Dead Ringer. Sharon Dunn

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      She placed the tomatoes she had been chopping into the plastic container she planned on taking to her picnic with Greg. Heather was right. She did turn potential suitors into friends pretty quickly. At the same time, it was wrong to lead men on. If there was no chemistry, there was no chemistry.

      She opened the refrigerator and pulled out a cucumber. Her hair was still wet from her shower, and she needed to put some makeup on.

      There was a park in Mountain Springs that had several gazebos where they could eat their picnic. It wouldn’t be too crowded this time of night. Lucy peeled the cucumber.

      Maybe it was a good thing that she rented the duplex month-to-month. If Eli continued to be such a pain, she would have to tell him to find a different place.

      She smiled. It had been nice of him to help with the deck repairs, she did need the money from rent and having someone next door did make her feel safer.

      She brought the knife down on the cucumber and sliced through. The blade hit the cutting board with a regular rhythm.

      She had no desire to explain to Eli why there was antagonism between her and the local police. He’d probably take their side anyway. Cops always stuck together, always defended each other.

      As much as she appreciated Eli’s help this afternoon, the best arrangement would be for him to keep his distance. There was no law that said neighbors had to be friends; they just had to be cordial.

      Lucy pulled two bottled iced teas from the refrigerator, as well as the containers that held the sandwiches she had made earlier. She placed everything in a picnic basket and then went into her bedroom to change into the sundress she had picked out.

      She ran a comb through her hair and put on some liner and lipstick. She glanced at herself in the mirror. The cornflower-blue sundress made her eyes look even bluer. Maybe she should change into something dowdier. If this was the date where she told Greg she just wanted to be friends, maybe she shouldn’t overdo it with dressing up. She opted to keep the dress on, but toned down her makeup.

      Once back in the living room, Lucy grabbed her cell phone off the counter to check the time. Ten more minutes until Greg got here. Heather had sent her a text message: U promised.

      Lucy shook her head. What were best friends for but to turn your plans upside down? Heather was doing this because she cared. Her perceptive friend saw something lacking in Lucy’s life. She would give Greg another chance.

      She dug through her living-room closet in search of something that would work for a light summer cover-up. Maybe that magic electrical attraction thing happened after you’d known each other awhile. She laughed. And maybe it was just something people read about in books.

      She pulled a silk wrap off a hanger. What did she know about serious relationships anyway? She and Nelson had been pretty serious in high school, but she had only been seventeen. The only other serious relationship had been with Matthew. She’d broken off her engagement with him when her brother, Dawson, had his accident and she’d had to put her energy into caring for him. After that, she had lost all interest in dating.

      Lucy flung the wrap over her shoulder and peered out the window. No sign of Greg. She hadn’t thought about Matthew in years. Matthew had been a sweet, supportive man. She had taken a premarriage class at church and, along with the other students, had come up with a list of character qualities they’d wanted in a mate. Matthew had fit the criteria. In retrospect, she hadn’t really loved him.

      Lucy stroked the smooth silk of the wrap where it rested on her arms. Somehow she didn’t think that love should be as clinical as a checklist. Sure, she’d had friends act on their emotions and end up in bad marriages, but it shouldn’t be like choosing a health insurance plan, either.

      She wandered over to the picnic basket. She rearranged what she had packed and decided to grab some cookies out of the cookie jar. She opened a cupboard, searching for a container for the cookies.

      Maybe that was the problem with this online dating thing. You gave a list of the criteria you thought you wanted in a mate, but none of that factored in attraction. Sometimes people could be attracted to someone who didn’t meet any of their criteria. Sometimes, what you thought you wanted wasn’t what you needed.

      Lucy pulled out a container. Really, it was possible to like someone who was so obviously wrong for you. Someone like Eli Hawkins, for instance. She shook her head as she stacked the containers on top of each other. What on earth had made her think of that?

      She placed the cookies in the container and slammed on the lid.

      Outside, tires crunched on gravel.

      Lucy walked the few steps to look out the window. Greg had just gotten out of his car. He was holding a large bouquet of tulips. How sweet. There was something poignant about the look of hopeful expectation on his face.

      Lucy drew back from the window. Heather was right. She needed to open her heart up to the possibility that there could be something between them.

      FOUR

      Eli pulled the curtain back to check the front yard. Greg’s car sat in the driveway.

      If he could find out the location of their date, O’Bannon and Peterson could get set up ahead of time. Lucy certainly wasn’t going to give him that information. Greg got out of the car; Eli flung the door open and stepped down the stairs.

      Greg cocked his head as though surprised to see Eli. “Who are you?”

      Eli held out his hand. “I’m Eli Hawkins, Lucy’s new renter.”

      Greg’s lips flattened and wrinkles appeared in his forehead as he extended his own hand. “Lucy never said anything about a renter.”

      “I moved in earlier today.” Eli studied the man in front of him. Had he just shaken hands with a killer?

      “Oh, well, that explains it.” Greg crossed his arms over his chest. His stare had an unnerving intensity to it, like he was picking Eli apart with his eyes.

      Eli nodded for several seconds. The guy wasn’t exactly Mr. Friendly.

      Greg glanced at Lucy’s door and then continued with his inch-by-inch scrutiny of Eli. “So what made you decide to rent Lucy’s place?”

      “Just answered an ad.” Certainly, Greg didn’t see him as some kind of romantic competition. Maybe he was one of those guys who was so controlling, he didn’t want his date even talking to any other men. “You and Lucy are going out somewhere tonight?”

      Greg’s head jerked up in response to the question. “Lucy picked out the place. Some little park in town.”

      “Sounds like fun. Which park is that?” When Greg drew his eyebrows together as though suspicious of the question, Eli added, “I’m new in town. Just trying to get to know the area.”

      “I don’t know the name. I’m not from here. I live in Jacob’s Corner, about sixty miles from here.” Greg angled his head toward the sky. “I don’t know if a picnic is such a good idea. Those clouds look kind of dark and foreboding.”

      Lucy’s door opened and she appeared, holding a picnic basket. Eli’s breath caught. She looked stunning in her blue sundress. Her long СКАЧАТЬ