Her Valentine Sheriff by Deb Kastner

Author:Deb Kastner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-12-15T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Mary’s heart jumped into her throat and then plunged into her belly, where it churned like a garden tiller plowing untidy rows in the pit of her stomach.

She’d considered—she’d suspected—that there might be a spark of something between Eli and Alexis, but knowing it in her head and seeing it with her eyes were two entirely different things. Finding Eli and Alexis huddled together gazing at each other and whispering in hushed tones was almost more than Mary could bear.

Add to that the fact that both of them had bolted away from each other when they’d realized she’d entered the room—well, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out there was something going on between them.

Of course there was. There was no reason Eli and Alexis would not be attracted to each other. Pretty is as pretty does, and both of them were highly qualified in that category.

And then there was Mary.

“I beg your pardon,” she said, stepping forward. The moment where she possibly could have slinked away without being discovered was long past her. She’d already managed to destroy whatever intimacy was going on between her two friends, so she might as well join them. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your private conversation. I can go, if you’d like.”

“Oh, nonsense,” Alexis exclaimed, laughing a bit more boisterously than the occasion called for. “You weren’t interrupting anything. Eli and I were just...”

Yeah. Mary knew exactly what Alexis and Eli were just doing. She wished she could crawl into a hole in the floor, and escape this awkward and painful situation completely.

“I was setting the table,” Eli offered, opening the silverware drawer and reaching for some serving spoons. “How many did you say you needed, Alexis?”

Alexis turned back to the stove and poured her skillet of potatoes into a large decorative blue bowl. “Five ought to do it. Are you staying for supper, Mary?”

“No, I...have things to do.”

Alexis chuckled. “Funny. That’s what Eli said when I asked him.”

“Oh.” Mary couldn’t come up with a single clever response. Her mind was simply...scattered, and her heart was plainly wounded.

“You wouldn’t happen to have that box of stuff for Bullet, would you?” Eli asked. “The crazy dog is always hungry. I can’t believe he’s already eaten through the big bag of kibble you gave me.”

“That’s a K-9 for you. They work hard, play hard and eat hard.”

Eli grinned. “That’s for sure. So you have it with you? Great! I can walk you out and switch the bundle over to my vehicle. I brought the truck because I can’t figure out how to fit Bullet on my motorbike. If I ever do, though, we two will look awesome together.” He fisted his hands in front of him like he was revving the engine on his bike.

The image of Bullet balancing on the back of Eli’s motorcycle as they sped down the road made Mary smile—a little. It also made her want to cry.

“I’m afraid I gave you the wrong impression,” Mary replied.

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