Campaigning for Love by K.D. Fleming Read Free Book Online

she may have growled. He wasn’t sure. He smiled.
    “Alice, the woman who adopted me, was a widow. Her late husband and Judge Pierce were first cousins. The judge handled the adoption, and since his and Aunt Melvia’s son lives out of state, they sort of made me their surrogate niece.”
    Satisfied for now, he nodded and led the way to the back of his vehicle, where he stowed her case next to his black carry-on. Once he’d closed the gate, he turned and faced her. “I know this weekend’s uncomfortable for you, but you have to know I never meant to hurt you, not back in high school, and not now either.”
    She didn’t say anything, just swiveled on the ball of her foot like a ballerina and headed for the front passenger door. He rubbed a hand along the back of his neck. So much for extending an olive branch. Let her mope. He’d tried. After starting the car, he backed out of her driveway, as unsure of how they’d get along this weekend as he’d been when he arrived.
    He stopped at a florist shop halfway to the judge’s house. Before he got out, he asked if she wanted to come inside. She shook her head, pulled her book out of her bag and ignored him. In a few minutes, he was back and they were on their way.
    They drove through tall, ornate wrought iron gates and followed the paved drive up to a two-story estate-style home in aged, brown brick. A lush lawn sprawled wide on either side and in front of the house. Semi-tamed woods surrounded the property and formed a natural privacy barrier. Nick stopped the vehicle even with the double glass-paneled doors of the house.
    Judge Pierce came outside before Nick could pull their bags from the back of the vehicle. Two golden retrievers tugged against their leashes. “I see you made it.”
    Katherine abandoned her suitcase on the drive and knelt down. The judge freed the dogs. They lunged, almost knocking her over in their excitement. Nick rushed forward but wasn’t fast enough. At her bubble of laughter, he relaxed as they nipped and danced around her, barking with excitement, vying for her attention.
    “Buster. Bruno. Off, boys,” she ordered in a stern voice. “I have your treats. Sit.” She laughed when they dropped to their haunches and waited in quivering anticipation.
    She rubbed their heads with affection before she reached into the oversized bag on her shoulder and pulled out two tufts of knotted rope, frayed at the ends. The dogs stayed seated but whined in recognition of the toys. She fished two doggie treats out of her bag and handed one to each of them before waving the ropes in front of them in temptation. They sprang to attention. She drew back and threw the ropes well past the drive, over into the cropped grass. Both dogs took off like arrows shot from a bow.
    Katherine straightened and stepped into her uncle Charles’s waiting arms. “There’s my girl. Why don’t you take the boys for their walk while I show Nick to his room?”
    “That sounds great. I haven’t played with them in forever.” She hurried toward where the dogs played tug-of-war with one of the ropes.
    Nick stood, enjoying her open display of affection while she played with the dogs. It was the first glimpse into a lighter, happier Katherine she’d allowed him to witness. He slung his bag over his shoulder and picked up her suitcase before nodding at the judge in greeting. “Sir.”
    “It’s good of you to come willingly this weekend. It speaks well of you in my book.”
    He let the judge’s comment go without a response and followed him up the stairs. Katherine’s room was at the end of the hall on the left. Floral wallpaper resembling Victorian roses covered the walls. A lace-trimmed duvet on the bed in light cream offset the plush burgundy carpet muffling his footsteps. A make-up table and a Queen Anne chair sat against the wall opposite double doors that he guessed concealed a large closet.
    After he set Katherine’s case on the floor at the foot of the bed, the judge