Read Fair Catch for Free Online Page A
Authors: Cindy Roland Anderson
caught him staring. Her aqua colored eyes narrowed a fraction. “I’m sorry. I was surprised to find out you were the new home owner.”
“Keep baking me bread and I think I can forgive you.”
Finally, he was rewarded with a tiny smile. “Trust me. You wouldn’t want any bread I baked.”
Puzzled, he glanced over his shoulder. “Uh, that was probably the best bread I’ve ever had.”
She laughed. “Sorry. Betsy made the bread. She just conveniently asked me to bake it for her while she ran some errands.”
Nick raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Ahh.” Perhaps Betsy was trying to do a little matchmaking. How convenient. “Well, thanks for baking it then.” Ellie seemed much friendlier. Maybe he would invite her in.
Before he asked, she gave him a look he couldn’t quite read. “It was nice meeting you.” Then she backed up and waved. “Welcome to the neighborhood. I guess I’ll see you around.”
She guessed ?
Stunned, Nick didn’t know how to respond and watched her walk away. Accustomed to fighting off unwanted attention, he didn’t know what to do. It was obvious the woman wasn’t being coy or playing games with him. She really didn’t seem to like him. Was the move to Colorado meant to humble him?
With his confidence sliding a few notches, he stepped back inside his house and closed the door. He was a man, and men did have egos—whether they wanted to admit it or not—and his had just been bruised. Twice.
* * *
Ellie had done it. She had apologized. The guy seemed nice enough. Confident. Handsome. She chewed on her bottom lip remembering the fit of his T-shirt, revealing huge biceps, broad shoulders and a very solid chest.
She hadn’t meant to notice those kinds of things and told herself to stop being so silly. But as she walked across the street, she could feel his eyes on her. It unnerved her. How could one man exude the aura of so much male? No wonder he was so popular.
Marching toward her house, she was determined not to be one of the masses that seemed to melt at the sight of his crooked grin or those incredible blue eyes. Nope, he was just another man . Lie . She wasn’t attracted to him. Lie . She wasn’t going to think about him. Lie, lie, and lie .
Betsy seemed shocked to see her so soon. “Did you talk to him?”
Ellie nodded her head. “I apologized and he accepted.”
“Hmm.” Betsy was clearly disappointed.
“And the jigs up. He knows I didn’t make the bread.”
Betsy frowned. “That’s okay, he would have found out eventually.”
“I am not interested in that man.” She was such a liar and probably protesting a little too much.
Betsy studied Ellie intently. Then she smiled and patted her on the arm. “Okay. I just want to make sure we make him feel as welcome as when you moved in.”
Ellie pressed her lips into a tight line. Betsy had her there.
Apparently she was going to leave and let her stew a little. “See ya, honey. Remember dinner tonight.”
Ellie closed her eyes. It was Saturday. Ever since she’d moved in, she and Cade had dinner with the Stewarts every Saturday night. Dang, now she had to think about what to wear. She just bet Mr. MVP was also invited.
* * *
Hours after her forced apology, Ellie stepped out of the shower and towel dried her hair. She poked her head out of the bathroom door and called for Cade. They had spent the day at the park and she wished she could’ve lingered in the shower just a little longer.
When Cade didn’t answer, she wrapped a large bath towel around her snugly and called out again. Her stomach dropped when saw the television on, but no little boy sitting in front of the screen.
Feeling a little panicked, she hollered out his name again. “Cade! Where are you?” She rounded the corner into the living room and stopped in her tracks, horrified to see the front door wide open.
This was the last thing she needed. Her day had started off so bad and now this. Without thinking about it, she instinctively
“Keep baking me bread and I think I can forgive you.”
Finally, he was rewarded with a tiny smile. “Trust me. You wouldn’t want any bread I baked.”
Puzzled, he glanced over his shoulder. “Uh, that was probably the best bread I’ve ever had.”
She laughed. “Sorry. Betsy made the bread. She just conveniently asked me to bake it for her while she ran some errands.”
Nick raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Ahh.” Perhaps Betsy was trying to do a little matchmaking. How convenient. “Well, thanks for baking it then.” Ellie seemed much friendlier. Maybe he would invite her in.
Before he asked, she gave him a look he couldn’t quite read. “It was nice meeting you.” Then she backed up and waved. “Welcome to the neighborhood. I guess I’ll see you around.”
She guessed ?
Stunned, Nick didn’t know how to respond and watched her walk away. Accustomed to fighting off unwanted attention, he didn’t know what to do. It was obvious the woman wasn’t being coy or playing games with him. She really didn’t seem to like him. Was the move to Colorado meant to humble him?
With his confidence sliding a few notches, he stepped back inside his house and closed the door. He was a man, and men did have egos—whether they wanted to admit it or not—and his had just been bruised. Twice.
* * *
Ellie had done it. She had apologized. The guy seemed nice enough. Confident. Handsome. She chewed on her bottom lip remembering the fit of his T-shirt, revealing huge biceps, broad shoulders and a very solid chest.
She hadn’t meant to notice those kinds of things and told herself to stop being so silly. But as she walked across the street, she could feel his eyes on her. It unnerved her. How could one man exude the aura of so much male? No wonder he was so popular.
Marching toward her house, she was determined not to be one of the masses that seemed to melt at the sight of his crooked grin or those incredible blue eyes. Nope, he was just another man . Lie . She wasn’t attracted to him. Lie . She wasn’t going to think about him. Lie, lie, and lie .
Betsy seemed shocked to see her so soon. “Did you talk to him?”
Ellie nodded her head. “I apologized and he accepted.”
“Hmm.” Betsy was clearly disappointed.
“And the jigs up. He knows I didn’t make the bread.”
Betsy frowned. “That’s okay, he would have found out eventually.”
“I am not interested in that man.” She was such a liar and probably protesting a little too much.
Betsy studied Ellie intently. Then she smiled and patted her on the arm. “Okay. I just want to make sure we make him feel as welcome as when you moved in.”
Ellie pressed her lips into a tight line. Betsy had her there.
Apparently she was going to leave and let her stew a little. “See ya, honey. Remember dinner tonight.”
Ellie closed her eyes. It was Saturday. Ever since she’d moved in, she and Cade had dinner with the Stewarts every Saturday night. Dang, now she had to think about what to wear. She just bet Mr. MVP was also invited.
* * *
Hours after her forced apology, Ellie stepped out of the shower and towel dried her hair. She poked her head out of the bathroom door and called for Cade. They had spent the day at the park and she wished she could’ve lingered in the shower just a little longer.
When Cade didn’t answer, she wrapped a large bath towel around her snugly and called out again. Her stomach dropped when saw the television on, but no little boy sitting in front of the screen.
Feeling a little panicked, she hollered out his name again. “Cade! Where are you?” She rounded the corner into the living room and stopped in her tracks, horrified to see the front door wide open.
This was the last thing she needed. Her day had started off so bad and now this. Without thinking about it, she instinctively