hall. Kicking off the sandals, she sank down on the window seat and stared out over the lush backyard. She could picture a play structure in the corner and a sandpit near the edge of the patio. What would it be like to have a house full of children? And a husband to love?
Josh’s image rose in her mind. His brown eyes so warm and inviting. His strong jawline and his straight nose so appealing. With a little thrill she remembered the way he’d looked at her when he’d told her she was beautiful. As if he’d meant it. And she’d wanted to believe him.
Her pretend husband.
The man she blamed for her brother’s death.
She tried to banish Josh from her thoughts but he wouldn’t go.
No matter how much she wished otherwise, she was stuck with Josh as a partner, and she was going to have to figure out a way to deal with it.
She bowed her head and whispered, “Lord, give me strength.”
* * *
“You need to go talk to her.”
Josh inhaled sharply. Easy for Linda to say. She could never understand how each time he looked at Serena, his guilt over Daniel’s death dug a deeper trench through him. He opened his mouth to protest.
Linda held up a hand. “You two have to work this out. If she’s jumpy around you, people will notice and start to ask questions. You two have been partners for over six months now. I don’t understand what the problem is.”
“She blames me for Daniel’s death and sometimes it gets the better of her,” Josh said, putting it baldly. “The truth is, I am to blame. I should have been with him that day.”
Linda laid a hand on his arm. “I read the case file. You could no more predict what happened than you could have prevented it.”
Josh appreciated her attempt at assuaging his guilt but if he’d answered the phone that day, if he hadn’t taken a personal day, if Lexi hadn’t picked then to break up with him, if he’d been able to give his heart to Lexi, then Daniel would still be alive.
He shook his head at the futility of his thoughts. If s would only drive him crazy. He had to stay focused on the moment and on the job. And that meant figuring out a way for him and Serena to work together to build a believable cover as a happy couple. But how?
Obviously, he’d failed with Lexi.
The only example he had of a happy, loving couple were his grandparents on his mother’s side. Both were long gone now, and his memories had faded to general impressions. Grandpa helping Gran in the kitchen. Bringing her gifts. Holding her hand as they walked through the neighborhood.
His own parents’ marriage had dissolved when he was too young to have paid much attention. Dissolved, that was such a polite way of putting it. More like his father had destroyed their lives, and a whole lot of other people’s lives, when he embezzled from the company he worked for and died in prison two years later.
Josh ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know how to make her comfortable with me.”
“I’ll go talk to her.” Linda untied the apron and headed for the stairs. “My suggestion, Josh, is to court her,” she said over her shoulder and then walked away.
Josh blinked at the older agent’s retreating back. Court Serena?
For a pretend relationship in a pretend marriage.
Trouble was, how did he do that without either of them getting hurt?
* * *
The light tap at the door jolted Serena to her feet. Josh?
Tension tightened the muscles between her shoulder blades. She supposed they would have to talk and figure out how to keep this charade going at some point. But did it have to be now? Couldn’t he wait until tomorrow or the next day? She knew she wasn’t being realistic.
The sooner they worked out the kinks in this farce of a marriage, the sooner they could bring this assignment to fruition. Which was the ultimate goal. A goal she believed in.
She padded barefoot to the door and cracked it open.
Linda smiled at her. “May I come in?”
Relieved, Serena opened the door so Linda could
Josh’s image rose in her mind. His brown eyes so warm and inviting. His strong jawline and his straight nose so appealing. With a little thrill she remembered the way he’d looked at her when he’d told her she was beautiful. As if he’d meant it. And she’d wanted to believe him.
Her pretend husband.
The man she blamed for her brother’s death.
She tried to banish Josh from her thoughts but he wouldn’t go.
No matter how much she wished otherwise, she was stuck with Josh as a partner, and she was going to have to figure out a way to deal with it.
She bowed her head and whispered, “Lord, give me strength.”
* * *
“You need to go talk to her.”
Josh inhaled sharply. Easy for Linda to say. She could never understand how each time he looked at Serena, his guilt over Daniel’s death dug a deeper trench through him. He opened his mouth to protest.
Linda held up a hand. “You two have to work this out. If she’s jumpy around you, people will notice and start to ask questions. You two have been partners for over six months now. I don’t understand what the problem is.”
“She blames me for Daniel’s death and sometimes it gets the better of her,” Josh said, putting it baldly. “The truth is, I am to blame. I should have been with him that day.”
Linda laid a hand on his arm. “I read the case file. You could no more predict what happened than you could have prevented it.”
Josh appreciated her attempt at assuaging his guilt but if he’d answered the phone that day, if he hadn’t taken a personal day, if Lexi hadn’t picked then to break up with him, if he’d been able to give his heart to Lexi, then Daniel would still be alive.
He shook his head at the futility of his thoughts. If s would only drive him crazy. He had to stay focused on the moment and on the job. And that meant figuring out a way for him and Serena to work together to build a believable cover as a happy couple. But how?
Obviously, he’d failed with Lexi.
The only example he had of a happy, loving couple were his grandparents on his mother’s side. Both were long gone now, and his memories had faded to general impressions. Grandpa helping Gran in the kitchen. Bringing her gifts. Holding her hand as they walked through the neighborhood.
His own parents’ marriage had dissolved when he was too young to have paid much attention. Dissolved, that was such a polite way of putting it. More like his father had destroyed their lives, and a whole lot of other people’s lives, when he embezzled from the company he worked for and died in prison two years later.
Josh ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know how to make her comfortable with me.”
“I’ll go talk to her.” Linda untied the apron and headed for the stairs. “My suggestion, Josh, is to court her,” she said over her shoulder and then walked away.
Josh blinked at the older agent’s retreating back. Court Serena?
For a pretend relationship in a pretend marriage.
Trouble was, how did he do that without either of them getting hurt?
* * *
The light tap at the door jolted Serena to her feet. Josh?
Tension tightened the muscles between her shoulder blades. She supposed they would have to talk and figure out how to keep this charade going at some point. But did it have to be now? Couldn’t he wait until tomorrow or the next day? She knew she wasn’t being realistic.
The sooner they worked out the kinks in this farce of a marriage, the sooner they could bring this assignment to fruition. Which was the ultimate goal. A goal she believed in.
She padded barefoot to the door and cracked it open.
Linda smiled at her. “May I come in?”
Relieved, Serena opened the door so Linda could
Similar Books
