How to Land Her Lawman Read Free

her from picturing how a meeting between them would go and in her imagination she’d always been less tongue-tied, her wit sharp as a stiletto. Her moment to make him sorry he hadn’t waited for her.
    â€œI don’t know about unscripted,” April said ruefully, “but it was unsomething.”
    â€œHow was it? Seeing him again, I mean?” Sympathy gathered in Kim’s eyes.
    â€œHe looks good.” Really good. April hated to admit it, but he’d been right that she hadn’t wanted to tell him so. “And it’s nice of him to put his life on hold and come back to help the family.”
    Kim nodded absently. “Don’t get me wrong. I love my brother. But I think there’s something going on with him. Career-wise, I mean. There have been family crises—God knows I was one. Being an unwed teenage mother certainly qualifies for family-crisis material. Mom was killed in that car accident not long after he entered the police academy. It’s not to say he doesn’t care because I know he does. But he never put work on hold to be here for us before.”
    â€œHas he said anything?”
    The other woman shook her head. “No. He just seems edgy, tense. Different. I don’t know. Maybe I’m seeing ghosts where there aren’t any.”
    â€œMaybe you should talk to him about it.” April didn’t have the right to be involved in his life and it annoyed her that she couldn’t shut off her concern. “Get him to open up.”
    â€œYou know better than anyone that my brother doesn’t talk about stuff. Right now getting Dad back on his feet is the most important thing. Will stepping in for him as sheriff means Dad won’t worry about this town and can focus on getting strong again.”
    â€œThat’s true.” But April’s life would be far less complicated if the sheriff trusted someone besides his son. No matter how well Chicago PD trained its officers. On top of that Will knew Blackwater Lake inside and out. There was no doubt he would take good care of the town. “I just wish I knew how to get through the next three months with Will here.”
    Thoughtfully, Kim tapped a fingernail against her wineglass. “A statement like that makes me think you’re still in love with my brother.”
    â€œNo. You’re wrong. It’s been a lot of years.” April rejected that suggestion with every fiber of her being. “That would just be stupid. Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”
    â€œHmm.” The woman stared at her. “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”
    â€œA cliché? From Blackwater Lake High School’s favorite honors English teacher?”
    â€œClichés work because they convey a lot of truth. In this case, you seem to have strong feelings about seeing Will again. That doesn’t happen if you don’t care.” She finished the wine in her glass. “Hence, smoke and fire.”
    â€œI can assure you that what I feel for Will isn’t love. It’s ancient history. I’ve had relationships since him.”
    â€œBut you make sure they never work. You always find an excuse to not take things to the next level. As soon as a guy even hints at getting serious, you shut down and blow him off completely.”
    April shrugged. “So sue me. I want something special, to be swept away. Settling for less isn’t an option for me. And you have to kiss a lot of frogs...”
    â€œMaybe.” Kim didn’t sound convinced. “Or maybe you need closure with the first frog. Maybe you never moved on after Will hopped away.”
    â€œFinding him with another woman seemed like closure to me.” But, darn it, today he’d looked genuinely sorry about what had happened.
    â€œThen why did you call me over here to talk? What’s the problem?” Her friend didn’t sound annoyed as much as frustrated that she