by Susan Stoker
The woman shook her head as if in disgust, then looked behind her, slowly backing out of his driveway rather than taking the time to turn around.
Ro memorized the license-plate number on the Mercedes, then brought his gaze up to Chloe. She wasn’t looking at him. Her head was bowed, and she stared at her lap as Abbie backed the car away from the house and shop.
He still didn’t know how Chloe had ended up at his shop, but he’d find out. Making a mental note to call Rex as soon as possible, Ro took a few steps until he was standing at the outer edge of the shop floor.
He was still standing there long after the car had disappeared from view.
Chloe was a mystery. She looked to be around his age, midthirties. He knew Leon Harris had just turned thirty because he’d had a huge shindig downtown and had invited a bunch of local foster kids. It had all been for show, but it had caught the media’s attention, and they’d done a short segment on it for the local news.
Why was Chloe living with her younger brother? Why was she letting someone beat on her? And why was she wearing clothes that were made for a younger, thinner, more . . . worldly woman? All questions Ro didn’t have answers to . . . yet.
He recalled the way she’d tucked his card into her pocket. Away from prying eyes? He hoped so. Come hell or high water, she’d be hearing from him again.
Turning back toward the truck, Ro inhaled deeply, still able to smell the slight scent of lilac in the air. Oh yeah, Chloe Harris hadn’t seen the last of him.
Acknowledgments
This is the place in a book where an author thanks all the people who have helped her with this story.
I literally couldn’t ever thank everyone who has helped me. From my amazing editors to my husband, who puts up with click-click-clicking on the laptop all the time. From my friends who help me brainstorm, to my dogs, who don’t care what I do as long as they can sleep on the couch next to me.
But I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank you, dear reader, for picking up this book and reading my words. There are better books out there, I’m sure. But I hope reading this story, which came straight from my imagination, gives you a few hours of entertainment. And besides, reading anything is always better than doing things like taking out the trash or cleaning the house, right?
About the Author
Photo © 2015 A&C Photography
Susan Stoker is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author whose series include Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes, SEAL of Protection, and Delta Force Heroes. Married to a retired Army noncommissioned officer, Stoker has lived all over the country—from Missouri to California to Colorado to Texas—and currently lives under the big skies of Tennessee. A true believer in happily ever after, Stoker enjoys writing novels in which romance turns to love. To learn more about the author and her work, visit her website, www.stokeraces.com, or find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authorsusanstoker.
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