Her Irresistible Troublemaker (A Town Named Eden Book 3) by Sonia Parin Read Free Book Online Page A

when he’d seen the finished product, he’d swelled with so much satisfaction and pride he’d taken the leap of faith, throwing himself into the business fulltime.
    While he preferred the personal touch of small-scale renovations, he’d needed a bigger influx of money and so had taken on this new building project.
    Once it was completed, he’d figure out how best to use his skills and time. So far, he hadn’t had a chance to look back. He didn’t even regret losing Juliette along the way. While he’d been quick to adjust to his new career, Juliette… well, the same couldn’t be said for Juliette. She’d given it her best shot, lasting a few months before calling the engagement off. In the end, she hadn’t wanted someone who dressed in scruffy jeans and forgot to get his hair cut.
    Lately he’d been wondering if the experience had made a lasting impact on him. Had he become a diehard cynic?
    Jack pulled himself away from that train wreck of a thought before it could gather momentum and take off. As for thinking too much about Lexie Gardner...
    “My date’s running late,” his brother said as he slipped his cell inside his pocket.
    “What’s with the suit?”
    Mason adjusted his tie and cleared his throat. “I’m on my way to a wedding.”
    “Who’s?”
    “I’ve no idea. I’m doing a favor for one of the girls at the office. Rachel wants to go to the wedding but not alone.”
    “An office romance? Those can be tricky.”
    Mason shook his head. “I like Rachel, but not in a romantic way. She’s fun to be with. Like hanging out with a friend.”
    “You’re deluded if you think that’s possible between men and women.” Lexie wasn’t after a relationship, and he wasn’t after a relationship. It made him wonder...
    He’d enjoyed the time he’d spent with her the night before and had been surprised to hear her admission about not wanting to date. There had to be a story behind that. She didn’t strike him as a man-hater, so maybe she was taking a break from it all and regrouping. That was something he could relate to.
    Jack brushed a hand across his face. Since his encounter with Lexie, he’d started thinking too much about not being in a relationship. Maybe it was time to do something about it. He almost wished he could tap into Mason’s laidback attitude to dating.
    Out of the two, Mason had collected far more notches than he ever let on, and he never seemed to acquire excess baggage from the experiences. The fact he was hanging out with a woman he had no interest in made him a font of knowledge.
    “Got time for a coffee?”
    “Make it brunch and I’m in. I still have a couple of hours to kill before I pick up Rachel, and like it or not, we need to plan a welcome home and belated wedding reception for dad, his new wife, and—”
    “Have you met her?”
    Mason shook his head. “Dad was uncharacteristically cagey about her. I guess he’s had enough of your disapproval.”
    “What the hell are you talking about? I’ve never told him how I feel about his wives.”
    “With you, silence isn’t golden, it’s a dead giveaway to how you feel. Anyway, we also have the other addition to look forward to.”
    “Don’t tell me. New stepsisters.”
    “Just the one, so you need to rustle up a date. Like it or not, we’re throwing him a party.”
    Another stepsister to welcome into the family fold and keep in line. “Do you think I could borrow your Rachel for the night?” Over the years, they’d dealt with the shifting family dynamics by keeping things nice and simple. That wasn’t to say their new stepmoms didn’t try to set them up.
    “Sorry, I’ve got first dibs.”
     
    * * *
     
    “I’m all out of energy.” Lexie couldn’t even think, her stomach felt so empty.
    “You sound forlorn and you’re looking across the road at the café. Are you trying to tell me something?”
    Lexie slumped against the bicycle handlebars. “My hair’s clumpy from wearing this bicycle helmet. I’m