All They Ever Wanted by Tracy Solheim Read Free Book Online

sheriff.”
Except that maybe there is a thief staying at the B and B because that ring
had
been in the bag last night.
Lori reached for Cassidy’s hand and gave it another squeeze. “I’m just a little down on my luck. No one is in any danger because of me.” It was the truth. If the mess she’d found herself in could physically harm anyone at the Tide Me Over Inn or in Chances Inlet, Lori would be out of town in a nanosecond. Of that she was sure.
    Cassidy looked down at Lori’s hand covering hers. The girl was silent a moment before she spoke softly. “Just promise me you won’t disappear on me.”
    Lori’s chest constricted. Cassidy was essentially on her own. And Lori knew all too well what that feeling of isolation felt like. But the teenager had the McAlisters and the entire town of Chances Inlet looking after her. She’d be fine in the long run. It wouldn’t do for her to get too attached to Lori.
    â€œOh, please, once you get to college, you won’t have to hang out with the hired help anymore.” Lori avoided making any promises, quickly changing the subject before Cassidy could call her on it. “I made your favorite: chicken salad. Why don’t we grab some dinner while the guests are all at the various restaurants downtown having theirs?”
    Cassidy eyed her warily before nodding. Lori breathed a sigh of relief, snapping her fingers for the dogs to follow as she ushered Cassidy out of her room. She’d just have to conduct a more thorough search for the ring later tonight.
    â€œA sandwich sounds good, as long as you leave off all the sprouts and twigs that Ginger insists on putting in everything she cooks.” Cassidy stomped down the back staircase that led down to the kitchen area.
    Lori bit back a smile. Ginger had spent years training fora career as a ballerina. Her wholesome eating habits had been widely discussed by everyone in town when she’d first arrived.
    â€œBernice was just here,” Cassidy continued. “She said Kate told her that Mrs. Mac is coming home tomorrow.”
    Bernice was the queen bee of Chances Inlet’s gossip hive. Any information told to or overheard by the woman was spread around town with more efficiency than an Amber Alert.
    â€œBut she won’t be a hundred percent for a while so you still can’t leave yet,” Cassidy said as they made their way into the spacious kitchen awash with the late afternoon sunlight that was streaming in from the two large box bay windows. Both dogs scrambled on the hardwood floor making their way to the screen door.
    â€œWho can’t leave yet?”
    Lori’s steps faltered briefly at the sound of Miles’ voice. She glanced over to see him resting a lean hip against the large center island. Still dressed in the clothes he’d worn for the interview, charcoal slacks and a crisp white shirt that accentuated his icy blue eyes and summer tan, he paused before taking a sip from a glass of lemonade. A dark eyebrow arched above those keen eyes as he looked right through Lori. He routinely made a point of ignoring her, except she had the niggling sensation he saw her more clearly than anyone else. The feeling put her on edge whenever he was around.
    It was as if he knew she couldn’t vote in the district and he’d written her off. His disdain riled Lori more than she’d like. Which was ridiculous since her goal was to ensure that her existence in the town of Chances Inlet went unnoticed. It didn’t help that the air crackled with tension—and something else she didn’t want to analyze—whenever he was near.
    Cassidy yanked open the screen door and both dogs sprinted off into the sprawling green grass of the inn’s backyard. “Oh, don’t worry, Miles. Lori isn’t going anywhere.” She walked over to the island and poured herself a glass of lemonade. “You can concentrate on beating The GTO Grandma.