Read Online Home Is Where the Heart Is (Welcome To Redemption) by Donna Marie Rogers - Free Book Online

upstairs in my room. And that painting,” she pointed to the framed canvas hanging over the fireplace, “is worth almost twenty grand. I think he knew that.”
    Twenty Gs for a painting? Maybe he should’ve paid more attention in sixth grade art class. “We’re talking about a kid who delivers pizza for a living. How could he possibly know what some fancy painting is worth?”
    “I don’t know, and he wasn’t some kid. He was a grown man, at least in his mid-twenties. And shifty looking. I left to get my purse from the kitchen, and when I came back he was staring at that painting. He really left me with a bad feeling.”
    Drew glanced around at the sparse furnishings. “To be fair, there’s not much else to look at. A few knickknacks, a couple of paintings that would be pretty hard to get rid of unless someone had major connections.”
    “The whole town knows who Matt and I are,” she countered. “It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out I might have some valuable items in this house.”
    She definitely had a point, though he hated to admit the possibility that Nino had a thief working for him. “I’ll tell you what. If your bracelet doesn’t show up by tomorrow, I’ll talk to Nino myself, all right?”
    With a reluctant nod, Lindy strode past him, leading the way into the kitchen. Matt and Caleb had just finished up with the back porch step, and they all entered the kitchen at the same time. Lindy gathered plates and forks while Drew opened the pizza box and the rest of the food containers.
    “Lindy ordered the chicken strips for Bo,” Matt pointed out, smiling as she plunked the plates and forks on the table.
    She eyeballed Matt before grudgingly meeting Drew’s gaze with a nonchalant shrug. “Everyone needs to eat, even that monster in there. Better chicken strips than my furniture.”
    “Come on, Hot Stuff, admit it. Bo’s growing on you.”
    “Yeah, like mold.”
    Ignoring her wisecrack, Drew whistled for Bo. And just to prove what a gentleman he could be, Drew fed him the chicken strips one at a time. Bo took each one from Drew’s hand with gentle care, even dropping one on the floor for his lady love. The finicky feline sniffed it a couple times before hunkering down to eat with dainty nibbles.
    Lindy watched with raised brows before admitting, “Okay, so his manners are better than I would’ve imagined.”
    Drew gave Bo a pat on the head, which started his tail thumping. “Don’t worry, boy. It’s just a matter of time before she’s completely under your spell.”
    “Yeah, I wouldn’t count on that.”
    Drew shared a knowing look with Matt and Caleb.
    Halfway through dinner Caleb got a call on his cell. Lauren had come down with whatever the kids had and needed him to come home ASAP. He thanked Lindy for supper, said his goodbyes, and raced out the door. Drew envied Caleb his relationship with Lauren and her kids. In just a few short months, they’d become a real family. Even with their rocky start, Max looked up to Caleb, who couldn’t love the kid more if he were his own. And Caleb adored Emma, but then everyone in town loved that little cutie. The only thing missing was the wedding. Which Drew had a feeling might be coming soon.
    As he gazed across the table at Lindy, his chest swelled with the same indescribable emotion he’d first experienced last summer when she’d fishtailed into his life. He’d wanted her from the moment she’d stepped out of that slick, red Ferrari. He’d thought about her almost constantly, even after she headed back to L.A. It wasn’t until he’d finally convinced himself they could never have a future that he was able to extricate the blonde stunner from his thoughts. They came from two different worlds; hell, from two different galaxies.
    Though judging by the way she’d kissed him, he knew she wanted him, too. But the contrary woman was as stubborn as they came. And after the way he’d hotfooted it out of here last night, she’d no