BooksBarbecue
Back The Newcomer Save as PDF
Chapters (71)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. Epilogue
  68. Acknowledgments
  69. Also by Mary Kay Andrews
  70. About the Author
  71. Newsletter Sign-up

“Okay,” she said, relenting. “You’re right. I am attracted to you, and more than a little. But here’s the thing, Joe. I don’t want a relationship based on being rescued by you. You’re sweet and I appreciate that you’re so good to Maya, but that can’t be all there is to us. Years ago, I stupidly got involved with Evan because I let him ‘rescue’ me. It’s the same damn trap my mother fell into, over and over again, relying on a man, instead of figuring out how to make it on her own. That’s where Tanya learned it, you know, to use her ‘charm’ and feminine wiles—which really meant to lie and keep secrets. I don’t want that for me, and I don’t want Maya to think that’s how she needs to live her life.”

Joe sat, speechless.

“Rescue you? That’s what you think I’m trying to do?”

“Yes. You’re a cop, and I know that’s what cops are trained to do, but I don’t want to be a victim anymore. I won’t be a professional victim for the rest of my life.”

He pounded the dashboard with his closed fist. “Dammit, Letty. Yeah, I’m a cop. I can’t turn that off and on. But that’s not why I’m trying to help you, not because it’s my job. Hell, if I were doing my job, I would have turned you in as soon as I figured out you were a fugitive. But I didn’t. Because I knew you couldn’t have done what you’re accused of. I care about you, and I want to be with you. Is that a crime?”

“No,” she said quietly. “Not a crime. Just not right for me. Not now anyway.”

He pulled the truck back into traffic, steering with one hand, the other braced on the open driver’s-side window. “What now, then?”

“We get through this, as best we can,” Letty said. “No emotional attachment though. Please?”

Joe shrugged. “You’re the boss.”

32

AS SOON AS LETTY WALKED into the office, Ava pounced. “How did it go with the FBI?”

“I’m not sure,” Letty said.

She bent down and kissed the top of her niece’s head. “Have you been having fun with Ava, lovebug?”

“I made a puzzle,” Maya said proudly. “And now I’m making you a necklace.”

Letty pulled her chair up to the reception desk and powered up the computer, and began checking the reservation portal. “This is good,” she said, looking over at her employer. “April is really starting to fill up. The efficiency is totally booked, all the way into mid-July. I wonder if we should have bumped up the rates a little more?”

“Letty!” Ava exclaimed. “What happened with that woman? You can’t just waltz in here and clam up like that.”