Spirit [New Crescent 2] (BookStrand Publishing Romance) by Mary Lou George Page A

his sister. His hands were tied.
    He looked down at the mail in his hand and smiled. Of course, think of Jade and there she is. Her fluid handwriting was impossible to miss. She stubbornly insisted on writing letters. She used the phone and e-mail sometimes, but she saved the good stuff for her letters. Chase looked forward to reading this one.
    A huge cat wound around his legs almost tripping him, and he frowned.
    “Still here huh?” He bent and scooped up the enormous creature. Damn he was heavy.
    “Well, you may as well spend the night then. Just this once.” He’d been saying those exact words to this cat for months now. It just showed up one day and walked in as bold as brass. And it stayed. It wouldn’t leave. Utterly comfortable in Chase’s home, the cat wouldn’t even go outside. Chase installed a cat door in hope of encouraging him to venture out, but to no avail. Yet, everyday when Chase came home, part of him dreaded the thought that the cat might actually be gone. He refused to admit it, though, so he and the cat lived in a sort of suspended commitment to each other.
    He saved Jade’s letter until he was ready to go to bed. With the cat curled up beside him on the bed, he savored the moment. It was a pleasure to read for enjoyment for a change. He glanced over at the proofs couriered to him that day and refused to feel guilty for not looking at them. He’d had a big day. Didn’t Ernestine ask Reggie to tell him to relax? Tonight he planned to take her advice. Jade’s letter was the perfect distraction, but when he’d finished and turned out the light, all he could think about was the look on Reggie’s face after he’d kissed her. He knew sleep would be very elusive that night.

Chapter 7
     
    “You’d better turn that one over, man.” Sam Daniels pointed to a hamburger on the grill.
    Travis frowned at him. “What would you know, Trust Fund, you’ve never cooked a meal your entire life.”
    “That may be so, but I’ve eaten many times and to me, charcoal isn’t a condiment.” Sam took a deep gulp of beer and turned away. Travis looked at Chase for support, but got none when Chase shrugged and stayed silent.
    The three men stood on the patio in the backyard. Reggie and Gillian each set huge bowls of cold salads on the table. Ernestine sat at the head of the table with her eyes closed, her face turned up to the autumn sun.
    Having agreed to get down to business after they’d eaten, they conversed happily over lunch. Finally, Ernestine pushed her dessert plate away and said, “Gillian, that was delicious as usual.”
    Travis looked hurt. “Hey, I did the cooking. Don’t I deserve some credit?”
    Reggie lifted a shoulder and said, “So you burned a couple of hamburgers for us, big deal. But since you insist…” She patted his always disheveled hair. “That’ll do, pig.”
    Gillian laughed. “Oh, Babe , I loved that movie! I haven’t eaten pork since I saw it. Neither has Hank.” She looked down at the big white dog with apology.
    “That’s one of things I love most about you, Gill, your soft heart.” Travis leaned over and planted a kiss on her lips.
    Gillian smiled. “It’s my extraordinary mind you really love, though.” She turned to Reggie “We may as well get this thing started. What’s going on up at Bennett house?”
    There was no question as to who would do the talking. Reggie explained in detail what she and Chase had experienced. She made no direct reference to the passion ignited between them, but she knew Gillian could read between the lines. Chase acknowledged Reggie’s discretion with a small, private smirk. She pretended not to notice.
    When she finished, her audience said not a word. All eyes turned to Aunt Ernestine, who sighed deeply.
    “Has anyone else working there experienced anything like what the two of you have?” the old lady asked.
    Reggie looked to Chase, and he said, “No. There’s been an unusual rise in the number of small accidents and