Friendly Fire by Lorhainne Eckhart Read Free Book Online Page B

keeping my eye on you, too, Sheriff.”
    He stepped out, and Logan, for the first time ever, let the challenge drop.

Chapter 9
    J ulia was in her bathroom, putting on eye shadow and mascara. She smoothed down her white blouse and newer blue jeans, to which she added her nice belt buckle; the silver engraved one that added that finishing touch and made her feel just a little more dressed up. The doorbell rang.
    “Mom, the door!” Trinity yelled from the living room.
    “Okay, I’ll be right there,” Julia replied. She started down the hall of her three-bedroom home, done in pale greens, with local sketches framed on the walls. She glanced in at the twins, who were watching TV on the sofa, then opened the front door. There was Brent Maloney, wearing a deep brown leather jacket, looking handsome, with a smile that warmed her heart.
    He handed her a wrapped bouquet of flowers. “For you.”
    “You bought me flowers?” She ripped open the package, taking in the mixed arrangement of carnations, pink roses, and some daisies. “I can’t believe it! You didn’t have to get me flowers. Come in.” She stepped back and listened to the door click. “I’m just going to put these in water. The sitter should be here soon.”
    “Take your time, no rush,” he said.
    Julia was still smiling as she set the arrangement in a jug. She couldn’t remember ever buying a vase, as she had never thought to buy flowers. No one had ever brought her flowers before, either. The doorbell rang again.
    “Julia, do you want me to get that?” Brent called out.
    “Yes, please! Thanks, Brent. That should be the sitter.”
    She listened to some chatter and recognized Susie’s voice. She set the flowers in the middle of the kitchen table and reminded herself that this was going to be fun. An actual date; with a handsome, stable man who liked her kids. She stepped out of the kitchen and reached for her dark coat, and Brent stepped closer.
    “Allow me,” he said.
    “Quite the gentleman! Thank you.”
    Brent helped her with her coat. She didn’t miss the way his fingers lingered on her shoulders, though his touch was nothing special. She didn’t find herself wanting him to linger the way she had wanted Logan to. She had to shut her eyes for a second to get Logan out of her head. She was going to date Brent, who was stable and safe and—she hoped—reliable. She just needed to get to know him. These things took time.
    “You okay?” He set his hands on her shoulders.
    “Yeah, I am. We should go,” Julia said, offering a quick smile. “Hey, Susie, I won’t be too late, but the girls have to be in bed by nine, no exceptions. You two—you listen to Susie, now, you hear?”
    “Mom, it’s not a school night! Why can’t we stay up? Grimm is on at nine, and I really want to watch it,” Trinity said.
    “Your mom said bed at nine,” Brent said. “You respect her and listen to what she says,” he added in a teacher tone that had both girls sighing and saying, “Fine.”
    Brent ushered her out to his black Dodge Challenger, new and sporty.
    “Nice car,” she said.
    He held the door open as she slid inside, over the black leather seat. He went around the vehicle and slid under the wheel, starting the engine and setting his hand on Julia’s seat as he backed out, his thumb brushing her shoulder again. “It’s a fun car. I had my eye on it for a while. I’m glad you decided to let me take you out.”
    She just smiled, feeling suddenly shy. “So where are you taking me for dinner, anyway?”
    “Well, we don’t have many choices here. It was either pancakes or the steakhouse. I’ll give you two guesses.”
    “I don’t mind pancakes,” she teased.
    “Well, you’re going to be disappointed... I’m taking you to the steakhouse.”
    She laughed. “Good! I don’t remember the last time I was in there. I think it’s been forever.” She realized she had only been out two times since moving here, and both times had been for breakfast