Read Online How to Land Her Lawman by Teresa Southwick - Free Book Online Page B

leisurely strolling the downtown area. When the new resort was completed with its hotel, condos and retail space, foot traffic would increase and she would have to think about hiring someone part-time. It was an exciting thought.
    Almost as exciting as having Will in her kitchen discussing the fact that he thought other guys liked her figure, which, in translation, meant he’d at least noticed and approved. He’d asked more than one question about an old boyfriend and sounded just the slightest bit jealous. That was good. For the plan.
    Except that was the thing. After she’d “accidentally” run into Will, the plan never entered her mind again when she was with him. She behaved naturally and enjoyed hanging out with him. No flirting. No skullduggery or underhandedness. Just friendly and fun. She was no actress and trying to be one made her uncomfortable.
    She crossed the street with the Grizzly Bear Diner on the corner. It specialized in burgers and sandwiches. After that she passed Tanya’s Treasures, a gift and souvenir shop that was now under new ownership. Tanya had moved to Southern California to be with a man, a tourist, she’d met here in town. Way to go, Tanya.
    Next door to the gift shop was Potter’s Ice Cream Parlor and then the Harvest Café, both owned by Maggie Potter and her business partner, Lucy Bishop.
    April nearly ran into another passerby while drooling over the pictures of ice cream sundaes and fighting the urge to go in. Who needed a healthy lunch? But she could still hear her mother’s voice in her head—dessert after you finish your dinner. It made her feel as if her mom was still with her.
    She walked into the café, which was full of people sitting at the counter and tables scattered around the open room. The decor was country cozy and done in fall shades, with flowered tablecloths and color-coordinated napkins in gold, green and rust. A shelf high on the wall held a copper teakettle, tin pitcher, pottery bowls and dried flowers. The women of Blackwater Lake loved this place and dragged their significant others in frequently.
    In fact, just inside the door, Maggie was there with Sloan Holden.
    â€œHi, April.” Maggie was a pretty, brown-eyed brunette who now had a ginormous diamond on her left ring finger. “Have you met Sloan?”
    â€œYes,” he answered for her. “Liam and I were in the Photography Shop looking at cameras. It’s nice to see you again.” He was a tall, handsome man. And nice.
    â€œYou, too.” His son was about ten or eleven, April recalled, a polite, curious and funny kid. That said a lot for the dad’s parenting skills.
    â€œKim Fletcher told me you’re taking the pictures at her wedding in August. When Sloan and I started talking about setting a date for our wedding he mentioned the photos he saw in your shop.” Maggie looked up at him and smiled. “We both want you to handle the photography for ours.”
    He nodded. “The wedding pictures I saw were really stunning, an excellent representation of your work.”
    â€œThank you,” she said. “I’d love to. When you pick a date let me know so I can block it off on my calendar.”
    â€œWill do.” Sloan looked at his bride-to-be. “I hate to leave, but work is waiting.”
    â€œMe, too.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed him. “I’m glad you came in for lunch. See you at home.”
    â€œCan’t wait.” Tenderly, he ran a finger over her cheek. “Bye. Nice to see you again, April.”
    â€œYou, too.”
    The two of them watched him leave and April wanted to sigh right along with Maggie. She’d been a widow with a young daughter for several years before Sloan rented a room at her bed-and-breakfast. The two fell in love and now they were getting married. She’d gotten a second chance at happiness, and who didn’t love a happy ending?
    April was only human and