Read Online No Place Like Home by Debra Clopton - Free Book Online

within her a changed heart. That He had made a difference in her. But the human side of her was pleased that Brady had noticed and liked what he saw. That was the part that kept bugging her. Why did his noticing please her so much?
    Carefully she began measuring sugar into a large mixing bowl and then went on autopilot as she continued her task, a task she’d done many times over her lifetime. Memories of baking with her mother and grandmother always brought a smile to her lips.
    â€œHey, that water felt goood! ” Cassie squealed, bursting from the shower wrapped in a towel.
    Dottie laughed. “You must be feeling better.”
    â€œOh, yes. Let me put my clothes on and then you can put me to work.”
    Dottie watched her disappear into the back bedroom where she’d stored her clothes. She said a prayer of thanksgiving once again and prayed Brady had gotten a hit on her background.
    Â 
    They’d been working for three straight hours when nine o’clock rolled around and Cassie popped from her chair. “Hey! A jumping jungle!”
    â€œWhat?” Dottie looked up from adding dry ingredients together in a large pot to follow Cassie’s gaze out the window toward a lump of heavy plastic a group had gathered around. “How do you know what that is?”
    â€œBecause I helped. I mean, we always had them in— I’ve seen them everywhere. Hey, Jake’s out there.”
    And she was gone, just as Dottie opened her mouth to warn against chasing after Jake too hard. The girl was quick on the go, she’d give her that.
    Watching her jog across the pasture, Dottie’s attention snagged on Sheriff Brady stepping from his truck near the gathering group. He glanced toward her RV and her heartbeat kicked up a notch. A big notch.
    Really, Dottie, you’re being ridiculous.
    This infatuation with Brady couldn’t continue. She knew this and yet she had to fight the urge to follow Cassie.
    It was foolhardy, this romantic revelation her heart was having. She had an agenda and nothing was going to stand in her way.
    She dumped the water into the dry ingredients, which thanked her for dumping on them by exploding in a white cloud that whooshed right back at her. Coughing, she ignored the mess and started stirring with a vengeance. Maybe that was what was wrong with Brady.
    She was just too gullible. She really didn’t have much experience with men. It wasn’t as if she ever dated much. What did she know? Really.
    Besides, she couldn’t go off and leave candy standing. Candy had to be tended carefully. She started stirring again. She owed him for winking at her the way he’d done—so she needed to come up with some payback.
    That was exactly what she needed to do. She snatched the bag of peanuts, ripped it open and doused the mixture with them. There, take that, Brady Cannon, ya big flirt—and I hope you choke—
    A soft rap on the door interrupted her diabolical plan.
    â€œDottie, are you in there?” Brady’s deep voice called through the screen and she nearly choked.
    Forgive me, Lord…I didn’t really mean I was going to…well You know—choke him.
    Her guilty gaze darted to the counter, for what she wasn’t sure, there was no evidence linking her to the peanut assault she’d been engaging in. He wouldn’t know that she’d mentally just tossed a bag of nuts on him. Or envisioned him with chocolate dripping down his face. Or hoped he choked—she was so bad!
    â€œDottie.”
    â€œCome in. I can’t stop what I’m doing at the moment.” She felt sick, suddenly nervous, kind of feverish… humiliated was the word. She set the mixture on the stove and stirred like she had a bionic arm.
    Like she was getting rid of the evidence.
    The fact that she had the hairnet on hit her a little too late.
    â€œI smell chocolate,” he said in that voice that was low and edgy like the bass on the radio