Shine Your Love on Me Read Free Page B

ma’am.”
His mouth was set in a frown.
    “They are. I dropped it for a moment. I—”
Pres heard confusion in her voice and smiled to himself.
    “What you two do is your business, but you’ve
got to have those dogs leashed, with the leash in your hand. I’ll
let you off with a warning this time. Hey, spring fever is going
around.” He winked at Pres. “But don’t let it happen again. It’s a
two-hundred-and-fifty dollar fine, per pooch.”
    “Thank you, officer,” Brooke said, lowering
her eyes. Pres sensed his face color as red as the geraniums by The
Boathouse. She gazed at him and chuckled behind her hand. The
patrolman tipped his hat, smiled, and went on his way.
    “Wasn’t that lucky,” Pres said. “We missed a
damn expensive ticket for doing nothing.”
    “Nan said you sold a screenplay.” Brooke
stepped back, putting some distance between them.
    “That’s right.”
    “Congratulations.” Their warm moment
vanished, and Brooke’s polite mask returned.
    “Thanks.” He stuffed his hands in his
pockets.
    “When’s it coming out?”
    “I don’t know. Just sold it two months
ago.”
    “I hope it does well. You deserve
success.”
    “Nice of you to say so. Why, exactly?” He
bristled at her cavalier attitude. She’s buttering me up and for
what? She doesn’t even like me.
    She raised her eyebrows. “Because you work
hard? Maybe because you’re a good person?”
    “You don’t even know me. How do I qualify as
a good person?” He strolled toward the park exit.
    She followed. “You walk Nan’s dogs whenever
she wants for no money.”
    “Doing her a favor makes me a good person?” Don’t get brushed off, for once.
    “Doesn’t it usually?” She stopped while the
dogs sniffed a tree.
    “How do you measure success, anyway?”
    “I think a nice, juicy check, like you got
for your movie, would scream success at me.”
    “Is money the only measure of success?” That’s warmed her up to me?
    “In the advertising world, it’s money and
power.”
    “Are you comfortable with that?” He lowered
his head to meet her gaze.
    She looked away. “Why the third degree?”
    “Answer the question.”
    “Okay, so maybe there are other kinds of
success, too.”
    “For instance?”
    “Getting married and raising well-adjusted
kids.”
    “And…?”
    “Doing a job well.”
    “Any job?”
    “Yeah, any job.”
    “So, the janitor at school who works hard and
keeps the building in great condition, would you consider him
successful?”
    She hesitated. “I guess. Yes, I would. But
even if he’s great at being a janitor, doesn’t mean I’d want to go
out with him.”
    “I didn’t ask you about that. Stop
anticipating my next question.” He smiled.
    “And that is?” Her gaze met his.
    “What does a guy have to do to get a date
with you?” There. I’ve said it. Whew.
    “I’m seeing someone. He’d have to wait until
I was unattached.”
    “And then?” He moved closer to her.
    “Maybe if he asked, that might be the best
way.” She grinned, shooting a flirtatious glance at him.
    Pres burst out laughing, breaking the
tension. Brooke joined him. He walked alongside her as they
strolled toward Ruth’s building. So, it’s possible.
Fantastic!
    They reached the building. Rocky moved away,
giving them a moment of privacy.
    “Who is this guy you’re seeing?”
    “My boss. Lloyd.”
    “Your boss. Isn’t that risky?”
    She shook her head. “I trust him.
We’re…uh…close.”
    “Ah, I see. Sleeping with the boss. That can
be dangerous.”
    “You think?” She turned worried eyes to
him.
    “What happens if you stop sleeping with
him?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “Is he an older guy?”
    “He’s thirty-two. Sometimes people in that
situation get married.”
    “Do you want to marry him?”
    “I don’t know.”
    It could be worse. “Is he good to
you?”
    “Could be better. We’ve got a client who
wants me off the her account. I think Lloyd is going to cave.”
    “Where