When Lightning Strikes Twice Read Free Page A

elemental and intense, one had to admire her for it. Of course, it probably didn’t hurt that her looks progressed from beautiful to spectacular when angry, making it a pleasure just to watch her. He’d spent a good deal of time gazing at her during those meetings …
    “Got it, Quint?” Misty’s voice suddenly resounded in his ears. “No settlement. I’m keeping it all, just like Townie wanted me to.”
    “When I’m contacted by Saxon Associates on behalf of the Tildens, I’ll tell them we’ll see them in court,” Quint said, grinning in anticipation.
    “Daddy!” A blond toddler in baggy swim trunks printed with ducks came running around the side of the house toward Quint. He was followed by a petite red-haired girl in a bright blue bikini.
    “That’s Brady and his nanny,” Quint explained, stooping down to wait for Brady to run into his arms.
    “Must be convenient having a cute young nanny living with you,” Misty said cattily.
    “It’s convenient but not the way you mean. Sarah is one of the Sheelys. See that kid over there with the lawn mower?” He pointed to the bare-chested young man starting up the mower. “He’s Shawn, another Sheely. Does yard work for a lot of people in town. Sort of a one-man business.”
    “The Sheelys?” Misty’s brow furrowed in concentration. “Is that the family with the zillion kids? The one that always wins the prize for the biggest family in Lakeview at the Fourth of July Festival?”
    “The Sheelys have ten kids, a few short of a zillion, but they still have a virtual lock on winning that particular prize.” Quint glanced up at her. “Town Senior always underwrote the costs of Lakeview’s Fourth of July Festival. Do you think you’ll keep up the tradition, Misty?”
    “Maybe. Or maybe Town Junior and the rest of the Tildens can cough up the cash for it. I’ve never been much for festivals, especially in a place where people look at me like I’m as gross as a used cat box.” Misty’s eyes returned to Sarah Sheely and Brady, and her expression grew even more bitter. “So are you sleeping with your kid’s nanny, Quint?”
    “God, no!” He laughed out loud. “Sarah is twenty-one years old and engaged to a kid her own age. She would die of shock and horror if you were ever to insinuate that there is anything between her and an old guy like me. To her, being thirty-five is having one foot in the grave.”
    Misty snickered. “Imagine what she’d think of me and Townie!”
    “Daddy!” Brady arrived and Quint scooped him up.
    “Hey, sport. Were you swimming?”
    “Swim!” Brady repeated enthusiastically.
    “Hi!” Sarah Sheely joined them, her smile including Misty. “I put out Brady’s little pool in the backyard. He’s been going wild with the hose. Look at me, I’m drenched!”
    “Swim, Daddy!” Brady demanded.
    “I may as well. You’re getting me as wet as you are.” Quint set the soaked, wriggling child on his feet and turned back to Misty. “I’m sure the Tildens set a speed record racing to their lawyers when they got our message about Town Senior’s updated will. I expect to be hearing from Saxon Associates very shortly. I’ll keep you posted.”
    “Okay.” Misty permitted the chauffeur to settle her into the luxurious backseat.
    “Wow! A purple limo!” exclaimed Sarah, and they watched it move slowly down the tree-lined street. “Is that hideous or what?”
    “I suppose you prefer the traditional black? You have no imagination, Sarah,” Quint drawled. Brady was already running toward the back of the house to his pool, and the two adults followed, picking up their pace to match his.
    “Matt and me want a white limo for our wedding,” Sarah said. “You can get a six- or eight- or ten-passenger one and we’ve been pricing them but we still haven’t decided on the size yet. I guess it’ll depend on the size of the wedding party and we haven’t decided on that yet either. If I have all my brothers and sisters in it,