Read Online Starting Over at Lane's End (Harlequin Heartwarming) by Shelley Galloway - Free Book Online Page A

to some of the best Mexican food in Ohio.”
    * * *
    H OURS LATER , G EN decided that their evening had been just about perfect. Cary was easy to talk to, and his laid-back nature enabled Gen to at least pretend she could be that way, too.
    Their dinner had been good, the restaurant noisy and crowded. Nearly half the patrons knew Cary and weren’t the least bit shy about walking over to their table to say hello.
    Gen valiantly attempted to remember names, which was getting simpler since she saw more than a couple of familiar faces. Sam was there with Meagan. So was Cary’s brother, Dean. Gen couldn’t get over the resemblance between them and could tell they were close.
    High school kids were crammed into too-small booths. Their raucous laughter encouraged everyone else in the place to speak loudly, too.
    The enthusiasm evident at the restaurant had been a good warm-up for the game. As expected, still more familiar faces greeted Gen when she and Cary entered the gymnasium. Sergeant Conrad was on duty and waved them in. For nearly two hours Gen sat next to Cary as Melissa and her fellow cheerleaders jumped and cheered the Lions on to a historic victory.
    When the final buzzer sounded and the whole gymnasium erupted into triumphant screams, Gen found herself singing the school’s fight song with everyone else.
    It was only when they were alone again in Cary’s Explorer that she struggled for something to say.
    “I’m glad you asked me to the game,” he said. “This was a lot of fun.”
    Gen liked how much of a gentleman he was. While it was true that she’d asked him out, he’d been the one to make their date such a success. “I’m so glad they won.”
    “Me, too. Tomorrow would have been horrible if they’d lost. I think I teach half the basketball team, and the rest of the students would have been devastated. Not to mention the whole town!”
    Gen laughed. “I never thought about those consequences.”
    “I can’t help but think about them.” Reaching out, he took her hand. “Even if they’d lost, I wouldn’t regret this evening. You, Gen Slate, are easy to be with. Kate was nothing like you.”
    “Kate?” Gen’s radar went on immediately. She hoped she hadn’t just walked into another situation like the one she’d had with Keaton.
    “Kate’s another teacher at school. We went out a few times before I met you.”
    Gen didn’t need to be a cop to know that there was more to the story than he was sharing. “Why are we nothing alike?”
    “Kate...just wasn’t who I thought she was.” Squeezing her hand, he said, “I’m so glad you and I can just be together and have a good time.”
    After pulling into her driveway, Cary smiled. “We’ll have to do this again sometime.”
    “I’d like that.”
    Together they walked up the small flight of stairs to her apartment, taking care to dodge the pots of geraniums Bonnie had just planted. Gen’s mind was working overtime. If only Cary knew how confused she felt. She’d never been comfortable dating. Now, after making the terrible assumption that her friendship with Keaton had been more romantic than it was, she wasn’t too comfortable with herself, either.
    It felt strange to realize Cary may see her in a different light than Keaton ever had. “I’d better go in. I’m due in early tomorrow.” Why was she finding this so difficult?
    “Okay.” He surprised her by holding out his hand.
    She took it. Only Cary Hudson could make a simple handshake seem so much more than just two hands briefly touching. His hand was warm and solid and masculine, his fingers gentle against her own.
    And then, well, things weren’t so sweet any longer. Cary tugged Gen toward him and clasped her other hand. Now they stood mere inches apart.
    That’s when he kissed her. A hundred feelings rocked forth—surprise, panic, pleasure and the amazing knowledge that the very calm, cool and collected Cary Hudson really knew how to kiss.
    Gen held on tight and hoped he