Best Man for Hire (Entangled Lovestruck) (Front and Center) by Tawna Fenske Read Free Book Online

notice.”
    “When was this?”
    “The wedding was three years ago. The divorce is pretty recent. Still a lot of baggage there. The whole thing has really taken a toll on her.”
    “You can’t seriously blame yourself for that.”
    “Why not? I pushed her into it.”
    “You can’t make someone get married.”
    Anna shrugged and trailed a finger around the rim of her glass. “I’m pretty persuasive when I want something.”
    “I can only imagine.” Grant turned and pulled the foil-wrapped potatoes out of the coals. He checked the steaks, making sure they were cooked to perfection. Satisfied, he returned to the kitchen and grabbed a bowl of baby carrots and some dip he’d bought at the store earlier. He nudged the fridge door shut and walked back to the patio, setting both items in front of Anna. She gave him a grateful smile and reached for a carrot.
    “Aren’t you being a little hard on yourself?” He turned and pulled the meat off the grill, sliding it onto a clean plate. “I’m guessing this wasn’t an arranged marriage. Janelle had some responsibility for picking the guy, right?”
    Anna shrugged. “It’s a long story, and it looks like dinner’s just about ready. Can we eat out here?”
    Grant studied her for a moment, wondering if he should apologize for pressing her. She’d volunteered everything willingly enough, but maybe he’d been too pushy. She didn’t look rattled, and she smiled at him as she stood up and smoothed out the front of her dress. Still, something had shifted between them.
    “Sure,” he said. “Eating outside is a great idea. Would you mind dusting off the table with that cloth there? I’ll go grab everything.”
    He moved back into the kitchen and gathered silverware, napkins, coleslaw, and everything else he thought they might need. He considered grabbing the big citronella candle in the corner to help keep bugs away, but decided against it. No sense making her think he was trying to get romantic.
    When he returned to the balcony, he saw she’d cleared off the table and laid out two bright orange plastic place mats his sister must’ve left behind when she last visited with the twins. They gave the table a festive look, and he set up the food feeling oddly jovial.
    He sat down and began unwrapping his potato, glancing at Anna as she picked up her knife and fork.
    “So,” she said, slicing into the meat with a clean, even stroke. “So what’s your secret?”
    “Well, I usually pan sear the meat first to give it a nice even crust on the outside.”
    “Not the steak.” Her eyes fixed on his, unblinking. “What you just did there.”
    He cocked his head to the side, studying her with renewed interest. “What did I just do?”
    “The conversational equivalent of stripping off my clothes and having me on my back in the first thirty minutes of a date.” She took a bite of steak and chewed, eyes never leaving his. Grant felt his mouth fall open, but no words came out.
    Anna finished her bite and kept talking, her voice bright and calm and surprisingly cheerful. “Not that I didn’t enjoy it,” she continued, “and not that I didn’t willingly spread my legs—metaphorically speaking, of course. But level with me here, Grant Patton—what the fuck was that about?”

Chapter Four
    Anna waited politely while Grant choked on his wine. She should probably help him, but given how goddamn perfect he was at everything else, she figured he knew how to perform the Heimlich on himself.
    “Are you always this blunt?” he asked when he finally got some air.
    “Pretty much.” She took a bite of steak and chewed. “Seriously, how did you do it? How’d you have me confessing my life story in less time than it normally takes me to remove my jacket?”
    “You weren’t wearing a jacket.”
    “You no doubt would have removed it if I were,” she said. “Metaphorically speaking. Come on, Marine man. What the hell did you just pull to get me to tell you everything but the