Race Against Time by Christy Barritt Read Free Book Online Page B

entertainment center and managed to assemble the entire thing on her own. But if Madison was honest she’d admit that she missed having someone around to help out, to ease her burden.
    She knew that no one would ever replace Reid, though. He’d been one of a kind, her soul mate. And losing him had hurt like a piece of herself had been removed—without anesthesia or pain medication. She’d found love once, but she never wanted to open herself up to that heartache again. The pain was just too overwhelming.
    She especially didn’t want to open herself up to Brody, so this strange attraction she’d been feeling toward him yesterday and today needed to go away. She prided herself on keeping herself separate from her emotions, of being able to put on a brave front. She needed to draw on that now.
    She sighed and picked up the phone. She might as well start making those phone calls. What did she say to her clients? I’m sorry I missed our appointment yesterday but someone tried to kill me? She shook her head. That would only sound absurd. She’d tell them she’d had an emergency come up. But in a town as small as Seaford, everyone had certainly already heard the whole story—at least, they’d heard someone’s version of the whole story.
    She’d need God’s strength to get through the next few days. She knew she couldn’t do it on her own.
    * * *
    Just as Madison hung up from her last call, a knock sounded at her office door. She looked up and saw Brody filling the doorway. The sight of him made her heart quicken again, much to her chagrin. Life was easier when she thought of the man simply as a plastic Ken doll, not as a man with compassion and kindness.
    Brody nodded down the hall. “The front door is up. You want to check it out?”
    “That was fast.” She stood and followed him down the hallway. She was surprised at what she saw in the foyer. Not only had he put up her new door, but he’d also swept and cleaned the entire area. She could hardly tell that anything had happened there. “It looks great.”
    He ran his hand down the finished wood, wiping some dust from it. “A little bit of soapy water and it will practically seem like the house has had a face-lift.”
    She waved him off. “I think I can handle some soapy water. I just can’t thank you enough for all of your help.”
    “I don’t mind. I kind of like being handy sometimes.”
    She looked up at him and blanched at how close he stood. Close enough that she could smell spearmint, to see the flecks of gold in his stubble, close enough to feel overwhelmed by his size and strength. Her throat went dry and she stepped back. “Thank you, then. Let me get you a check for the door before I forget—” She took a step toward her office, but Brody grabbed her arm.
    “Don’t worry about it.” He shrugged. “After all, I’m the reason you needed a new door.”
    “You broke it down so you could save my life.”
    “I said don’t worry about it.”
    The way his hands went to his hips and he raised his gaze made it clear that there was no room for argument. Madison still planned on paying him back, though. She just had to do a few of these photography jobs first. She’d let his stubbornness buy her some time.
    “I guess you need to get back to work now,” she murmured.
    His expression made it clear that he did have to go—but that he didn’t want to. “I do. I need to see if we can track down whomever sent you this picture. The sooner we catch this guy, the sooner your life will return to normal.”
    “As normal as it can be after something like this.”
    “I can’t argue with that.” He stepped toward the door. The way he stopped there made it seem like he was almost trying to think of a reason to stay. “Madison, call me if you need anything—anything at all. Promise?”
    “I do.”
    “Are you staying with Kayla tonight?”
    Kayla had invited her to stay for as long as needed. “Probably.”
    “I think that’s a good idea.” He