Always Devoted Read Free

conversation, Emma watched Linc's large hands on the steering wheel.  He'd discarded his suit jacket and tie and opened the top two buttons on his shirt before he'd climbed into the car.  Sitting beside him like this, the atmosphere seemed oddly intimate as the day started winding down and the sun sank lower on the horizon.
    "Not much longer," he told her.
    She sent him a small smile.  "Am I looking impatient?"
    "No, just a little nervous.  Are you sure you don't want to call my best friend?"
    That probably would have been wise.  But Linc seemed straightforward.  "Tell me about your best friend."
    After Linc cut her a glance, he focused on the highway again.  "His name is Nathan Bradley.  He's a family man with two daughters from his first marriage he sees a lot, and a little boy, Matthew, from his second marriage.  He's an internet security expert who flies all over the country, taking care of important people's networks."
    "I like the fact that you put his family history before his work."
    "Would it make you feel better if I told you I baby-sit for Nathan?  I did before he married Gillian and I do now.  Their kids call me Uncle Linc."
    She laughed.  "Maybe I should talk to them ."
    He laughed, too, and glanced at her again.  Something intangible passed between them that she seemed to feel in her heart.  How crazy was that?
    Fifteen minutes later, Linc turned off the highway and took a series of turns.  After he drove down a long drive, they exited the car and Emma looked around. 
    A one-story house sprawled before her and she could see the ocean beyond.  "What a beautiful setting," she murmured.
    "I like it.  It's worth the commute.  We're alone here.  If you prefer to walk the beach instead of going inside, I'll understand."
    Alone with Linc Granger.  Maybe she should have trepidations about that, but she didn't.  She felt excited.  Because they were going to talk about a way to find her sister?  Or because he was one very sexy man?
    Because he was going to give her information to find a way to find Paige, of course.
    "I'll shed my shoes and we can walk the beach," she decided, taking the safer route.
    "Give me five minutes to get comfortable and then we'll walk.  There's a deck around back.  Would you like something to drink?"
    "No, I'm fine."
    "Be right back."
    Emma found cushy chairs and chaises on his deck, but she was too fidgety to sit.  Instead, she stood at the railing, looking out at the ocean, wondering if her sister was still alive and if she was, where she was.  She'd spent so many hours while Paige had been gone thinking about that—praying, hoping and trying to stay positive.  But how could she when such dark visions invaded the others?  Paige's car wasn't worth the bald tires it had been running on, so no one would have wanted to hijack her car.  Had she had engine trouble again, left the vehicle and started walking?  Had someone picked her up and then—
    There were those dark thoughts that Emma didn't want to have, but knew she had to be realistic about.
    When Linc emerged from the house he wore a blue polo shirt and denim cutoffs.  His feet were bare.
    "Ready?" he asked.
    "Ready to find my sister," she agreed.
    She kept her shoes on until they reached the bottom of the wooden steps where grass and sand began.  Then she took them off and laid them on the step.  Seagrass tickled her legs as they made their way across the sand to the packed beach.
    As they walked along the shore, the wind tossing their hair, Linc asked, "Do you believe in things you can't see?"
    Her gaze met his.  "You mean religion?"
    He blew out a breath.  "No, that's not what I mean.  I'm just going to lay this all out," he said.  "If you want to walk back to my house, get in the car and go home, that's fine.  But I felt this was an option you should consider."
    "You're not talking about a private investigator, are you?"  The spray from the ocean misted them as they left their footprints on the