Desired in December (Spring River Valley Book 12) by Clarice Wynter Page B

reprints,” he said.
    “I’ll see what I can do. Would you consider doing a follow-up interview, maybe six months from now? It would be about your transition back to civilian life.”
    “I thought you were on the city hall beat. Isn’t that more human interest?”
    “I can pick my own assignments, if they’re something my editor wants to read, and she finds you fascinating.”
    James shrugged. The last thing he wanted was to perpetuate this local celebrity thing he had going. Nice as it was to be welcomed home so enthusiastically by his friends and neighbors, he wasn’t comfortable with his face on the front page of the paper on a regular basis, or with people picking up his tab whenever he tried to buy a beer or a cup of coffee. Not to mention, he still didn’t know if he’d be here six months from now or shipping back out on another tour. He didn’t want to think about that right now, or dwell on how he’d break the news to his friends and family if he made the decision his recruiter was pushing him to make.
    “Hey, Riley, Lydia, bring your chairs over here,” someone said, and, grateful for the distraction from Evie’s request, James scooted his chair over to make room at the small table for yet another couple.
    “It’s the legal eagle!” Tanner said, rising to shake Riley’s hand as the newly minted lawyer took a seat. “Do we have to call you Your Honor now?”
    “That’s for judges ,” Riley replied as he and Lydia took their seats.
    “It’s Barrister, isn’t it?” Matt asked.
    “Yeah, like the guy who makes the coffee,” Evie joked with a sly grin.
    “That’s barista,” Riley deadpanned. “That’s what you’ll be calling me if this new workload burns me out. I’ll be taking a job at the coffee shop.”
    “We’re not going to let that happen,” Lydia said, planting a kiss on Riley’s cheek. “He’s on a strict regimen of sunlight and fresh air to combat workaholism.”
    Matt smirked and raised his beer to toast Riley. “And it must be working. He looks a lot less like a vampire than he did last spring.”
    Everyone laughed, and James figured it was an inside joke. He raised a brow when Riley caught his questioning glance.
    “I used to have a bit of a reputation for being…pale,” Riley explained.
    “And fortunately for me back then, he was a complete drone for the EBD beehive,” Matt said.
    “Why fortunately for you?” James asked.
    “He was too busy to finish his blind date, so I had to step in.” He put his arm around Bailey who blushed.
    “Cassandra set me up with Riley . You know she’s the town matchmaker,” the pretty brunette said. “Riley had to leave early to go back to the office, and Matt swooped in and swept me off my feet.”
    “Then his bosses made him take a vacation, and he ended up at Lydia’s spa,” Lily said. “So it all worked out perfectly. You could almost say, Cassie set up both couples.”
    “Oh, and she matched up her cousin Max with Iron Audrey,” Quinn said.
    “That’s three couples,” Lily replied.
    “I don’t know, that’s reaching,” Tanner said. “Cassie didn’t really fix Riley up with Lydia, besides, they already knew each other.”
    “How about another round of drinks before the band starts?” Evie chimed in. She’d been eyeing James during the conversation about Cassie and apparently decided the topic wasn’t sitting well with him. “They’re on me, if I can get one of you gentlemen to help me carry everything. James, how about you?”
    “Uh, sure. I’d be glad to.” He rose and obediently followed the reporter to the bar. “You didn’t have to do that,” he said when they met up out of earshot of their friends. “But thanks.”
    “Don’t thank me yet. Thing one you have to learn about me, James . I always have an ulterior motive.”
    “ Uh-oh.”
    She faced him squarely . “I pieced this all together from stuff I’ve heard around, and the look on your face when everyone started talking about Cassie