Mending Fences by Sherryl Woods

Author:Sherryl Woods [Woods, Sherryl]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: MIRA
Published: 2007-10-09T22:00:00+00:00

13

For a while now, Emily had been uncomfortably aware that practically every time she turned around, Grady Rodriguez was in her face. Sure, sometimes when he’d been nosing around at the high school, he’d done little more than murmur an amused greeting as she stiffened at the sight of him. Sometimes he’d asked a question or two, most of them innocuous enough to throw her completely off guard. On a few occasions, such as the last time he’d come by the house, the confrontations had been more direct. All of the meetings—whether deliberate or by chance—had been disconcerting.

But on the Monday morning after her trip when he turned up in the bagel shop where she’d stopped to grab breakfast on her way to school, she began to wonder if he was actually following her. Of course, he had been sitting at the counter when she’d walked in, so that might make a case for the argument that she was following him. She had a hunch he’d enjoy turning that around on her, so it was probably for the best to leave it alone.

Still, seeing him here after the way he’d plagued her thoughts while she’d been in Sanibel left her more rattled than usual.

“You again,” she muttered as she stood in line to place her order. “I’ve never seen you in here before.”

He gestured toward his coffee and bowl of oatmeal. “My partner’s on my case to eat healthier. She considers this place to be a better choice than the Krispy Kreme up the highway, so I decided to give it a try. If you have a couple of minutes, why don’t you join me? I’ll buy. Then you can vouch for me when Naomi accuses me of eating nothing but doughnuts.”

Emily debated whether to accept the invitation. One part of her, the part that had a sexy pair of brand-new high heels in her closet, wanted to stay because of the simmering attraction between them. The part that wanted to be rid of him once and for all hoped that maybe one more conversation would finally put an end to having him pop up on her doorstep and at school. A third and far less vocal part was simply curious. The combination was too much to resist. She sat down gingerly on the stool next to his and ordered coffee and a cinnamon-raisin bagel.

“I’m surprised you let your partner influence your diet,” she commented. “What about your wife? What does she have to say?”

“Divorced,” he said with no emotion.

“Ah,” she said. Her feet, mentally clad in those sexy shoes, danced a little jig.

He grinned, displaying his dimple. “You say that as if it explains a lot.”

“Maybe your choice of a striped tie with a checked shirt,” she retorted. “Nothing else.”

“Gee, and I thought you’d be ecstatic to know I’m available.”

“Not so much,” she claimed.

He didn’t look as if he believed her. “You dating anyone?” he asked.

She frowned at the question. “Is that something you need to know for your investigation?”

“Nope.

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