Read No Turning Back for Free Online

to the one item he managed to snag as he walked down the aisle. “I have ketchup. I’m thinking hamburgers for dinner. You going with an all-dill diet?”
    She didn’t laugh. Didn’t even smile. “I mean the file.”
    Yeah, he got that. What he didn’t understand is how she snuck up on him. He’d have to watch this one. If she stood there every time he turned around, they could have a problem. “Explain why my folder is your business?’
    “I was being neighborly.”
    This time she smiled. Shame it looked so fake.
    “Are you serious with that? We’ve known each other a few hours and you’ve been trying to shove me back in my car and out of the state for every minute of that time.”
    “That’s not true.” Her gaze focused on a spot over his shoulder and a bit of warmth seeped into that smile.
    Dreading what he might see but not wanting to be attacked from behind, he turned around. Instead of an angry mob, two older women shuffled up the aisle wearing similar flower-print dresses. White hair, similar shapes and a cart loaded with what looked like a case of beer and three bags of potato chips.
    Maybe he could grow to like this town.
    “Hello, Charlotte. Renée.” Leah gave them both a hug before stepping back. With a flourish, she held her hand out to him. “This is Declan Hanover.”
    He noticed she emphasized the last name. Said it nice and slow and very loud. She all but pointed and said “Get him!” in the introduction.
    He nodded. Even bent over in a weird bow, for some reason. Probably had to do with the fact neither woman stood much above five feet. He towered over them. “Good afternoon, ladies.”
    The smaller one put her hand on his forearm and a puff of strong floral perfume hit his senses. He prepared for a verbal strike, maybe a few accusations about his father’s behavior. Instead, he got a soft tap against his skin. “Can you reach the chicken wings?”
    He leaned down, sure he misheard. “Excuse me?”
    The lady stepped in front of him and touched her hand against the glass freezer case. There was a ring each on three of her twisted fingers. “There on the top shelf. We need them for poker night.”
    He blinked and wondered if he looked as surprised as Leah did. Her eyes narrowed and her mouth dropped open. She likely wanted to shout his name again.
    To prevent that sort of scene, he opened the door and grabbed a bag. He’d almost shut the door when the second woman, Charlotte or Renée, he wasn’t sure which was which, stopped him with a hand on his lower back.
    “You better make it two.”
    Sounded good to him. “Absolutely.”
    With the wings delivered and the women on their way, he turned back to Leah. From the way she scowled, he guessed that exchange didn’t go quite as she’d planned. Yeah, that was too damn bad.
    When she looked at him again, she wore a blank stare. “I think we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot.”
    Funny how her grumbling voice suggested she wanted to say something else. “Because I helped a little old lady get wings?”
    “Of course not.”
    Figuring this was not going to be a quick conversation, he leaned against the cold glass door. “Okay. Hit me.”
    “Tempting.”
    He had to laugh at that. “I’m sure.”
    “You’re in town to close up the house. You want to get in and out. I understand that.” She put her free hand against her chest. Really played up the I-feel-your-pain angle. “I’ve lived here my whole life. I can help you.”
    He toyed with the idea of telling her the truth. The more he walked around the area, the more he wanted to stay. Sure, many people probably wanted him and his brothers gone, but the place had promise and the wide-open green space had him craving a home base. He became more convinced by the second that they couldn’t let a few angry voices scare them away from a property with so much potential. That is, if they could figure out a way to keep it.
    And then there was Leah. Angry, judgmental and completely hot