Read Cold Heart for Free Online Page B

leave.”
    “Good,” said Carter.
    “Lexi this isn’t over,” Michael said. “I know you’ll come to your senses, so I will give you a little time. I can wait. I love you. I’ll even come up here and help you get this thing up and running if you want. I’m sure you could use the help.”
    “Michael,” Lexi said taking a deep breath and trying to sound as calm as she possibly could. “I don’t want to hear from you or see you again. If you so much as set foot on this property, I will call the Sherriff and I will have a restraining order drawn up so fast, it’ll make your head spin. Leave now. Goodbye. Have a nice life.”
    Michael started to speak and then thought better of it. He turned and walked to his car. The car sprayed gravel everywhere when he gunned the engine as he sped down the driveway.
    “So mature,” Lexi said, but she was shaking now and pale.
    “Come on,” said Carter, taking her arm and leading her through the door and into the great room. He sat her down on one of the sofas and then released her arm. Tucker had followed and sat on the floor next to Lexi and put his head in her lap.
    “How did you ... I mean ...” Lexi couldn’t finish.
    “I was just coming back from town and turning into my driveway when I saw him go speeding by and roar up your driveway. Took me a few minutes to get to my truck turned around but I thought I best come over and make sure you were okay,” Carter said.
    “Thank you,” she said, sincerely. “I couldn’t get him to leave.”
    “Yeah, well he seems like the hard headed type,” Carter said.
    “I thought I loved him once,” Lexi said. “Looking back, I’m not really sure why and it was a very long time ago. I think I was just really lonely after my parents died.”
    “That happens sometimes,” Carter said. “Relationships aren’t easy. I’ve learned that the hard way.”
    Lexi looked at him and thought she saw pain behind his smile. She stifled a yawn.
    “Well I’d better get going and let you get back to bed,” Carter said.
    “Yeah,” she said. “I’m used to being in bed early as I had to get up so early to be at the deli.”
    “Deli?” Carter said.
    “I owned a deli in San Francisco. I sold it to come up here.”
    “Wow, impressive,” Carter said. “I had no idea you already knew something about running a business.”
    “Well I had intended to work my way up to head chef in a restaurant when I graduated from the Culinary Institute a few years ago. When my parents died, suddenly I had the money for a business of my own. The deli seemed to be a good start. The plan was for a restaurant eventually and well then poof I had this.”
    “Well, I think Max would have been thrilled to see someone finally make something of this place. Goodnight now,” Carter said and headed for the door. Tucker followed him and scooted out the door.
    “I keep hoping one night he’ll stay,” she said.
    “Well it looks like he is becoming attached to you,” Carter said. “So give it some time.”
    “I will,” she said showing just a hint of her dimples. “Goodnight Carter and thanks.”
    “Night,” he said and closed the door. He got in his truck and drove out to the road then unbeknownst to Lexi, he sat in his truck at the end of her driveway for a couple of hours just to be sure that Michael didn’t come back.

5
    Lexi was surprised at how well she slept. Perhaps it was all the clean fresh air she was getting or maybe it was the end of her relationship with Michael because she really did feel that it was finally finished now. She had enjoyed sending him packing and was surprised at how freeing it felt. She hadn’t even minded Carter stepping in to help. He was really being very protective. That was okay, she liked it. Don’t be reading too much into that though. After all, it didn’t matter what his motivation was, she was done with men. She had to laugh at herself.
    She got dressed in some sweats because today was another day of cleaning.