Starting with June. Emilie Rose

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СКАЧАТЬ by their table and grilling him.

      Roth’s grin widened. “Welcome to Quincey. Give it time. It’ll grow on you.”

      “Like fungus?”

      Roth laughed. “Ah, you remember my description of coming home. See you in the morning. If you’re nice, maybe June will let you drive.”

      Frustrated, Sam rose. “If I wanted to be tortured by females, I’d go home to my sisters.”

      “Good idea. I’ll give you three days’ leave if you want to visit your family. But you’re still partnered with Jones.”

      His sisters made the citizens of Quincey look like amateur sleuths.

      “I don’t need leave.”

      At least he and June agreed on one thing. Neither wanted to work together. But he’d change her mind. Then when he repeated his request for a different partner, maybe Roth would listen.

CHAPTER FOUR

      JUNE PACED HER tiny den, waiting for Madison to get home. But instead of her landlord’s truck, she heard the low growl of Sam’s high-performance engine rumbling up the driveway. Tension snapped her nerves as tight as overwound guitar strings. He parked in front of his cottage and headed for his front door.

      If it had been anyone else, she’d have invited them to join her for dinner. It was the neighborly thing to do. But not Sam. She’d had enough of his impatience and disapproving glares today. Not that she’d been able to see his condemning eyes through the dark lenses, but the way he’d looked at her, with censure pleating his brow and turning down the corners of his compressed mouth, she’d seen all she needed to see.

      Why had he taken this job if he hated small-town life so much? Or maybe he just hated her. That bothered her more than it should have. His opinion did not matter.

      A minute later her landlord’s truck turned into the driveway. June grabbed the Crock-Pot and picnic basket and, juggling her load, hurried across the yard to meet Madison as she climbed from the cab.

      Madison spotted June, and her dark eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Hi. Please tell me that’s dinner. I’m starving. Piper and I didn’t get a lunch break.”

      June struggled to contain her questions and forced patience she did not feel. “It is. I made white chicken chili, corn bread and salad. Busy day at the office?”

      “There are always pet emergencies after a holiday weekend, but today everyone’s ‘emergency’ was more of a need to stop by and question me about my wedding plans and my replacement, Dr. Drake.”

      “You got in late last night,” June said in an attempt to make polite chitchat before getting down to facts as they crossed the yard together.

      “It was hard to say goodbye to Adam.” Madison’s time with her fiancé and his family had been good for her. She looked more relaxed than June had ever seen her.

      Madison, June and Piper had often shared meals, potlucking it at each other’s houses until Piper and now Madison had become engaged. Once Madison moved to Georgia after her wedding, June would be solo. Except for her annoying neighbor...unless she could convince her landlord to turf him. But she couldn’t blurt out that demand. She’d have to work up to it.

      Madison twisted the backdoor knob, then frowned over her shoulder at June. “You locked my back door again. Why?”

      “You don’t know your new tenant. I don’t trust him.”

      Madison dug her keys out of her pocket and opened the door. “Oh, c’mon. Sam’s a nice guy. And I don’t think you can get a better referral than from Quincey’s chief of police.”

      Nice guy? June practically choked on her own saliva as she followed Madison into the kitchen. She set the slow cooker, basket and salad bowl on the table. “Why didn’t you tell me Roth’s friend was renting the cottage?”

      “Because Roth asked me not to mention it. He said Sam needed time and privacy to get his head together about being forced out of the military. And Sam was as pleasant as he could be when I met him at Piper and Roth’s, so I didn’t think it would be a problem. Of course, that was before he lost his job. That might affect his mood, I guess, if he’s acting differently with you.”

      “He’s the new deputy. Roth stuck me with training him.”

      “Ah...you’re working together.”

      Madison’s knowing tone raised her hackles. “What is that supposed to mean?”

      “It explains the friction between you. You have not had great luck with the men you’ve worked with. You especially don’t like guys who are condescending or boss you around. Does he?”

      Had he? No. Not in that way. “He accused me of coming on to him when I took him the key and a welcome basket.”

      Madison’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll bet you gave him your phone number, too.”

      “In case he had questions. What’s that got to do with it?”

      “A pretty single neighbor brings food to the new guy. And I know you. That basket was probably loaded with delicious home-cooked stuff. Then that neighbor offers her phone number. How do you think a stranger to Quincey would take that kind of overture?”

      When Madison put it that way... “As a pickup attempt?”

      Madison nodded. Then June put the pieces together and grimaced. Heat climbed to her hairline. “To make matters worse, I was wearing Kelsie’s bikini. He showed up while I was killing time by the pool.”

      Madison chuckled. “Poor Sam. That explains a lot. Your sister’s taste borders on trampy. He’d never know you’re as comfortable in a bathing suit as you are jeans and a T-shirt, thanks to your siblings’ enthusiastic sports matches at family get-togethers.

      “You and Sam got off on the wrong foot. Once you get to know him, you’ll see he’s a decent guy. He made it very clear when I met him that he wasn’t looking for a relationship. Again, that was before he lost his job. I don’t know if his status has changed. But to be on the safe side, treat him like one of your brothers and you should be fine.”

      Even at their worst her brothers had never been so irritating. They had never questioned every decision she made or looked at her as if she was wasting their valuable time. And they never handcuffed children.

      Madison gathered plates and bowls from the cabinets and set the table. “I’m glad you’re here. I was going to knock on your door later anyway. Adam and I are having trouble deciding where to get married. I value your levelheaded advice.”

      June would prefer to talk about Sam and find out everything Madison knew about the former Marine. But that would have to wait. She gathered utensils, then sat and dished out the food while Madison poured sweet tea. “What’s the problem?”

      “I don’t want to get married in the Drakes’ church. That’s where I married Andrew.”

      “I can see where taking vows to your deceased husband’s identical СКАЧАТЬ