To Catch a Camden by Victoria Pade Read Free Book Online Page A

occasion—tennis shoes, old jeans and a plain green crewneck T-shirt—let Gia know she hadn’t imagined the muscles behind those dress shirts the two times she’d seen him before. The well-worn, unflashy clothes also caused him to fit in seamlessly with the other volunteers.
    And when she introduced him to the group, he cut her off before she said his last name and was simply Derek to everyone except her and Tyson.
    Derek mentioned how he and Tyson had met the one time, even remembering that Tyson was an attorney and a diehard Miami Hurricanes football fan. He also asked about Tyson’s cousin Sharon, wishing her well without any sign of bitterness in regards to their relationship that hadn’t panned out.
    Then he pitched in. Not only did he have a can-do attitude, he had a surprising amount of knowledge and experience to back it up, especially when he offered to mow the lawn and actually repaired the lawnmower to do it.
    But Gia’s conversation with Tyson before leaving home served as a warning to her not to be too impressed.
    Sure, Derek Camden could fix a lawnmower and mow the lawn.
    Sure, he could hoist fertilizer bags and paving stones with the best of them—flexing muscles that made Gia’s mouth water in a way that didn’t happen at the sight of anyone else’s flexing muscles.
    Sure, he couldn’t have been more pleasant or agreeable or uncomplaining.
    Sure, he made friends with everyone there and she even watched Tyson accept more and more of his overtures as the day went on.
    But she continued to remind herself that appearances could be deceiving, and that she would not— could not—let herself be deceived by them.
    Which wasn’t always easy to remember as the day went on and she got an eyeful of broad shoulders, thick thighs and a tight, perfectly shaped derriere she knew she had no business looking at.
    And yet somehow couldn’t help stealing a glimpse of over and over again....
    * * *
    By six o’clock the Bronsons’ front and back yards were in better shape than they’d been in since Gia had known the elderly couple. Weeds were gone, bushes and trees were trimmed and the lawn was a well-manicured green carpet.
    The volunteers had added a sandstone path from the front to the back and a second path from the back patio out to the toolshed. Landscapers had built a multitiered rock garden with room for flowers to be planted in the spring, and two of the horticulturists had planted shrubbery to line the fence in back. Gia and another botanist had formed a perennial garden just below the front porch on each side of the steps leading to the house.
    The final effect was a vast improvement and upgrade that would require only minimal, easy maintenance either for Gia or for any new owner should the house have to be sold.
    Throughout the day Larry had been in the center of things, unable to work but chatting with the people who were, while Marion went in and out of the house with beverages and cookies.
    Gia had kept an eye on them both and had seen no indication that they were going to turn the hose on Derek or secretly dose him with laxatives, and she was glad that really had only been a joke.
    But after both Larry and Marion had had Gia confirm on the sly that Derek was who they thought he was, neither of the Bronsons ventured too near to him, either. Or made any effort to talk to him the way they did everyone else.
    For Derek’s part, he gave them the space they so obviously wanted, and the one time there was unavoidable contact he was polite and respectfully pleasant without pushing anything or going overboard trying to win their favor.
    It was the best way he could have handled it, but still Gia wasn’t exactly sure what was going to happen when the work was finished and everyone—including Tyson—left, and only Derek and Gia remained to roll up hoses and put away tools.
    As the elderly couple took a stroll around their newly enhanced yard to see the end results, it was impossible for them not to