the song on her iPod when the doorbell rang. Sighing, Veronica paused the music and stood.
So much for a quiet day.
She closed her laptop before going to the door. She was expecting one of her friends, maybe even her father, but she was not expecting Lamb's new deputy.
Deputy Alyssa Hanson had been working in Balboa County for about two weeks. When Logan and Wallace saw her, they both shook their heads and told Veronica she should be careful. The new deputy was slightly taller than Veronica with curly black hair, olive skin, and big brown eyes. She was curvy and muscular, and Veronica's guy friends found her incredibly attractive.
Before, early in their relationship, Veronica would have been worried about this woman working with Lamb. She would have found stupid excuses to show up at the station just to keep an eye on her. But Veronica trusted Lamb. Even if Alyssa came onto him, she knew he wouldn't do anything. But Veronica had never actually talked to the deputy.
And, if the look on her face was anything to go by, Alyssa was just as confused as Veronica. "I'm sorry," the deputy finally said. "Am I at the right house?"
"Depends on who you're looking for," Veronica replied, crossing her arms.
"Is this the sheriff's house?"
Veronica raised an eyebrow. "Yes it is, but he's not home. I could give him a message if you want."
"Oh, um, yeah, sure." Alyssa grabbed something from her back pocket and held it out to Veronica.
Taking it hesitantly, Veronica realized she was holding onto Lamb's watch. The one he'd left with in the morning last Saturday and came home without. "Anything you want me to tell him?" She waved the watch slightly. "About the watch."
Alyssa shifted nervously, like she was suddenly regretting coming here just to drop off a watch. She was shifting from foot to foot and her eyes were looking everywhere but Veronica. The blonde wondered why the deputy chose law enforcement if she couldn't even handle a simple confrontation. "Are you his girlfriend?" Alyssa asked instead.
Veronica's eyebrows shot up. She wasn't expecting that. "Um, no. His wife."
Alyssa's face dropped for a moment before she steeled herself, putting on a neutral expression. "He doesn't mention you," she said, tilting her head to the side. "I mean, he's mentioned his kids before-boys, I think-but he doesn't talk about their mother, so I assumed she was out of the picture."
"I think you're avoiding the real topic," Veronica snapped. No, not snapped. Snapping meant she was irritated and if she was irritated at the woman in front of her that meant she was close to jealousy, and Veronica Mars did not get jealous-especially not about Lamb. "Why do you have Don's watch?"
"Lamb ran out of money at poker night on Saturday," Alyssa explained. "He bet his watch, and I won. I felt bad about taking it though, so I thought I would bring it back."
"Thanks," Veronica said. She wanted the woman off her porch before she said or did anything that Alyssa would tell Lamb about. The last thing she needed was her husband teasing her, saying she was jealous when she was clearly not. "I have work to be doing, so if there's not anything else…"
"Right, sorry." Alyssa took a step back. "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding, and for coming unannounced. I should have waited to give it to him tomorrow, but I've been meaning to give it back all week, and I figured I should before I forget again."
"I'll let him know." Veronica felt like she was repeating herself unnecessarily. If only the black haired deputy would go away. "Bye."
"Right, bye." She turned to go and got three steps before she whirled around again, startling Veronica. "I didn't know, by the way."
"Know what?"
"That he was married. Like I said, he never talks about you. A few nights ago, when we went out with some other deputies, he wasn't wearing a ring. I had a few drinks and went for it, but nothing happened. He said he wasn't interested and went back to playing darts."
Now Veronica was thoroughly confused. When she asked him about that night, he'd just said he played darts and had a few drinks before coming home. She didn't question it farther. She had no reason to, but now this deputy was standing there telling her that she'd tried to hit on her husband. And, though Veronica had no doubt Lamb didn't let anything happen, she wanted to know if revenge on the deputy was worth it. "Why are you telling me this?"
