The Guarded Widow by K M Gaffney Read Free Book Online Page A

client’s insurance policies.
    “Where the hell are they?” he growled and poured himself another shot of whiskey. Then, before his cell phone even indicated an incoming call, he lifted it and sneered.
    “Prompt as always.”
    After kicking back his shot glass and welcoming the familiar burn, he slammed it down with a heavy thud against the surface of the hotel night stand.
    “I didn’t locate the policies yet,” he stated. “So I figured that I'm going to have to talk to the wife.”
    The way he pronounced the word, talk, insinuated it held an entirely different meaning than its true definition.
    “Don’t worry. I’ll locate them and destroy them before Tom Jones manages to incriminate us from the grave,” he angrily promised before abruptly terminating the call. His final shot of whiskey prompted a sardonic smile; he anticipated his meeting with the attractive Mrs. Jones.
     
    Olivia lay wide awake, listening to the wind as it whipped through the trees and violently slammed against the side of the house. Unable to sleep, she slipped out of bed and padded soundlessly down the hall. Careful to not awaken her sons, she quietly opened Tommy’s bedroom door wider and peeked in on him. He was haphazardly sprawled across his bed, sleeping on his stomach. Following the urge to mother him, she smoothed back his hair to kiss his forehead and noted that the twin size mattress he was lying on was starting to look rather small for her almost twelve year old son.
    She snuck into Michael’s room next. He was flat on his back with his head under the covers, grinding his teeth in his sleep. Pulling back his quilt, she placed her lips on his hair and inhaled deeply. With a smile she realized Michael was just as high strung as Tom had once been, manifesting his stress nocturnally. Then she readjusted his covers and went to check on the twins. After successfully tiptoeing through the minefield of toys on James and Luke’s bedroom floor, she kissed each of their cheeks and snugly tucked their blankets in around them.
    Then she stopped by her own bedroom to collect her pillow and alarm clock before proceeding down the stairs. Not wanting to feel trapped in her second floor bedroom, Olivia decided she’d sleep on the living room couch for the next few nights.  
     
     

Chapter Four
     
    Humming happily while she strolled through the supermarket, Maddy wished she could be a fly on the wall as she wondered how Olivia would respond after listening to the voicemail she’d just left. Having decided that Thad Wolfe, the long term sub, would be a much better choice to re-enter the world of dating with, as opposed to Jeff Masters, she’d taken the liberty of setting the plan in motion. Although she did feel a small amount of guilt about manipulating her own sister, she shrugged, figuring Olivia would get over it.
    “It’s for her own good,” Maddy muttered aloud.
    She truly couldn’t comprehend her sister’s way of thinking. Maddy was the type of woman who thoroughly enjoyed men. Never wanting to be tied down to just one man, she believed it was her sisterly duty to help Olivia through this dry spell.
    I guess I’ll just never understand her, she decided as she rushed into the express lane, fully aware that the basket hanging heavily on her arm held more than the ten allotted items.
    “Excuse me,” an unfamiliar male stated from behind her.
    Maddy slowly turned around to face the owner of the voice, completely prepared to dazzle him with her most jaw dropping smile.
    “You‘re Olivia Jones’s sister, right?”
    She had to tilt her head back in order to completely view the handsome masculine face, recognizing him she offered him a flirtatious smile.
    “Yes, I’m Maddy Spangler,” she purred. Demurely dropping her voice, she glanced up at him through veiled lashes. “How are you, Gavin Rafferty?”
    “I’m fine. Actually, I was just wondering how Olivia faired after last night?”
    As he’d spoken, he peered into her