Armed With Steele
Page 31
Grace scowled. “Embezzling money I knew nothing about.”
“None of us did,” Michael said, shaking his head. “And to think Vanessa had a part in all of that.”
“I don’t know how much of a choice she really had. Trust me, Marcus Phillippe could be pretty persuasive. And downright scary, too.”
Still was, when he haunted my dreams from time to time. Thank goodness Nate was there more nights than not to kiss the nightmares away.
“It was kind of the judge to let her plead down to a year of probation instead of doing jail time,” Grace said. “Could you imagine how she would have fared behind bars? With no high heels or tennis bracelets allowed?”
Michael grinned, then sighed. “Still, it’s going to be hard replacing her.” He looked from Grace over to me. “Unless…”
I held my hands up. “Oh, no. See, this is my grand finale. I bring you to Grace, she slides back into her old spot, and I slip on out the door. I have my own business to run, thank you very much. And I think Hartley Designs is much more up my alley than secretarial work ever will be.”
Michael gaped at me. Blinked a few times. “Wait, you’re Hartley Designs?”
“Darn right she is,” Grace said, leaning over to put her arm around my shoulders. “Best web designer in the state of Indiana.”
My cheeks warmed from the compliment. “Well, I don’t know about that.”
“Are you sure you won’t reconsider?” Michael asked.
I smiled and shook my head. “I’m sure. Being stuck in an office all day stifles my creativity.” I paused, glanced over at the handsome young cop sitting a few feet away. The one pretending not to listen. “Who knows? I might even take another stab at this undercover business someday.”
Grace followed my gaze to the next table as well. “Oh, I’m sure Nate would just love that.”
I shrugged. It didn’t matter if I never worked another minute as a secret agent or not. Grace was home, I was in love, and my web business was booming. All was right in my own little world—more right than it’d ever been. “Hey, you never know.”
But one thing I knew for sure: I’d never not answer a call from Grace again.
Kyra Jacobs
Kyra Jacobs is a happily married, mother of two, who grew up in Indiana. When she’s not pounding out scenes for her next book, she’s likely goofing around with her husband and kids, or elbow-deep in snapdragons and Lamb’s Ear in one of her many flower gardens. She also loves to golf (though, golf doesn’t always love her) and to jam on the bass in Guitar Hero. Be sure to stop by her blog, http://indianawonderer.wordpress.com for updates on her writing journey and other musings as seen through the eyes of this Midwestern writer.
Lyrical Press books are published by
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First Electronic Edition: October 2013
ISBN-13: 978-1-61650-486-1