Harlequin Intrigue January 2024--Box Set 1 of 2 by Nicole Helm

Author:Nicole Helm
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

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TWENTY MINUTES LATER, she was back at the cottage. She’d called Wade from the road and asked him to meet her there. Letting herself in the front door, she dropped her bag on the floor and then crossed the room to glance out the back windows. She’d suggested he wait for her on the terrace, but he was nowhere to be seen. Was he running late, or had he decided to stand her up?

Annoyed and disappointed, she went outside and glanced down at the water. He was stretched out on the dock, an arm slung across his face, legs dangling over the side. For a moment, Abby was taken straight back to their high school years, back to those lazy summer days when she and Wade would spend hours on the water or lying in the sun, fingers entwined as they soaked up the heat.

She allowed herself the indulgence of those memories for only a moment before she started down the steps toward him. Halfway down, she paused to call out to him. He sat up and stretched, then threw her a lazy wave as he grabbed his shirt and got to his feet.

Their gazes met and held for the briefest moment before he pulled on the shirt, but the brief interlude was enough to flutter her stomach and stand her nerves on end. She took a breath and then another as he left the dock and started up the steps toward her. She waited for him to emerge from the oleanders and banana leaves before she spoke again.

“Thanks for coming.”

He halted a few steps down and gazed up at her. He wore shorts and flip-flops, and his faded T-shirt had seen better days. If Abby didn’t know better, she’d think he was one of the thirtysomething partiers who hit the lake every weekend, but she did know better. She’d done an internet search before leaving Atlanta. Wade Easton had grown himself quite a successful business.

“You sounded anxious on the phone.” He moved up another few steps, his dark gaze raking over her. “Everything okay?”

Her hand curled around the guardrail. “I’m not sure. There was an incident at my grandmother’s house last night. I don’t know what to make of it.”

“What happened?”

She swept her gaze over the lake. “Let’s go up to the terrace first. We can sit in the shade while we talk.”

Without another word, she turned and headed up the steps, glancing over her shoulder as she moved onto the flagstones. “Can I get you anything to drink? Water, tea... I think there may be a couple of beers in the fridge.”

“Ice water sounds good if it’s not too much trouble. It was pretty hot down on that dock.”

Well, you were lying shirtless in the sun. “No trouble at all.” She went back inside and filled two glasses from the ice and water dispensers in the refrigerator door. When she came back out, Wade had taken a seat at the wrought iron table. She placed a glass in front of him and took a seat opposite him.

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