Read Online Trouble's Brewing by Eva Marie Everson, Linda Evans Shepherd - Free Book Online Page A

their corresponding envelopes. With each stamp-fold-stuff I felt more and more like a new woman. A liberated woman. A businesswoman. A woman in charge of her own destiny!
    The phone rang, and I jumped. “Good morning—”
    Before I could recite my greeting, Jack’s voice interrupted. “Goldie.”
    I hunched over my desk. “Jack,” I hissed. “I’ve asked you not to call me at work.”
    “Goldie, listen to me. Let’s have lunch together today. Okay, baby? Just one hour of your time, that’s all I’m asking for.”
    I pursed my lips. “I’ve already made lunch plans for today, thank you.”
    “With whom?” he stormed.
    “Jack,” I said, hunching even closer to the top of the desk. “I refuse to be intimidated.”
    “Now you listen to me, woman. This has gone on long enough. I’ve done what’s right. I’ve ended the … uh … relationship with Charlene.”
    “Good-bye, Jack. I’m working and cannot be disturbed.”
    I returned the handset, my hand quivering, and nearly knocked the entire phone unit off the side of the desk. “Get a grip,” I said to myself, teeth clenched. I pulled my right hand into my left and clasped it. It didn’t help the pounding in my heart, though. I took in a deep breath, then let it out ever so slowly. I did it again and again until I felt myself returning to normal.
    “Goldie?”
    I jumped a near mile. “Chris!”
    “You okay?”
    “Yes. Yes.” My bottom lip quivered, giving me away. “That was Jack on the phone. He wanted to have lunch.”
    Chris nodded, staring hard at me, waiting I suppose for me either to have a good old-fashioned hissy fit or to say something brave and strong. I did neither.
    He discreetly cleared his throat. “I’m expecting an old friend of mine from law school today. Van Lauer. We’re going to have an early lunch and then head over to Loveland Pass to try to get some early skiing in this afternoon.” Chris pointed toward his office with his thumb. “He just called my private line. Said he’s going to be in town for a few weeks for a much-needed vacation and a little private work.” Chris seemed genuinely excited. “It’ll be good to have my old friend in town. Could you do me a favor and cancel the two or three appointments I have this afternoon?”
    “Certainly.”
    Chris smiled at me. “Tell you what. Why don’t you take the rest of the day off? After Van gets here, I mean.”
    “I’m having lunch with Lizzie,” I said, as though that complicated matters.
    Chris placed his hands on his hips. “Lizzie? She’s not working at the high school today?”
    “She had a dentist appointment so she took the day off. We thought we’d have lunch. Get caught up.”
    “Ah,” he said, then turned to go back to his office. My eyes scanned the room, darting about like a ping-pong ball. Why had I felt the need to tell Chris that I had a lunch date with Lizzie? Or that she had a dental appointment?
    “Get a grip,” I said again as I returned to my work.
    At exactly 11:00 the front door swung open. I looked up from the keyboard of my computer, where I’d been typing the letters Chris had dictated into a tape recorder the afternoon before, and pulled the earphone from my ears. “Good morn—”
    I stopped short. My eyes scaled upward, taking in what had to be all six feet, six inches of one of the most handsome men I’ve ever laid eyes on.
    And that includes Jack Dippel, darn his hide.
    I swallowed. “Excuse me. Good morning.” I pressed my fingertips lightly against the hollow of my throat. “I must have swallowed wrong.”
    Tall, Dark, and Gorgeous was peeling away his overcoat as he spoke. “You must be Goldie. You’d have to be with such pretty red hair,” he said, his crystal blue eyes twinkling against deeply tanned skin.
    “I am. And you are Mr. Lauer?”
    He extended his hand to me, and I took it. It was warm and soft, and, God as my witness, I noticed immediately that his nails were buffed to a shine.
    “Van,” he said,