The Summer of Me by Angela Benson Read Free Book Online Page B

know you.”
    â€œWell, we’ve spent enough time on me. I know you’re a mother, and I suspect you’re a very good one. Do you have another calling beyond that?”
    Destiny pressed her forefinger against her chest. “A calling? Me? Not hardly.”
    â€œSure you do,” he said. “We all do. Not everybody is called to be a minister in the pulpit, but we’re all called to serve in some way. You’re called to be a mother and that could be your primary calling, but there could also be something else. Do you work?”
    She nodded. “I’m the manager of the cosmetics department at a local department store. I don’t think that could be considered a calling.”
    â€œI don’t know,” he said. “It could be. It depends on howyou approach it. It’s not what you do that makes it a calling; it’s why you do it and how you do it.”
    She smiled. “You know, you’re good at your calling.”
    â€œGetting too deep?”
    â€œJust a little,” she said.
    â€œDo you like sports?” he asked.
    She smiled more broadly. “Of course. I have a six-year-old son who adores his father. Did I tell you that Kenneth was a star college athlete who’s now a middle school coach?”
    Daniel laughed. “We can’t get away from our past relationships, can we?”
    â€œIt sure does seem that way.”
    â€œWe’ll have to try this again,” he said. “I’ve heard that practice makes perfect.”
    â€œSounds like a plan to me,” she said.
    â€œThe breast cancer walk is in two weeks. I’m planning to go with Gavin and Natalie. Will you and your mother be there?”
    Destiny nodded. “We walk with the church every year. I’ll be walking for me and my mom because she’ll be out of town that week.”
    â€œGood. Let’s plan to see each other there. You can show me the ropes.”
    â€œI’d like that,” she said.
    â€œSo it’s a date?” he asked.
    She looked up at him. “It sure is.”

Chapter 7
    D ANIEL THOUGHT ABOUT D ESTINY WHILE HE WAITED for Phil Harris to return to his office. He smiled at the realization that he was so bad at the dating game that he had not even remembered to get her phone number. He was sure he could get it from Natalie or Gavin but he preferred not to go that route. He had hoped to see her at church on Sunday so he could ask her for the number, but either she hadn’t attended or he’d missed her. He’d just have to wait to see her at church next Sunday or the following Saturday at the cancer walk. That was probably for the best. He was intrigued by her, attracted to her actually, but both of them were taking baby steps into the dating scene so there was no need to rush anything.
    â€œSorry about that,” Phil Harris said when he returned to his office. “My meeting ran longer than I expected.”
    â€œNo problem,” Daniel said to the man who was now his client. “You have to keep to your regular routine. Nothingshould change because I’m here and nobody can know the real reason I’m here. All anybody needs to know is that I’m new in town and we’re associates from way back. Nobody in my circle knows either.”
    â€œI understand,” Phil said. “William and George laid out the ground rules for me. Since I don’t want to go to jail, I’m going to abide by them.”
    â€œGood,” Daniel said. “As you know, we have a lot of experience with these kinds of investigations.” He shook his head, marveling that Phil was again on the wrong side of the law. “How in the heck did you get yourself involved in something like this, Phil? You know better.”
    â€œI know, man,” Phil said with a shrug.
    â€œSo what happened? After our last encounter, I thought you were going to stay on the straight and narrow.”
    â€œThat was the plan,” he