Firestorm. Kelly Riley Ann

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СКАЧАТЬ shot, well framed, very powerful, but yet a vulnerable feeling comes through.” She raised her head. “When did you start photographing birds? All you ever talked about as a kid was how much you wanted to photograph war zones and other hot pockets in the world.”

      “Got tired of living out of a duffel bag.” He shrugged. “Figured I’d try something different.” He tapped the glass on the frame. “I won the Piedmont Award with this one. You’re going to come by my place and see my portfolio, aren’t you? I’d tell you it’s spectacular, except you know how modest I am.”

      Kitty laughed with him as she hung the picture back on the wall. She leaned forward on her elbows. “I’m so glad to see you. I’ve missed you.”

      “Ditto, kid. I came through L.A. several times but never had time to hook up. I was traveling on location until after your dad’s funeral. Wish I could’ve been here. Don’t know why, but I liked the old grouch. What do you say to dinner tonight? We can catch up.”

      The eager tone in his voice caught Kitty by surprise. Was Evan Stone flirting with her? They’d always been just friends, even if her teen-aged heart had yearned for more. What a disaster that relationship would’ve been. She’d learned the hard way how it felt to have her feelings shredded without his help.

      “I’d like to visit, but I don’t know if I’ll have time. It all depends on how today goes. I need to get back to L.A.”

      “What’s the rush? Your boyfriend waiting for you?” he asked. “Sarah told me about him…”

      “Jordan?” She grimaced. “Look, I really don’t want to talk about him. He—”

      “Sarah said you’re going to tie the knot.”

      Kitty gaped at him. But then why should she expect the gossip to stop just because she’d moved hundreds of miles away. “That was over a year ago. He’s long gone.”

      “What happened?”

      “It’s boring. Let’s talk about something else.”

      “You might as well tell me.” He leaned forward in the chair he still straddled and propped his elbows on the chair back, resting his chin on his hands. “I’m a journalist and I can’t help myself. I won’t stop pestering ’til you spill your guts.”

      “Eww, isn’t it considered bad manners to talk about spilling guts in a restaurant?” She tried to joke, but Evan continued to stare owlishly at her. Tenacious as always.

      She sighed. “Fine, if you must know. Irreconcilable differences. He wanted kids right away, a picket fence and a wife who wasn’t gone for days pursuing a risky career. He didn’t want to wait for me to go back to school, either.”

      “Sounds like a real loser.”

      “Told you it was boring. But he wasn’t all bad, or wrong, in fact. People need to be around to make a relationship work. Spend time together. You should know about that.”

      “Which is why I stick to my policy of no serious commitments to any woman.”

      Kitty rolled her eyes. “I can’t blame Jordan. Look where I came from. Maybe I’m not cut out for marriage. Maybe it’s in my genes. Dad was a workaholic who communicated with me less than my cat, and my mother took off and never looked back. Jordan gave me an ultimatum. Quit the department or quit the relationship. I quit him.”

      “Sounds like you made the wise decision.”

      “Somehow, that doesn’t make me feel better coming from Mr. Love ’Em And Leave ’Em. I can’t believe I’m talking to you about this.”

      Evan grinned. “I am what I am. And since we’re both currently unattached, why don’t you accept my invitation to dinner? We can have some fun.”

      At her hesitation, he crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes. “Surely you still don’t hold the window incident against me.”

      “What window?” Kitty asked startled, thinking of the glass she’d broken last night. He glanced at the wide picture window beside them. “Oh! Well, of course I do. It was your fault. You called me a city brat and pulled my pigtails. I only tried to defend myself.”

      “Yeah, with a big stick.”

      “The stick flew out of my hands by accident. You left me to face Sarah all alone.”

      “It takes a smart man to know when to retreat.”

      “Or a coward!”

      “Now, that hurts. As I recall, I was the one in danger.” He laughed and squeezed her hand. “Ah, Kitcat, despite our shaky—or should I say shattering—beginning, we had good times, didn’t we?”

      “Yes, we did.” Kitty sighed. Not many thirteen-year-old boys would’ve paid attention to a skinny, shy eleven-year-old tomboy. Maybe he tolerated her because she was gullible enough to believe the sun rose and set by his adventures, which, unfortunately, landed her in trouble more times than she could count. But no matter the reason for their friendship, she’d cherished every moment. Hanging with Evan had been exciting, and in the process, Kitty learned her way down every back alley and dusty trail in Pine Lake. The knowledge had come in handy numerous times when eluding the sheriff.

      “How about this?” Evan asked, glancing at his watch. “Let’s shoot for dinner together sometime this week or whenever you’re free. Call me when you know what your plans are. Deal?”

      What could it hurt? Time had patched her cracked heart and made her wiser. “Deal.”

      “Great, and while you’re sampling my barbecued steak, I want an interview. If you haven’t heard, I own the Pine Lake Tribune.”

      Kitty snorted. “You bought that gossip rag? Why?”

      “What can I say? It needed me. Really needed me,” he said with a playful smirk. “I have issues coming out weekly now instead of monthly. And it’s no longer just gossip and recipes. I have serious stories in there, plus, of course, exceptional photographs.”

      “McGuire. We need to talk.” Tanner’s tone implied now.

      Kitty looked up at Tanner’s flinty expression and extracted her hand from Evan’s as irrational guilt pricked.

      “I’ll be at the station in five minutes.” Tanner nodded a greeting at Evan. “Stone.”

      Before Evan could reply, Tanner proceeded out the door. After a stunned moment, Kitty stood and slapped some bills on the table. “I’m sorry, but I need to go.”

      Evan scowled as Tanner passed the window. “He has some nerve. A flatlander who’s only been here six or seven months but already thinks he owns the town. He speaks and people jump, including you.”

      Kitty bristled at his tone. “Hardly. We have an appointment.” She grabbed Evan’s arm and pulled him outside into the pine-drenched air. “Spill. What do you know about him?”

      “You interested?” He smirked and nudged her with his elbow.

      “Not in the way you mean,” she retorted as Tanner climbed inside СКАЧАТЬ