Read Online Winter's Thaw by Stacey Lynn Rhodes - Free Book Online Page A

later?”
    “You don’t have to…”
    “I want to. Okay? Like I said—friends. No pressure. I just want to check in and do what I can. Is that all right?” Nick gazed at her and tried to make sure his sincerity showed in his eyes. She gave a slight nod, and he relaxed. “Good. I’ll give you a ring when I get off shift tonight, but if you need anything before then, you can call me on my cell. The number’s on the card I gave you.”
    He reached down and tugged her to her feet. “Come lock up behind me, please.” Frowning, he recalled the night before. “And make sure to keep it locked when you’re here in the house alone. I just walked right in last night and you slept right through it. Someone could have really—”
    “I know.” She reached up and pressed her fingers to his mouth to cut him off. “I usually do. I promise.”
    Her touch sent a tingle through him, but he knew he’d be pressing his luck to act on it. He settled for giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. “Take care, and call if you need me.”
    Maggie nodded, but he got the impression she was humoring him. He didn’t push.
    Once he walked out, he waited pointedly until he heard the distinct sound of the deadbolt engaging before giving a wave at the peephole then striding toward his SUV. He’d parked on the opposite side of the street rather than in her driveway, not wanting to set her neighbors to talking if they were the type to do so—especially since he’d still thought she’d been freshly widowed when he’d come back to check on her the night before.
    Before he crossed the street, he looked back at the house and saw her watching him through the window. His spirits lifted and he gave another wave, this time seeing her return it. He walked to his car feeling much better about where things had been left and hoping to hear from her later on.

Chapter Seven
    Maggie glanced at her phone on the seat next to her when a text notification sounded. Sam’s contact photo smiled up at her.
    I’m coming by with some dinner for you. Do you want Champ back or me to keep him ?
    She thought about that for a minute. It would definitely make the house seem less empty tonight when she went to bed, but then again, she would probably be flying back to Mom’s in a couple of days. It probably wasn’t fair to him to have him come home then send him away again.
    A few minutes later she pulled into her driveway and idled there for a minute while she pressed the garage door opener then answered the text.
    Probably better to stay there until we’re back from Mom’s. Thanks for checking. See you soon .
    She drove into the garage and parked, then sat there listening to the engine ticking. With a sigh, she glanced at, then disregarded the bag of Wade’s effects from the hospital and the huge folder of paperwork from the funeral home, letting it all stay in the car while she got out and closed up behind her.
    As she did so, she thought about Nick—not for the first time by a long shot. Her long emotional day had alternately been made easier and more difficult as flashes from her time with him popped into her head at random intervals.
    It had been a grueling day and one she was glad to have over with. There had only been two things she hadn’t got done that she’d wanted to—checking on Wade’s apartment and stopping at the auto shop. His apartment could wait for another time, she figured, sometime when she wasn’t so bone-weary and heartsick. And the visit to the shop had turned out to be unnecessary once she’d checked. Since the car had been totaled, all of the claims could be handled over the phone. There hadn’t been any surviving personal belongings that she’d wanted, either, so she’d been able to skip that altogether. Probably a good thing since she really didn’t have any desire to see the wrecked vehicle and imagine Wade inside.
    Maggie shuddered and dropped her purse on the kitchen counter then ran a hand through her hair. She rolled her