Tool Belt Defender. Carla Cassidy

      He didn’t know if his reaction to her was just a manifestation of his loneliness. Or maybe he was drawn to her because she seemed so different from his wife. A core of inner strength shone from Brittany’s eyes, a strength he found vastly appealing.

      “This was nice,” Brittany said as they left Izzy’s and began the short walk home. Twilight had fallen and night shadows were beginning to creep in.

      “I’m glad you came with us,” he replied.

      “Me, too,” Emily added. “I think you should come with us every time we go to get ice cream.”

      Brittany smiled at her. “That’s just because you got two scoops with me along.”

      Emily giggled and then sobered a bit. “But I also like you because you’re really pretty and you make my dad smile really big.”

      Alex felt his cheeks warm and tried to find something to say, but Emily wasn’t finished yet. “Did you know my mommy is in Heaven?” she asked Brittany.

      “Yes, your daddy told me that,” Brittany replied.

      “Do you think there’s ice cream in Heaven?”

      Alex saw a whisper of compassion in Brittany’s eyes at Emily’s question. She stopped walking and crouched down to Emily’s level.

      “I’d like to think there’s ice cream in Heaven. You know, my mommy died, too. Maybe your mommy and mine are having ice cream together right now.”

      “That would be good,” Emily replied with a little smile. “Now, watch how I can jump the cracks in the sidewalk really fast.” She raced ahead of them, her pigtails dancing.

      “That was nice,” he said to Brittany.

      She nodded. “It must be tough to be a single dad.”

      “Emily makes it relatively easy. She’s a good kid. Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night? I cook a mean steak.”

      He wasn’t sure who was more surprised by the invitation, Brittany or himself. The words had just tumbled out of his mouth as if with a life of their own.

      “Thank you, but I always have Sunday dinner with my brothers and their families,” she replied.

      “Then what about Monday evening?” They stopped in front of her house.

      Her brown eyes studied him thoughtfully. “Alex, I’m not looking for any kind of romance.”

      “I’m not, either,” he quickly replied. “I have no intentions of ever marrying again. But I’m new in town and to be honest, I’ve been a bit lonely. I just thought it would be nice to have a friend to share a meal or spend some time with.”

      “Okay,” she agreed. “As long as we both understand where we’re coming from, I’d love to have dinner with you on Monday.”

      “Great! Why don’t we say around six-thirty?”

      “Sounds good and thanks for the ice cream.” She looked down the walk to Emily. “Bye, Emily,” she called.

      “Bye, Brittany.” Emily waved. “See ya later.”

      Brittany looked back at Alex. “And I’ll see you Monday morning, right?”

      “Bright and early,” he replied. They said their goodbyes and he watched as she climbed the stairs to her porch and then disappeared into her house.

      Emily fell into step beside him and began chatting about her plans to play with the neighbor girl the next day. Alex listened absently and wondered why he wanted to kiss a woman he’d just told he only wanted to be her friend.

      Chapter 3

      She shouldn’t have agreed to dinner. Brittany walked into her kitchen, dropped her purse on the counter and then sank down into one of the kitchen chairs.

      Alex Crawford disturbed her in a distinctly pleasant way. Something about him made her heart flutter in her chest and caused her palms to dampen. She liked the way he looked, the way he smelled. She liked the sound of his laughter, so rich and deep, and she liked the way he interacted with his daughter.

      As she’d watched him eat his ice cream she’d found herself wondering what his lips would taste like, how his arms would feel wrapped around her.

      Dangerous thoughts.

      She knew she wasn’t ready for a romantic relationship, and as cute and sweet as Emily had been, Brittany definitely wasn’t ready to be a mom. Her brothers would laugh at the very idea and remind her how flighty and immature she was.

      Still, she could use a friend and apparently that was what Alex was looking for, too. He was new to town and obviously hadn’t made any real friends, and hers had all pretty much deserted her in the months following her rescue while she’d been living with Benjamin and Edie on the family ranch just outside of town.

      “Two less lonely people in the world.” The words to an old Air Supply song filled her head. Maybe Alex was supposed to be her transitional man, the one who, through his easy friendship, could bridge her way from recovering crime victim to healthy young woman ready for love.

      Dinner at Alex’s place was nothing to be concerned about, she told herself. Emily would be there, and besides, Brittany had made it clear to Alex she wasn’t ready for romance.

      She was about to get out of the chair when a shadow darted across the kitchen window. Every muscle in her body froze—except her heart, which roared to a painful gallop.

      Somebody was in her yard … just outside of her window. What was he doing out there? Had the person been watching her? Why? The inertia left her and with her heart still beating far too fast, she got up from the table.

      Her feet felt leaden with fear as she tentatively approached the window and cautiously peered outside.

      Nothing.

      Although the evening shadows had thickened, there was still enough ambient light to let her know that there was nobody lurking in her backyard.

      Had the shadow just been a figment of her imagination? Had a cloud danced over the moon to create what she’d thought was somebody just outside the house?

      She drew a deep breath and backed away from the window, her heart not yet finding its normal rhythm. She felt foolish and yet couldn’t halt the feeling of threat that combined with a deep sense of dread that washed over her.

      She wished she had her gun, but she’d turned it in to Tom just after she’d been rescued, knowing it would be some time before she was ready, if ever, to go back to work as his deputy.

      The fear kept her awake until near dawn when she fell into a restless sleep. She didn’t get out of bed until almost noon the next day and as always the sunshine made her fears of the night before seem silly.

      She hated the fear, was ashamed of it. It was part of the reason she knew she wasn’t ready to go back to her job. A good deputy didn’t feel fear. A good deputy didn’t think the way she’d thought when she’d been held by a madman.

      It was just before six in the evening when she left her house to drive to the family ranch on the edge of town. Since the crime that had taken her away for four months, it had become a tradition that on Sunday the whole family got together at the old homestead for dinner.

      As she parked in front of the large, rambling ranch house, she tried to slough off the exhaustion that had been with her all day long. Two nights of too little sleep had definitely taken its toll.

      She was the last to arrive and when she walked through the front door the chaos of family greeted her. Her brothers were all in the great room, Tom’s wife Peyton’s little girl, Lilly, tottering back and forth between them with squeals of delight.

      “Hey, girl.” Caleb got out of his chair and greeted her with a kiss on her temple. He stepped back from her and frowned.