Her Perfect Match Read Free

hand the way the royal Elizabeth might. “It is so much more pleasant when the peasants know their place,” she quipped in her haughtiest tone. Then, as if she hadn’t a care in the world, Elizabeth sailed off toward Laurel Glen’s historic barn and the clinic Cole had recently modernized.
    Her stomach churned as she pretended not to hear Jack Alton’s deep rumbling laughter following her. Elizabeth was acutely disturbed that she’d let him frighten her so badly when he’d stepped in her path, especially since she was sure he hadn’t meant to be at all threatening. She had to think it was due to his strange resemblance to the Taggert family and his unexplained presence. She feared they had a wolf in sheep’s clothing in their midst.
    But even with a plausible excuse, she still hated the fear that had taken her unaware and hated herself for feeling it. Her one small consolation was that no one knew what a coward she was inside, where her fearof men was a living thing clawing at her and threatening to show itself to the world at any time.
    Elizabeth entered the barn. The old building had been converted into offices, rest rooms and an animal clinic years ago. She walked down the hall toward the clinic and heard Cole’s sister Hope’s voice raised in anger. Choosing not to retreat in case Cole needed her support, she forged ahead and arrived to hear Hope Carrington, who lived on the neighboring property, scolding him because he’d kissed CJ Larson then had discounted it as meaningless. Their backs were toward her, so neither knew she was there.
    “Obviously a kiss means a lot more to her than you,” Hope chastised her brother. “Really, Cole, how could you toy with someone as inexperienced as CJ Larson? She isn’t in Elizabeth’s league, and you know it!”
    “And how, Hope dear, would you know what league I’m in?” Elizabeth demanded, hoping to draw Hope’s fire. She owed that to Cole and so much more. Elizabeth refused to be cowed by his sister’s disapproval. Instead she walked to stand next to him, crossing her arms and looking imperiously down her nose at Cole’s younger sister.
    “Play in the mud, Elizabeth, and you get it all over yourself,” Hope said, glaring. “It’s really quite easy to spot,” she continued, then she looked at Cole with fire in her blue eyes. “I’ll go see if I can calm CJ down.”
    “Leave CJ alone!” Cole snapped. Elizabeth zoned out on the rest of the argument. Her thoughts turnedinward. Why, when she’d been no more than a casual date for any man, did Hope and others around Laurel Glen see through her mask to her soiled soul? Elizabeth had successfully hidden her secret shame from society at large for going on fifteen years, but it didn’t seem to stay hidden at Laurel Glen.
    “Save the world from obnoxious little sisters,” Cole grumbled as Hope stalked out.
    “Mind telling me what I did to get on Hope’s wrong side? Again? ” Elizabeth asked.
    “It’s my fault,” Cole admitted. “And I’m sorry. I’ve been using you and I just did it again. Not only didn’t I ask you for permission first but now I have to ask you to continue the charade.”
    “Used me how, and what charade?”
    Cole grimaced. “My family just assumes we’re, well, you know— involved. And I’ve just let them go on assuming.”
    Stunned, Elizabeth dropped into the chair next to him. Betrayal from Cole was something she wasn’t prepared to deal with. He was her best friend. Her only real friend. The only person in the world she’d thought she could trust. “Oh, Cole, how could you? I trusted you.”
    She couldn’t ever remember not trusting Cole. Not since he’d appeared out of nowhere like an avenging angel the day Jason Lexington had lured her into the woods behind the high school. Cole had dragged her attacker to his feet and beaten the older, much larger senior until he’d run him off. Then the natural-born healer in Cole had replaced the tough-guy image he’dalways