Read Online Harlequin Intrigue, Box Set 2 of 2 by Julie Miller - Free Book Online Page A

wedding day will be the exception. I’m the only female in my family. You don’t think those boys all want to throw a big party for me? Dad insists on me wearing the veil of Irish lace that Mom wore at their wedding, and I want to. It’s a way of honoring her memory and making me feel like she’s there with us.” The mood around the entire table quieted out of respect for Olivia’s mother, who had died when she was just a child. But the detective with the short dark hair didn’t let the room get gloomy. “Besides, Gabe looks gorgeous in a tux, and I refuse to have him looking prettier than me.”
    â€œImpossible,” Max teased. “But if you’re going all formal, then I guess I can put on a tie.”
    â€œThank you for your sacrifice.” Olivia smiled before turning her attention to Trent. “What about you? Will we see you dancing the night away at the reception?” She snapped her fingers as an idea struck. “You should bring Katie.”
    The brown ponytail bobbed as Katie’s head popped up from her laptop screen. “Me? Like a date?”
    Trent groaned inwardly at the pale cast to her cheeks. Did she have to look as if the possibility of attending a friend’s wedding together was such an out-of-left-field idea?
    â€œIf you want.” Olivia chided the low-pitched whistle and sotto voce teasing from Jim and Max before smiling at Katie. “Stop it, children. Believe me, I understand better than most about the department’s no-fraternization policy. But even though we’re part of the same team, technically, you work in two different branches—information technology and law enforcement. Besides, I was thinking practicality. Trent’s an usher and you’re still going to be one of my bridesmaids, right?”
    â€œOf course. I was honored you asked me to be a part of the ceremony, but...” Katie’s apologetic gaze bounced off Trent and back to the bride-to-be. “I was going to bring Tyler as my date.”
    Olivia seemed pleased by that answer. “Even better. I’d love to see the little man again. All three of you should come together.”
    Even though they hadn’t gone out on a date together in nine years, it seemed as though everyone thought of Trent and Katie as a couple. Maybe the others even took it for granted that they were destined to be a family unit one day. The only people who knew it was never going to happen were Trent and Katie themselves.
    Sinking into his chair, Trent took another long swallow of his coffee. He watched the strained expression on Katie’s face relax as the two women talked about Tyler. Her round face and blue eyes animated with excitement as they wagered whether her nine-year-old son would make as much of a fuss about dressing up for the special occasion as Max had. Katie was a different woman when she talked about her son. Her eyes sparkled and the tension around her mouth eased into a genuine smile.
    No wonder she’d been so upset about losing track of Tyler last night. Tyler was her joy, her reason for being—her number-one excuse for shunning Trent and any other relationship that threatened to get in the way of taking care of her son. It wasn’t that she didn’t care about Trent as a friend, but she’d given her heart to another male nine years ago.
    Max’s fist knocked on Trent’s chair below the edge of the table. Trent took another drink before meeting his partner’s questioning look. “You okay, junior? You’re pretty quiet this morning.”
    â€œYou’re loud enough for the both of us.”
    Max grinned at the joke as he was meant to, but his astute blue eyes indicated he wasn’t buying the smiles and smart remarks. “There’s that whole tall, dark and silent thing you do, and then there’s stewing over in the corner. You two were duking it out in here before we came in, weren’t you?”