Alyssa shrugged. "I don't know. I'm new to town, and I don't really need anyone thinking I'm some slut who goes after any breathing man. I swear, if I'd known he was married, I would have backed off."
"Thanks for telling me," Veronica said. "See you around Deputy."
"Same…"
"Veronica."
Alyssa nodded. "Great meeting you, Mrs. Lamb." And she waltzed away before Veronica could say correct her. (Veronica had no problem being called that but she was a Mars through and through and no marriage could change that.)
Veronica grabbed her cell phone as she went back into the house. She dropped the watch by her laptop as she dialed the familiar number. She just prayed only the person she needed at the moment would answer.
"Sheriff's department," Deputy Sacks' voice greeted.
"Sacks," Veronica said cheerfully. "Just the person I wanted."
Sacks sighed. "What do you want Veronica?" She leaned on the counter. "See, I just heard an interesting story. Do you think you could tell me what happened between the dear ole sheriff and the new deputy at the bar?"
"Nothing," he shot immediately. "Nothing happened."
"Well, according to her, she wanted something to happen."
"She was drunk, and she went to kiss him. He stopped her way before, said something that made her sad, and went back to playing darts. He went home fifteen minutes later."
Veronica remembered Lamb arriving home at barely midnight, when he usually liked to stay out much longer. All he said was he was tired. "That's it? Nothing I can use against Lamb?"
"Nothing. Can you not mention any of this to the sheriff? If you didn't know, he'll kill me for telling you."
"On one condition."
"What?"
"Don't tell Lamb I asked."
Veronica put the watch on her side of the bed, under her pillow, until later that night. The boys were all asleep, and Lamb was in the bathroom. Deciding now was a good time to make him sweat, she grabbed the watch and dropped it on his pillow. She flipped on the TV and waited for him to come back into the room.
As he was putting his phone and wallet on his nightstand, Veronica said, without looking away from the TV, "Met Alyssa Hanson today."Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him go stiff for a second before he relaxed.
"What for?"
"She stopped by to drop that off." She pointed at his watch. "Why didn't you tell me you bet it in poker?"
He shrugged, moving the watch to his nightstand. "Wasn't important. Just a watch. Why'd she bring it back?" He slid into bed as she turned onto her side to face him.
"Felt guilty about taking it."
"Okay." He paused. "Did you talk to you about…anything else?"
"Not really."
He nodded.
"But she did tell me about the bar a few nights ago."
"I can explain."
She waved him off. "Don't bother. She explained everything."
"Oh…what'd she say, exactly?"
"Just that she's been hot for you since she first came here and she was waited until you were completely wasted before making a move on you. She kissed you before you started another game of darts and you kissed back. According to her, you two made out in the bathroom for hours."
Lamb's mouth dropped open. "I-"
"Shh, don't interrupt. It's getting good." She sat up, a chuckle bubbling inside her. She loved messing with him. "And then you two went to her car and had hot, sweaty sex in the backseat." She shrugged. "According to her, that is."
"It's not true!"
Veronica couldn't help but laugh. He actually looked terrified. She leaned over and pecked the corner of his mouth. "I'm kidding Don. She told me she hit on you but you rejected her."
He glared. "You aren't funny, Mars."
"Of course not. I'm hilarious." She scooted closer to him and grasped his hand, linking their fingers together. "But seriously. If you ever cheat on me, Don Lamb, there will be a line of people wanting to kill you and I will be first in line."
"Noted." He kissed her gently. "Were you jealous?"
She yanked her head back. "What?"
He smirked. "You were jealous!"
"I was not!"
"Veronica Mars was jealous!"
"I will murder you in your sleep, Lamb."
"I never thought I'd see the day."
"Shut up."
"You were jealous of some-mfmm!" Veronica had slapped her hands over his mouth mid-sentence, eyes narrowed.
"You're so dead Lamb."
He raised an eyebrow, prying her hands off his mouth. "Only jealous women deny they're jealous."
"I know where you sleep. Be afraid."