A Reason to Stay

A Reason to Stay by Kellie Coates Gilbert Read Free Book Online

Book: A Reason to Stay by Kellie Coates Gilbert Read Free Book Online
Authors: Kellie Coates Gilbert
Tags: FIC042000, FIC044000
“Who are you calling?” she mouthed.
    He winked and held up his forefinger. “Hey, Jake. There’s a KIAM-TV news van parked over here in the lot next to the boat slips. Can you keep an eye on it?” He listened to the voice on the other end, then nodded. “Yeah, thanks.”
    He slipped his phone into his jeans pocket. “Okay. All good to go. My buddy at the PD will make sure the van and your equipment are still here when you get back.” He reached for her elbow.
    She placed the strap of her purse on her shoulder and walked alongside him as they moved across the parking lot toward the main stage area. “Do you always do that?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œDo you always play the hero and sweep in and save the day?”
    Geary chuckled. “Sure. I just leave my cape in my tackle box.”
    They neared the food tents located in the same direction as the main stage where Montgomery Gentry served as the headline entertainment, thrilling the crowds who’d assembled in Conroe for the Super Bowl of bass fishing.
    â€œYou hungry?” Geary asked, pulling his wallet out.
    â€œStarved,” she admitted. It’d been hours since they’d eaten the sandwiches at his place.
    Up ahead, a long semi rigged with a black-and-white-striped awning and a massive grill displayed a sign boasting they served the world’s best mesquite-smoked brisket. “This okay?” he asked.
    The air was filled with that wonderful barbecue smell. “You bet. Smells delicious!”
    They purchased homemade root beer from the Wild West Soda Saloon vendor next door and made their way to an empty table.
    â€œOh my, this is so good,” she said, trying not to gorge on the tender smoky-flavored beef covered in tangy sauce, very aware what the calories were doing to her slim size 6 figure. She didn’t want to end up looking like the crackly blonde passing by their table with her ample midriff poking over the top of too-tight jeans.
    He noticed too. “Quite the crowd, huh?”
    She caught a glimpse of a man in shorts and white tube socks and a cap that said Shut Up and Fish . He lugged a loaded cooler while his wife carried folding chairs and led a string of kids behind.
    Out here, camouflage-print shirts seemed to be the fashionstatement for men, while an overabundance of chunky turquoise jewelry and tattoos adorned many of the women. At the final weigh-in, the announcer had held up a prize-winning fish, calling the eleven-pounder “as freaking amazing as all these hot Texas women.”
    To say this was not exactly her crowd would be an understatement.
    Geary wiped his mouth with his napkin. “I enjoyed watching you today. You have a way of drawing people out and getting them to tell you interesting stories.” He studied her, a look of admiration in his eyes. “Seriously, how’d you get those wives to talk to you like that?”
    She smiled and savored the compliment. “Secret’s out. I got passed over when they were handing out hero capes, but I do have a pair of Wonder Woman wristbands back in the van.”
    He chuckled at that, his eyes twinkling—those seriously deep blue eyes.
    He was a good head taller than she, solid-looking with broad shoulders and muscular arms deeply tanned. Short dark hair hung careless around his angular face shadowed with stubble. The look GQ models worked hard to attain, he managed with ease.
    His cheeks dimpled when he smiled, which he did a lot. Nothing seemed to ruffle the man.
    And he was easy to talk to.
    He asked about her job—his sincere interest punctured her wall of reservation and caused her to spill.
    â€œI love everything about television reporting,” she told him. “Especially learning about breaking news before anyone else.” She recounted an occasion when former president George H. W. Bush was hospitalized for shortness of breath. “It was just before Christmas, and I was sent out

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