Read Online Over the Line by Emmy Curtis - Free Book Online Page A

for the team. And I promise I’ll take you climbing one weekend to make up.”
    “It’s okay,” she said, resting her hand on his hand. “In for a penny, in for a pound, right?”
    He laughed a little at her old-fashioned words. “You’re a keeper.”
    She smiled at him. “Hey, I owe you. And I got some awesome Jimmy Choos. So…”
    She was a good sport. Somehow that made him feel even worse.
    “Okay. Once more unto the breach… of your telenovela.” He opened the door and got out, knowing as he slammed the door shut that the noise would bring at least one of his sisters out of the house. He was not wrong.
    “Incoming,” Beth said.
    He turned in time to brace himself against Maisie, who launched herself at him, legs wrapped around his waist and arms around his neck. Her shriek made one ear ring.
    “Get off me, Munch. Let me look at you.”
    She slid off him and he held her at arm’s length. The violet-tipped hair and nose ring were new since he’d seen her last, but the ear-to-ear grin was the same old Maisie. “It’s good to see you, Squirt.”
    She kicked his shin, medium hard. He rolled his eyes.
    “You’ve been gone for too long. I hate your stupid job,” she said petulantly.
    “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Heard it all before. But I’m here now.
We’re
here now.” He held his hand out to Beth, who came around the car and took it.
    “Whatever. Can you believe all this fuss, just because stupid Sadie is getting married? I’m never getting married.”
    “I don’t blame you.” He noogied her head. “This is Beth. Be nice. She just agreed to marry me.”
    Beth stepped forward, holding her hand out to Maisie.
    Maisie took it and gave her hand one hard pump and then turned back to James. “Sadie’s super-mad at me for telling you about the e-mails.” Her sad face just about broke his heart.
    “I’ll handle Sadie.” He felt something wiggling in his back pocket. Maisie, the fledgling pickpocket. Great. “Put that back or lose your hand. Why you…” He poked her ribs and she squealed and ran around the car with James in hot pursuit.
    “James? Can you direct me to the bathroom?” Beth asked.
    He pinned Maisie to the car with one hand and said, “Sure. Go through the door here, through the door immediately opposite, and the bathroom is on the opposite side of the hallway to the left. I’ll be right behind you, just as soon as I’ve killed and buried my felon sister here.”
    * * *
    She grinned at the relationship they seemed to have, which wasn’t so different from the one she used to have with Tammer when she was that age. Following his directions, she went up the stone steps to the large double door. She went through what she imagined was a reception room, with different sofas and chairs grouped around the room, and found the right door.
    The bathroom was luxurious to say the least. Navy blue tiled walls and bright, shiny white fixtures. A chandelier, for God’s sake. Really? Who needs a chandelier in the bathroom?
    She leaned against the basin and stared at herself in the mirror. She wished she’d thought to change into one of the new outfits she’d bought, but the other dressing-room activities had scattered her thoughts somewhat. She pulled her tank down to smooth the material a little after the car ride and took a deep breath. Well, she guessed this was an adventure. A view into how the other half lives. This house James had grown up in was bigger than the biggest hotel she’d ever stayed in. And that was a strange feeling. They couldn’t have more different backgrounds. The military was a great equalizer, but outside work, she couldn’t help feeling as much like a fish out of water as she had ever done.
    Slowly rebraiding her hair, she decided very firmly to work this. To practice being someone else. To practice blending in to any situation. And hope that the Director of the CIA wouldn’t remember her, or recognize her. What were the odds that he was even involved in the recruitment