Read Online Finally Home (Home Series) by Ann Vaughn - Free Book Online
Authors: Ann Vaughn
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doorway.
"Everything all right?" Tessa asked, stepping inside.
"Fine," Lainey replied a little too brightly.
"Don't let him upset you," Tessa said, studying Lainey's face. Lainey got the distinct impression that Tessa was evaluating her every move, and decided to choose her words carefully.
"He hasn't; not really."
Tessa nodded and Lainey could tell she wasn't convinced.
"OK, well, I'll be just right outside the door here if you need me."
"Thank you, Tessa," she said, giving her a bright smile. As soon as Tessa shut the door, Lainey stood and paced over to her window, staring sightlessly out at the Springfield landscape. The tensions of the morning were wearing on her; she could feel a stress headache coming on, which was the last thing she needed just now. It occurred to her that she hadn't gotten Mike to talk about his nightmare. Of course, as closed as he was, she knew it would take longer than just a day or two for him to feel comfortable enough to open up to her. And now that she'd ticked him off, it was going to take even longer. Maybe she needed to take a different approach with him. He'd responded well to her scared rabbit bit, but, since that really wasn't her, she needed to come up with something else.
"Good morning!" she heard Kacee call brightly from the doorway.
She turned to smile at her best friend as she walked in and closed the door behind her. Kacee handed her a travel cup of Starbucks and sat on the edge of her desk.
"There is a guy out there who...wow, is all I can say. I love Connor but, that tall drink of water could spark many a fantasy."
Lainey smiled. "That's Colt. He was on that task force with Riley and Mike. Tessa, too. Did you see her out there?"
"The Amazon Warrior Queen?" Kacee asked, smiling. "I can't believe she was in the military and not a model or something."
"I believe she and Colt were in the Army, if I remember what Riley told me. Colt was a Ranger and Tessa ran tactical support for their team. She didn't actually engage in combat, but as you can see, she could have if needed."
"I believe it. So, dish! How did your first night with Mike go?"
"Fine. Tell me something, your family and Mike's family are close, right?"
"His family villa is right next door to my mother's family villa. We all grew up together."
Lainey nodded. "I guess I never really gave this much thought over the years, but now I realize I should have. Why did you never introduce me to him before? His mother and sister were at your house several times through the years, and you said that you grew up with him and his brothers so it goes to follow that he was there at those times as well."
Kacee sighed. "Mike is...well, he's always been intense. His brothers are a lot like mine. Lovable but arrogant. Always laughing and joking. And Mike was like that when he was younger, though a bit more subdued than the others. When he went off to college, something changed. It was a huge scandal in his family when he joined the Navy rather than joining the family law firm. He rarely came home after that. That time you saw him at the Founders Day Ball was the first time he'd been home in years, and was the last time he'd come back to Springfield until just recently. I knew you had a thing for him, of course; we talked about him a lot but I just kind of glossed things over about him. I didn't want to see you get hurt."
Lainey frowned at her friend. "You speak as if you knew that I would fall for him all along."
Kacee smiled. "Come on, Lain...you're my best friend. I know your type. And while I was thrilled when you were dating my brother, I knew that wouldn't last. Kevin is...well, he's a lot of things but what he isn't is your type."
Lainey folded her arms over her chest. "And just what is my type? I dated Kevin for two years."
"And when you broke up with him, you never even shed one tear. Your type, Lainey Riley, is standing right out
"Everything all right?" Tessa asked, stepping inside.
"Fine," Lainey replied a little too brightly.
"Don't let him upset you," Tessa said, studying Lainey's face. Lainey got the distinct impression that Tessa was evaluating her every move, and decided to choose her words carefully.
"He hasn't; not really."
Tessa nodded and Lainey could tell she wasn't convinced.
"OK, well, I'll be just right outside the door here if you need me."
"Thank you, Tessa," she said, giving her a bright smile. As soon as Tessa shut the door, Lainey stood and paced over to her window, staring sightlessly out at the Springfield landscape. The tensions of the morning were wearing on her; she could feel a stress headache coming on, which was the last thing she needed just now. It occurred to her that she hadn't gotten Mike to talk about his nightmare. Of course, as closed as he was, she knew it would take longer than just a day or two for him to feel comfortable enough to open up to her. And now that she'd ticked him off, it was going to take even longer. Maybe she needed to take a different approach with him. He'd responded well to her scared rabbit bit, but, since that really wasn't her, she needed to come up with something else.
"Good morning!" she heard Kacee call brightly from the doorway.
She turned to smile at her best friend as she walked in and closed the door behind her. Kacee handed her a travel cup of Starbucks and sat on the edge of her desk.
"There is a guy out there who...wow, is all I can say. I love Connor but, that tall drink of water could spark many a fantasy."
Lainey smiled. "That's Colt. He was on that task force with Riley and Mike. Tessa, too. Did you see her out there?"
"The Amazon Warrior Queen?" Kacee asked, smiling. "I can't believe she was in the military and not a model or something."
"I believe she and Colt were in the Army, if I remember what Riley told me. Colt was a Ranger and Tessa ran tactical support for their team. She didn't actually engage in combat, but as you can see, she could have if needed."
"I believe it. So, dish! How did your first night with Mike go?"
"Fine. Tell me something, your family and Mike's family are close, right?"
"His family villa is right next door to my mother's family villa. We all grew up together."
Lainey nodded. "I guess I never really gave this much thought over the years, but now I realize I should have. Why did you never introduce me to him before? His mother and sister were at your house several times through the years, and you said that you grew up with him and his brothers so it goes to follow that he was there at those times as well."
Kacee sighed. "Mike is...well, he's always been intense. His brothers are a lot like mine. Lovable but arrogant. Always laughing and joking. And Mike was like that when he was younger, though a bit more subdued than the others. When he went off to college, something changed. It was a huge scandal in his family when he joined the Navy rather than joining the family law firm. He rarely came home after that. That time you saw him at the Founders Day Ball was the first time he'd been home in years, and was the last time he'd come back to Springfield until just recently. I knew you had a thing for him, of course; we talked about him a lot but I just kind of glossed things over about him. I didn't want to see you get hurt."
Lainey frowned at her friend. "You speak as if you knew that I would fall for him all along."
Kacee smiled. "Come on, Lain...you're my best friend. I know your type. And while I was thrilled when you were dating my brother, I knew that wouldn't last. Kevin is...well, he's a lot of things but what he isn't is your type."
Lainey folded her arms over her chest. "And just what is my type? I dated Kevin for two years."
"And when you broke up with him, you never even shed one tear. Your type, Lainey Riley, is standing right out
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