Home to Sparrow Lake (Harlequin Heartwarming) by Lynn Patrick Read Free Book Online Page B

something back for you?”
    “Thanks, but I brought a sandwich.”
    Kristen knew she should have done the same, but she hadn’t even thought about it. A holdover from her old life where she’d had lunch out every day. She couldn’t afford to keep doing that, so she needed to make sure the fridge was stocked with things she could eat. And no more mac and cheese for her or she wouldn’t fit into her secondhand designer suits, which she would need to wear on interviews. In the meantime, she decided to check out the family restaurant directly across the street.
    Thinking she should have a salad, Kristen mused about what kind of dressing she would get as she checked the street for moving vehicles before crossing in the middle of the block. A siren went off nearby, but she paid it no mind as she tried to decide if she should eat in or take her meal back to the shop.
    “Miss Lange, wait a minute!”
    Her foot froze on the curb.
    She knew that voice.
    Turning, she saw Alex Novak getting out of his patrol car. He’d switched off the siren, but the light bar was still flashing. Her pulse fluttered at his approach.
    “Chief,” she said, responding in kind to his calling her Miss Lange. “What can I do for you?”
    He was pulling out an official-looking pad and a pen. “You can cross at the corner next time.”
    “What?”
    “You were jaywalking.”
    He had to be kidding. “This isn’t the big city!”
    “No matter. There’s a town ordinance against crossing in the middle of the street. That’s why we have those nice white lines at every corner, to give you a safe place to cross.”
    “But I was safe,” she said reasonably. Maybe if she kept her voice moderate and friendly this time, he would back off. “There weren’t any vehicles coming. I checked. In fact, there aren’t any now.” Town traffic was moderate at its worst.
    “I’m afraid you’re going to have to pay a one-dollar fine anyway.” He started filling out the ticket.
    “One dollar?”
    “Yep.”
    Reason lost out to irritation. Why was he doing this? And how did he happen to be here at the exact time she went out to get lunch? Was he trying to persecute her because she wouldn’t go out with him? Is that why she’d seen his patrol car crawl by so often over the past week? So he could find a way to irritate her for refusing his invitation to dinner?
    Crossing her arms, she glared at him. “I won’t pay it.” She wasn’t going to throw away even one dollar because he had an issue with her decision to not see him. “This is ridiculous.”
    “Let me get this straight. If I write a ticket for one dollar, you won’t pay it?”
    “Absolutely not.”
    “You’re sure?”
    “Positive!”
    “All right, then.” He actually smiled as he pulled out his handcuffs and indicated she should hold out her hands.
    “I will not.”
    “Right now, you’ve only committed an infraction subject to a small fine by jaywalking. But unless you cooperate, I’ll have to add resisting arrest to the charges. Then you’ll have to go before a judge.”
    “Oh! I never—”
    “Me neither.”
    Kristen was horrified. Townspeople were stopping to watch the spectacle, and they were tittering at her plight. She recognized several people she knew, including Emily Auerbach. Undoubtedly the mayor’s wife would make a big deal of this. And Heather was standing in front of Sew Fine, her expression alternately shocked and amused.
    Indignant, Kristen held out her hands, and Alex locked the handcuffs around her wrists, then said, “Now if you’ll come with me...”
    She tucked her chin into her chest so she wouldn’t have to look at any of the bystanders and rushed toward the patrol car. He opened the back door and put his hand on her head. She ducked away from him and clunked the side of her head on the metal frame.
    “Ouch!”
    “I was trying to avoid that happening,” Alex said, but he was grinning at her.
    Refusing to be baited, she slid into the backseat of a police