Read Online Gone Too Deep by Katie Ruggle - Free Book Online Page A

curious now.”
    He laughed softly, reaching over to take her hand. They exchanged a look so tender that Ellie, feeling like a voyeur, had to look away.
    When Lou cleared her throat, Ellie knew it was safe to focus on the couple across from her again. “So, what do you do in Chicago?” Lou asked.
    â€œI work at a clothing boutique.” Her mom had made the occasional pointed comment about her daughter being a twenty-seven-year-old college graduate still working in retail, but Ellie didn’t care. Despite Chelsea’s quirks and the occasional ornery customer, she enjoyed her job. She didn’t make much money, but Grandpa Scott had left her an inheritance, allowing her to buy her condo, with enough left over for a decent nest egg. The rescue-Baxter project might eat a considerable chunk of that egg, though. “It reminds me a little of the Screaming Moose, although with less flannel.”
    Lou grinned. “Isn’t Barbara great? The word around town is that she was a financial planner in New York, but then she had a nervous breakdown, moved here, and bought the Moose. Mind you, the Simpson gossip chain is kind of like a game of telephone, so the accuracy of this information is highly suspect. Anyway, the store had been a cheesy tourist place, selling T-shirts and polished rocks, things like that. She turned it into a…well, slightly less cheesy tourist place.”
    With a laugh, Ellie relaxed a little. “How do you like working at The Coffee Spot?”
    â€œIt’s good, most of the time. Much better than lawyering.”
    â€œYou used to be a lawyer?” Ellie’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.
    â€œYes.” Her shamed tone made it sound like she was confessing a crime. “Kind of. I went through all the school and even passed the bar, but I bailed before I accepted a position at a firm. I finally grew a pair and escaped from under my parents’ thumbs by running out here and becoming a barista.”
    After considering that for a few seconds, Ellie said, “That was brave.”
    â€œThe first brave thing I’ve done.”
    â€œNot the last, though,” Callum added, drawing a sweet smile from Lou.
    Watching them, Ellie desperately wished she were brave.
    * * *
    Even though her stomach was churning with nerves at the thought of her upcoming conversation—or one-sided conversation, most likely—with George Holloway, Ellie found her first visit to a fire station to be interesting. Lou gave her a quick tour after Callum was pulled aside by the fire chief. Close up, the trucks were huge. There also seemed to be an inordinate number of very attractive men. After her experience with Joseph earlier, though, she kept her greetings brief and her smile impersonal when Lou introduced her to some of them.
    â€œThere he is!” Lou announced in a loud whisper, drawing the attention of several firemen standing close by.
    â€œWho?” one of them asked, grinning.
    â€œNo one for you to be concerned about, Soup.” Grabbing Ellie’s hand, Lou hurried toward the other side of the training room.
    â€œLou!” the fireman whined, laughter in his voice. “Don’t be an information tease!”
    â€œJust a fair warning, Ellie,” Lou muttered quietly, “these guys are the worst gossips in Simpson, so don’t say anything in front of them that you don’t want everyone and their dog to know.”
    â€œGot it. Thanks.” Although she smiled, it slipped away quickly when she spotted the bearded giant who held the ability to crush her newfound hope into itty-bitty pieces. Nerves dug sharp claws into her stomach lining. This was it.
    â€œGeorge!” Lou greeted when they were still several feet away from him. Instead of answering, he just silently watched their approach.
    Ellie swallowed, grateful that Lou was there to force her feet to move. If she’d been alone, Ellie would probably have been too chicken to even