The Spring at Moss Hill by Carla Neggers Read Free Book Online Page A

reason I’m wearing sunglasses.” He pointed a thick finger at the blue sky. “The sun is.”
    A sense of humor. Kylie was encouraged. “I work at home. Feel free to knock on my door if you need anything.”
    â€œI will, thank you. What kind of work do you do?”
    â€œI’m a freelance illustrator.”
    â€œYou’re not registered for Daphne Stewart’s class next Saturday.”
    â€œI only just learned about it. I’ve been busy with work the past few months and haven’t paid attention.”
    â€œDo you know Ava and Ruby O’Dunn well?”
    Kylie shook her head. “Not well. Do you?”
    â€œI haven’t had the pleasure of meeting them yet. I’m here on behalf of Daphne Stewart.”
    â€œSo Ruby said. Fantastic she’s taking the time to give a lecture in little Knights Bridge. It’s very generous of her.” Kylie tried to look nonchalant. She wanted to keep the focus away from herself. “When I saw you—”
    â€œDeer in the headlights.” He gave her an easy smile. “You froze for a split second, and then you bolted. I sometimes have that effect on people. Again, sorry.”
    She returned his smile. “I didn’t freeze. I just bolted. Do people tend to run when they see you?”
    â€œNot always. Sometimes I wish they’d run, and they don’t.”
    â€œComes with the job, I imagine. I had a different Russ Colton in mind. I thought you’d be the man who accompanied Miss Stewart last time she was in town. I didn’t meet either of them, but I saw him.”
    â€œYou were expecting Julius Hartley?” Russ grinned. “That’s awesome. I can’t wait to tell him.”
    â€œSounds as if that one will keep you two laughing over your beers for a while.” Kylie couldn’t wait to get out of there. “Well, it’s a beautiful day. I love springtime in New England. I’ll be off on my bike ride now. Good to meet you, Mr. Colton. Enjoy your stay.”
    â€œThanks. Enjoy your bike ride.”
    He returned to his car as she climbed onto her bike. As she rode across the parking lot to the exit, she was positive he was watching her, but she didn’t look back to make sure.
    She turned up the road, away from the village, welcoming the cool air and the sounds of the river tumbling toward the dam.
    Russ Colton wasn’t what she expected on a Sunday morning at Moss Hill.
    Any morning at Moss Hill.
    As she rounded a curve, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and remembered she hadn’t called her sister back. She stopped next to the guardrail and checked her messages. A text, but not from Lila.
    It’s Ruby. Join us for lunch at Smith’s at 12:30.
    Kylie blinked at the text. Lunch? In the ten months she’d lived in Knights Bridge, no one in town had ever invited her to lunch, nor had she invited anyone to lunch. She hadn’t even realized Ruby had her phone number.
    Something was up.
    Thanks but...
    Kylie hesitated, then deleted the but.
    Thanks I’d love to join you.
    Great.
    And that was that. She was joining Ruby O’Dunn for lunch.

Five
    R uss got his bag out of the back of his rented car. He’d watched Kylie Shaw until she disappeared around a bend on the winding country road in cute little Nowhere, Massachusetts. She was blonde, pretty and quick. He hadn’t expected her to get the jump on him outside the meeting room.
    And she was cagey.
    â€œNow, why is that, I wonder?”
    An interesting development, his Moss Hill neighbor.
    He took the covered breezeway to the residential entrance. Ruby O’Dunn had left keys to the two buildings in a flowerpot. First place Russ would look without instructions. Basic security at the renovated hat factory—his home for the next few days—was rudimentary but could easily be improved should the need or desire arise.
    He’d had no trouble finding Knights Bridge or Moss Hill,