SEALED with a Kiss (Midnight Delta #4) by Caitlyn O'Leary Read Free Book Online Page A

and at no time had she said ‘she couldn’t’.
    “Should I ask why?” Billy questioned softly.
    “I wish you wouldn’t.”
    “Well, okay then.”  He reached out and held his hand up.  It was the hardest thing he had ever done.  But he got the feeling if ever someone needed a hug, or their hand held it was Rebecca Barnes.
    She grabbed it and her grip was tight.  She smiled at him.  His heart soared again.  He didn’t know why she couldn’t go, but it wasn’t because she didn’t like him.  She did.  And he got the distinct feeling it was more than as a friend.  Jack and Clint had been right.

Chapter Eight
    ––––––––
    S ophia Anderson
    Playing Call of Duty wasn’t her idea of a fun night, but she appreciated the fact both Mason and Billy always invited her to join their game.  These days what was really taking up a lot of her bandwidth was figuring out how to market the pies outside of the diner.  Currently four different gourmet shops in San Clemente had asked her to bake product for them. 
    She wanted to do it, she had to figure out how to keep up the quality, and not sacrifice her home life.  That meant she was currently looking at more resumes from Craig’s list while listening to Mason and Billy.
    “One of the guys I served with was an emancipated minor, it was a hard road.  Rebecca has guts.”  She heard Mason say.  Sophia stopped scrolling through the listings and started to pay attention to what was being said in the living room.
    “How old was he?”
    “I’m not sure.”
    “She says she wants to graduate from high school early and get a scholarship.  I know her foster home isn’t good.  It isn’t like being with the Bards,” Billy said.
    “It doesn’t sound like you’re mad at her for turning you down.”
    “No, she’s too good of a friend.  I’m bummed.  But...well...it didn’t feel like she was rejecting me.  I kind of thought she wanted to go with me.  I know it’s probably wishful thinking on my part.  I’m probably being stupid.”
    “Billy, I’ve known you for two years now. You’re not stupid.”
    The doorbell rang.
    “I’ve got it,” Sophia called out as she grabbed her purse.
    She checked the peephole before opening the door to the pizza delivery boy.  She brought in the food to the dining room.
    “Thanks, sis,” Billy exclaimed as he put down his controller.  Mason gave her a warm smile, and came to the kitchen to help her get the plates and napkins.
    “So that’s what’s been going on, it’s a girl, huh?”
    “Isn’t it always?” Mason asked as he stroked her hair.
    “No,” she replied.  “Fifty percent of the time, it’s a boy.”  He laughed.
    “You heard?” Billy said as he came into the kitchen, and opened up the fridge.  Sophia looked at her handsome young brother and gave him an encouraging smile.
    “Yeah, I did.  You okay with that?”
    “I guess so.  I got shot down.  It was bound to happen, right?”
    “Not in my book.  I thought you were going to always have girls say yes, and be married by the time you were fifteen.”  He gave her a grin.
    “You’d like Rebecca.”
    “Is this the girl from social studies?”
    “Yep.”
    “Didn’t you guys get an A?  I like her already.”  The three of them sat down at the dining room table.
    “She’s nice, Soph.  Real nice.  You would like her.”
    Sophia looked at Billy in surprise. 
    “Billy, if you liked her enough to ask her out, I have no doubt in my mind I would like her.”
    Billy smiled in relief. 
    It suddenly hit Sophia how much of a stand-in she was for a mom.  He really wanted her to like the girl he would bring home one day.  She would always have to treat this with the care and dignity it deserved.
    “Even though she’s not going to go to the dance with me, I want to make sure she knows there are no hard feelings.  I had asked if she had wanted to help out at the food pantry tomorrow and she had said yes.  So we’re still