Protecting Tanner Hollow by Lynette Eason

Author:Lynette Eason [Eason, Lynette]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romantic Suspense;Murder—­Fiction;Love—Fiction;FIC042060;FIC042040;FIC027110
ISBN: 9781493419371
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2019-09-19T00:00:00+00:00

The desperation flashing in the woman’s pretty, yet fatigued, eyes tugged on heartstrings he’d thought long gone. Eli Marshall ignored the strange thing his heart was doing and focused on the worry and indecision playing across her features.

“Make it the two-dollar specials, Dot, okay? They look mighty hungry.”

“You got it, Eli.” Understanding flickered as she met his gaze, then Dot ushered the last child into the restaurant. Eli turned back to catch the relief spilling over the woman’s face. He’d guessed right when he figured she was wondering how she was going to pay for her five kids to eat dinner at the diner.

He held out a hand as he assessed the newcomer. “I’m Eli Marshall.”

She blinked and gazed up at him. “I’m Honor McBride.”

“Have you come a long way?”

“From Texas. Amarillo.”

A whistle escaped his lips. “That’s a doozy of a trip.”

Wryness chased the weariness away for a brief moment. “Try making it with five kids.”

He winced. “You deserve a medal.”

She shrugged a thin shoulder. “Aw, they’re great kids. Couldn’t ask for better. I’m just tired and grumpy and so are they.”

He grinned. “Happens to the best of us, ma’am.” He glanced at her car. “Now, let’s get that tire changed.” He turned back to the onlookers. “Y’all go on and finish your supper, I’ve got this taken care of.”

Diner patrons shuffled back inside, and the moment fizzled. Eli grinned at her. “We haven’t had this much excitement since the Carson brothers dressed up Old Man Heriot’s prize bull in a pink tutu and turned him loose on Main Street.”

A sound bubbled from her throat that he thought might be a giggle, but she turned away too fast for him to be sure.

“Where’s your spare?” he asked.

“Probably buried under all this junk back here.” She opened the hatch of the station wagon and proceeded to pull out suitcases and boxes and set them on the ground beside her.

Eli noticed her graceful movements and the fact that in spite of having five kids, she was as slender as a reed—and pretty. Definitely pretty. He didn’t have any business noticing that about her. She had five kids. Which meant she probably had a husband around somewhere. But she wasn’t wearing a ring. Which could mean absolutely nothing.

He moved to give her a hand at the same time she turned to say something to him. Her nose smacked the fourth button of his red plaid flannel shirt.

“Oh!”

His hands came to rest on her upper arms.

Stepping back, she raised a hand to rub her cute, if slightly pointed, nose and flushed a deep shade of red. His hands dropped to his sides. He wanted to laugh, but the look in her eye said he might not live to regret it if he did. He cleared his throat. “Sorry about that. I was just trying to help.”

Her red cheeks glistened. “I know, and it’s all right. If you’ll just back up a minute, I can get this stuff out of the way.” Her eyes darted to the road behind her, then traveled in a full circle before landing back on the vehicle.

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