Read Online Deadly Adventure (Hardy Brothers Security Book 19) by Lily Harper Hart - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lily Harper Hart
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him for a walk the other day and he pointed at a bird and mimicked it. He said ‘caw’ and everything.”
James snorted. “He probably had gas. The kid is cute, but he’s a gas factory.”
“You don’t know,” Ally said, shaking her head and causing her long brown waves to brush against the top of her shoulders. “I was there. I saw it. He’s a genius.”
“He is a genius,” Emma agreed, cuddling her son closer. “He’s going to do great things one day.”
“Yes, I’m thinking it’s going to be a ton of women,” James said, earning a playful swat from Emma. “What? He’s a Hardy man. Women are drawn to us. They can’t help it.”
“Very cute,” Mandy said, shaking her head.
“What else did you do?” Grady asked. “I can’t believe you guys finally went on a vacation and didn’t have anything horrible happen. I think it’s an anniversary miracle.”
“Well … ,” Mandy hedged, unsure how to answer.
“Uh-oh.” Sophie Lane, Grady’s girlfriend, shook her head. “I’m almost afraid to ask.”
“It was nothing big,” Mandy supplied hurriedly.
“What happened?” Finn asked, shifting his arms to take Avery so Emma could get his bottle ready. “No one was kidnapped, right? You would’ve called us if something like that happened.”
“No one was kidnapped,” James said. “Someone did try to steal Mandy’s purse at the Roman Baths.”
“Oh, well, that’s not great, but it’s not the worst thing to ever happen,” Jake said. “I’m sure thieves stake out those touristy locations because they think the people there will be easier to rob. Did you catch the guy?”
“I did not,” James replied. “I was in the bathroom when it happened.”
“Oh, no,” Ally said, making a face. “Did he cuff you to him for the rest of the trip, Mandy?”
“We didn’t have much time left, but he stuck close,” Mandy replied. “Thankfully Jesse was there to fight the guy off so it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been.”
“Jesse?” Grady knit his eyebrows together. “Are you talking about Jesse Tanner?”
James bobbed his head. “We ran into him at a pub one night. He works over there. He went to Stonehenge and the Roman Baths with us.”
“Who is Jesse Tanner?” Sophie asked, sipping her wine.
“We served together overseas when I was in the military,” James answered. “I hadn’t seen him in a long time, so when I ran into him it was quite the surprise.”
“How did that go?” Finn asked. “I remember him being something of a wild man.”
“He’s still kind of wild,” James said, exchanging a quick look with Mandy. “He and Mandy didn’t exactly click right away, but they found some even footing once Jesse calmed down a little bit.”
“What does that mean?” Ally asked, making a face. “How come I’ve never heard about this guy?”
“There was never a need for you to meet him,” James explained. “I hung out with a lot of guys overseas. Jesse was one of them. He’s a good guy and he knows what he’s doing in the security field. I offered him a job if he ever wants to move back across the pond.”
Ally lifted her eyebrows, surprised. “You still haven’t answered my question,” she prodded. “How come Mandy doesn’t like him? For the record, if she doesn’t like him, I don’t either.”
James made an exaggerated face that caused his brothers to snicker and Mandy to lower her eyes. “I said they didn’t click at first. They were fine after getting to know one another.”
“That still wasn’t an answer,” Ally said, expectantly turning to Mandy. “What’s wrong with him? Is he a tool?”
“No,” Mandy answered, shaking her head. “He was merely surprised James settled down and got married. He thought James was messing with him at first.”
“Oh,” Ally said, making a face. “I’m sure when James knew him he was young, dumb, and running through women at a fantastic rate. Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
“Oh, bite me,
James snorted. “He probably had gas. The kid is cute, but he’s a gas factory.”
“You don’t know,” Ally said, shaking her head and causing her long brown waves to brush against the top of her shoulders. “I was there. I saw it. He’s a genius.”
“He is a genius,” Emma agreed, cuddling her son closer. “He’s going to do great things one day.”
“Yes, I’m thinking it’s going to be a ton of women,” James said, earning a playful swat from Emma. “What? He’s a Hardy man. Women are drawn to us. They can’t help it.”
“Very cute,” Mandy said, shaking her head.
“What else did you do?” Grady asked. “I can’t believe you guys finally went on a vacation and didn’t have anything horrible happen. I think it’s an anniversary miracle.”
“Well … ,” Mandy hedged, unsure how to answer.
“Uh-oh.” Sophie Lane, Grady’s girlfriend, shook her head. “I’m almost afraid to ask.”
“It was nothing big,” Mandy supplied hurriedly.
“What happened?” Finn asked, shifting his arms to take Avery so Emma could get his bottle ready. “No one was kidnapped, right? You would’ve called us if something like that happened.”
“No one was kidnapped,” James said. “Someone did try to steal Mandy’s purse at the Roman Baths.”
“Oh, well, that’s not great, but it’s not the worst thing to ever happen,” Jake said. “I’m sure thieves stake out those touristy locations because they think the people there will be easier to rob. Did you catch the guy?”
“I did not,” James replied. “I was in the bathroom when it happened.”
“Oh, no,” Ally said, making a face. “Did he cuff you to him for the rest of the trip, Mandy?”
“We didn’t have much time left, but he stuck close,” Mandy replied. “Thankfully Jesse was there to fight the guy off so it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been.”
“Jesse?” Grady knit his eyebrows together. “Are you talking about Jesse Tanner?”
James bobbed his head. “We ran into him at a pub one night. He works over there. He went to Stonehenge and the Roman Baths with us.”
“Who is Jesse Tanner?” Sophie asked, sipping her wine.
“We served together overseas when I was in the military,” James answered. “I hadn’t seen him in a long time, so when I ran into him it was quite the surprise.”
“How did that go?” Finn asked. “I remember him being something of a wild man.”
“He’s still kind of wild,” James said, exchanging a quick look with Mandy. “He and Mandy didn’t exactly click right away, but they found some even footing once Jesse calmed down a little bit.”
“What does that mean?” Ally asked, making a face. “How come I’ve never heard about this guy?”
“There was never a need for you to meet him,” James explained. “I hung out with a lot of guys overseas. Jesse was one of them. He’s a good guy and he knows what he’s doing in the security field. I offered him a job if he ever wants to move back across the pond.”
Ally lifted her eyebrows, surprised. “You still haven’t answered my question,” she prodded. “How come Mandy doesn’t like him? For the record, if she doesn’t like him, I don’t either.”
James made an exaggerated face that caused his brothers to snicker and Mandy to lower her eyes. “I said they didn’t click at first. They were fine after getting to know one another.”
“That still wasn’t an answer,” Ally said, expectantly turning to Mandy. “What’s wrong with him? Is he a tool?”
“No,” Mandy answered, shaking her head. “He was merely surprised James settled down and got married. He thought James was messing with him at first.”
“Oh,” Ally said, making a face. “I’m sure when James knew him he was young, dumb, and running through women at a fantastic rate. Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
“Oh, bite me,
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