Read Online Deadly Illusions (Hardy Brothers Security Book 3) by Lily Harper Hart - Free Book Online
Authors: Lily Harper Hart
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clue. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Emma said, shaking her head. “I just know that woman.”
Finn followed Emma’s gaze. “Mandy?”
“The clerk for Judge MacIntosh? Is that her name.”
“Yeah.”
“You know her?”
“We grew up together,” Finn said. “She was best friends with my sister, Ally.”
“Oh. So you don’t know her from the courthouse?”
“Not exactly.”
Emma stiffened, suspicion clawing at the back of her brain. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Mandy is also my brother’s girlfriend,” Finn said. “The brother you met the other day. I’m not keeping anything from you.”
“I see.”
“I don’t understand what the problem is,” Finn said, stepping closer to Emma and lowering his voice. “Do you not like Mandy?”
“No, she’s … she was always really nice to me,” Emma admitted. “It’s just that she knows.”
“She knows what?”
“She knows about my father,” Emma whispered.
“And you think she’s going to announce that to everyone for some reason?” Finn asked. “If that’s what you’re worried about, don’t. That’s not the way Mandy rolls.”
“And how does Mandy roll?” Emma asked, forcing herself to try and relax.
“Usually in a sweaty heap on the floor with my brother,” Finn said, his smile soft and flirty. “Actually, to be fair, I think they do it everywhere – not just the floor.”
Emma laughed despite herself. “You seem comfortable talking about your brother’s sex life.”
“They’re comfortable sharing it for us all to see,” Finn said, holding out his hand again. “Come on. I promise. It’s all going to be okay.”
Emma regarded the outstretched hand. This time, she reached out and took it. She needed the support – and Finn Hardy seemed more than willing to offer it every chance he could.
Finn led Emma up to the table. “Hey. Can we get two hot chocolates here?”
Mandy glanced up, shifting her gaze between Finn and Emma. “Absolutely.”
The plump brunette working behind the table with Mandy filled two cups and handed them over. “Hi, Finn.”
“Hi, Heidi,” Finn said, shooting her a small wink. “How are you today?”
“Well, I wasn’t thrilled about doing this when Mandy talked me into it,” Heidi admitted. “Then, when I found out I was going to get to look at Hardy eye candy all day, it didn’t seem so bad.”
“You always know how to look on the bright side of things,” Finn said.
Emma kept her eyes trained on Mandy. If the woman recognized her, she wasn’t acknowledging it. Emma didn’t know if she was relieved or saddened by the development. She thought about saying something to the clerk, but she didn’t know how to broach the subject.
Finn took the decision out of her hands. “You remember Emma, right?”
“I do,” Mandy said. “It’s really good to see you.”
“You, too,” Emma said, her mind wandering back her father’s trial and the young woman who insisted on sharing her lunch with a destitute teenager every day. “It’s really good to see you.”
“I thought you went with Grady and James,” Mandy said to Finn. “Did something prettier grab your attention?”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a total pain in the ass?”
Emma didn’t like Finn’s tone.
“You tell me every day,” Mandy said, reaching out and chucking Finn under the chin. “Your brothers do, too.”
“Well, as long as you’re happy with your lot in life.”
Emma realized they were teasing each other. They were comfortable together, like family. She and her brother had been that way before … well, before everything in the Pritchard house fell apart.
“Oh, no,” Heidi whined. “Does this mean you’re off the market, too? I’m crushed.”
Emma realized that Finn’s cheeks were bright red – and she didn’t think it was completely due to the cold.
“You’re embarrassing him, Heidi,” Mandy chided. “He’s still trying to put the moves on her. He doesn’t
“Nothing,” Emma said, shaking her head. “I just know that woman.”
Finn followed Emma’s gaze. “Mandy?”
“The clerk for Judge MacIntosh? Is that her name.”
“Yeah.”
“You know her?”
“We grew up together,” Finn said. “She was best friends with my sister, Ally.”
“Oh. So you don’t know her from the courthouse?”
“Not exactly.”
Emma stiffened, suspicion clawing at the back of her brain. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Mandy is also my brother’s girlfriend,” Finn said. “The brother you met the other day. I’m not keeping anything from you.”
“I see.”
“I don’t understand what the problem is,” Finn said, stepping closer to Emma and lowering his voice. “Do you not like Mandy?”
“No, she’s … she was always really nice to me,” Emma admitted. “It’s just that she knows.”
“She knows what?”
“She knows about my father,” Emma whispered.
“And you think she’s going to announce that to everyone for some reason?” Finn asked. “If that’s what you’re worried about, don’t. That’s not the way Mandy rolls.”
“And how does Mandy roll?” Emma asked, forcing herself to try and relax.
“Usually in a sweaty heap on the floor with my brother,” Finn said, his smile soft and flirty. “Actually, to be fair, I think they do it everywhere – not just the floor.”
Emma laughed despite herself. “You seem comfortable talking about your brother’s sex life.”
“They’re comfortable sharing it for us all to see,” Finn said, holding out his hand again. “Come on. I promise. It’s all going to be okay.”
Emma regarded the outstretched hand. This time, she reached out and took it. She needed the support – and Finn Hardy seemed more than willing to offer it every chance he could.
Finn led Emma up to the table. “Hey. Can we get two hot chocolates here?”
Mandy glanced up, shifting her gaze between Finn and Emma. “Absolutely.”
The plump brunette working behind the table with Mandy filled two cups and handed them over. “Hi, Finn.”
“Hi, Heidi,” Finn said, shooting her a small wink. “How are you today?”
“Well, I wasn’t thrilled about doing this when Mandy talked me into it,” Heidi admitted. “Then, when I found out I was going to get to look at Hardy eye candy all day, it didn’t seem so bad.”
“You always know how to look on the bright side of things,” Finn said.
Emma kept her eyes trained on Mandy. If the woman recognized her, she wasn’t acknowledging it. Emma didn’t know if she was relieved or saddened by the development. She thought about saying something to the clerk, but she didn’t know how to broach the subject.
Finn took the decision out of her hands. “You remember Emma, right?”
“I do,” Mandy said. “It’s really good to see you.”
“You, too,” Emma said, her mind wandering back her father’s trial and the young woman who insisted on sharing her lunch with a destitute teenager every day. “It’s really good to see you.”
“I thought you went with Grady and James,” Mandy said to Finn. “Did something prettier grab your attention?”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re a total pain in the ass?”
Emma didn’t like Finn’s tone.
“You tell me every day,” Mandy said, reaching out and chucking Finn under the chin. “Your brothers do, too.”
“Well, as long as you’re happy with your lot in life.”
Emma realized they were teasing each other. They were comfortable together, like family. She and her brother had been that way before … well, before everything in the Pritchard house fell apart.
“Oh, no,” Heidi whined. “Does this mean you’re off the market, too? I’m crushed.”
Emma realized that Finn’s cheeks were bright red – and she didn’t think it was completely due to the cold.
“You’re embarrassing him, Heidi,” Mandy chided. “He’s still trying to put the moves on her. He doesn’t
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