The Look of Love by Chris Keniston

Author:Chris Keniston
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Indie House Publishing
Published: 2015-01-20T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

“Dr. Shepherd is a very nice man. For a little while there we thought he was going to end up with our Angela, but she and my Billy were meant to be.” Maile Everrett set a bowl of guacamole and chips on the small table.

“I’m sure he is.” Maddie did her best not to act too interested without being downright rude. Billy’s mom was many things, but subtle wasn’t one of them. She did, however, have an endearing nature, despite her matchmaking ambitions.

“Now what are you doing there?” Maile leaned over and scratched the ears of the biggest German shepherd Maddie had ever seen. “No one is going to give you a snack. You go on back in the house and keep an eye on the boys.”

The black-and-silver-faced dog seemed to huff and bob his head in obedience to his master before trotting off to the open patio door.

“Well, I’ll be.” Maddie kept her attention on the beloved family pet. Sure enough, halfway in the door he spotted his charges and plopped on the floor within a few feet to survey his flock. “Fascinating.”

“He’s a wonderful dog. We got him from a rescue organization for large breeds. The trainer thinks he comes from a true German bloodline. He’s so incredibly smart.”

She certainly wouldn’t argue with that. “He’s beautiful too.”

“Yes.” Maile beamed, then turned her attention from Gunny to Maddie. “Now where did Dr. Shepherd go? Did I mention he’s a successful psychiatrist?”

“You did, and I’m sure we’ll bump into each other before I return to San Diego.”

Angela strolled up to her mother-in-law. “Looking for someone?”

“Dr. Shepherd.”

Maile missed the roll of her daughter-in-law’s eyes, but Maddie caught it and had to cover her mouth with her hand to stifle a laugh.

“Well”—Angela linked arms with Maddie and grinned at her mother-in-law—“if you don’t mind, I want to steal Maddie and introduce her to Carolyn. Oh, and we just discovered that Carolyn’s father is a former instructor of Nick’s and Billy’s. If you get a chance, you may want to go say hello. But I’d give it a little while. It sounded to me like they were about to start sharing war stories. You know, the kind about the fish that got away.”

Except Maddie knew from years of eavesdropping on her big brother’s stories that too many of them weren’t even a little exaggerated. She remembered one time in particular from years ago. She’d been lurking in the hall long after everyone’s bedtime. Nick and Billy and a few friends from a SEAL team were hanging out. What little she’d heard about saving a woman whose brother had put her in an explosives vest could still give Maddie nightmares. She was often torn between the pride of what her brother had done for a living and the horror that had surrounded it.

Following the direction of Angela’s finger, Maddie spotted her brother and Billy laughing and drinking, and then her stomach slid to her feet. The tall, well-built man that Maddie now

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