Summer in Good Hope (A Good Hope Novel Book 2)

Summer in Good Hope (A Good Hope Novel Book 2) Read Free Page A

Book: Summer in Good Hope (A Good Hope Novel Book 2) Read Free
Author: Cindy Kirk
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mean?”
    Instead of answering, he rocked back on his heels and studied her. “You’re moving back to Good Hope.”
    “I am.” She twisted her hands together, then stopped when she saw him watching. “My job was eliminated. I couldn’t afford the house payments.”
    “I’m sorry, Prim.” The brief touch of his fingers on her arm was soft as butterfly wings and oddly comforting. “I know you liked Milwaukee.”
    “It’s a wonderful town. I had good friends there. It was difficult to leave them.” Prim’s voice wavered for a moment before she brought it under control. She stared into the darkness, realizing just how much Rory’s death had affected her life and the lives of her boys.
    “I think I’m ready for round two on the dance floor,” she said, changing the subject.
    She’d been enjoying the quiet, but Max was right. This was a party, and they should be dancing. She turned toward the tent, but he stopped her with a hand to her arm.
    “We can dance here. It’s crowded inside. And way too dangerous.”
    She laughed and shot him a quizzical look. “Dangerous?”
    “Dangerous with Gladys Bertholf on the floor.” He smiled, showing a mouthful of perfect white teeth. “It’s safe here.”
    Prim let him tug her close, telling herself Ami would want her to have fun. She closed her eyes as they swayed in time to the distant music.
    “Prim.”
    “Yes, Max?”
    “It’s good to have you home.”
    Home. Yes, Good Hope had always been home. It was that fact that had made leaving Milwaukee, and her friends, easier to bear.
    “Did you buy a house?” he asked after another few beats.
    “I rented a fabulous Cape Cod.” Prim smiled against his shirtfront. “It has a large fenced backyard and is in a quiet neighborhood. It’s perfect for me and the boys.”
    “Where is this gem located?”
    “Coral Road.”
    He laughed. “You’re kidding. I live on Coral.”
    Prim jerked back in his arms. “Seriously?”
    His thumb and little finger came together in a gesture she recognized. “Scout’s honor.”
    The thought of Max living so close made her traitorous heart flip-flop. She was a widowed mother of twin boys. She did not need the distraction of an old flame just a few doors down. “I thought you lived on Market.”
    “Old news, Primrose.” Max grinned. “I moved last year.”
    Prim had known when she’d decided to return to Good Hope that her past would be waiting for her. So what if she and Max were neighbors? It was inevitable they would cross paths, living in the same town. She had to get herself together. It was not a good sign that less than a week into her fresh start she was going to let an attractive old friend throw her off track. She was an adult. She could handle this.
    “Well, I guess there are worse people I could have for neighbors,” she said, even as a jolt of anxiety coursed through her. “Ax murderers, for instance.”
    He gave her a spin before responding. “True. I’m nowhere near as dangerous as an ax murderer.”
    “I’m not so sure about that,” she muttered.
    Her pulse began to drum when he grinned broadly.
    While certainly not as threatening as an ax murderer, there was no denying that living close to Max was a dangerous proposition.
    Then why, Prim wondered, couldn’t she keep from smiling?

C hapter T wo

    Max pulled khakis and a plaid button-down shirt from his closet. After a momentary hesitation, he grabbed a tie. There would be hell to pay if he met Eliza Shaw wearing his normal summer attire of cargo shorts and a T-shirt.
    He added an extra shot of espresso to his travel coffee mug before heading out the door. His former high school classmate had insisted on meeting with him right away. Since he didn’t have anything on his calendar other than returning phone calls and e-mails, he’d let her set the time and place.
    Though he had time to respond to a few more e-mails, he left shortly after receiving the call. Not out of a desire to be on time—although

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