Bringing Delaney Home (Cates Brothers #1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

as to where she up and disappeared to.” Barbara cocked her head as her lips curled up at the corners. “But she’s landed right back here, hasn’t she?”
    Quinn didn’t see the big deal. Lots of them had left town and come back. Quinn and Gage had headed off to college and then the police academy together. Hawk had enlisted in the Army out of high school. They’d all happily landed back here.
    “Poor thing. Who would have thought we’d see her looking like this?” Barbara’s voice was soft with sympathy, but her eyes glittered like polished quartz stone.
    “Hey, Barbara, she’s been through some hard times recently,” Quinn said. “Maybe you could give her some space, at least today?”
    Barbara’s head swiveled sharply. “What kind of hard times?”
    “An accident. I don’t know any details.” Quinn wouldn’t have said anything even if he did know, not with the way she was salivating for gossip. He didn’t have an inside scoop anyway.
    “A couple months back there was a rumor going through the diner she had a run-in with a mountain lion,” Gage said.
    Quinn stared at him. “And you believed it? Don’t you think it would have been in the papers or on the news if Delaney got attacked by a mountain lion?”
    “Just last week at the bowling alley I heard she was stripping in Vegas and fell off her pole and . . . ahem . . . broke a lady part.” Hawk shrugged at the look on Quinn’s face. “Hey, I’m only saying what I heard.”
    Gage smacked Hawk. “You can’t break a lady part, you idiot. Or, am I wrong about that, Barbara?”
    “I wouldn’t put anything past Delaney. Hard times, huh? Bless her heart, those hard times are written all over her face,” Barbara said. “I wouldn’t dream of ignoring her. We were quite good friends in high school. I think I could offer her some encouraging words.”
    “Right.” Gage threw a look at Quinn. They had been freshmen when Barbara and Delaney were seniors in high school, but in a small town, there were no secrets. They remembered a lot about the rivalry between the two as girls.
    “Whoa, Barbara, slow down there,” Quinn said. “Can’t you see she’s in the middle of a workout?”
    The group turned in unison to watch Delaney. She’d been working intently on the treadmill for over ten minutes. Sweat dripped down from her red face and formed a dark ring around the neck of her sweatshirt and down the middle of her back. She was staring directly at the clock high on the wall in front of her.
    “The poor thing is one of those unfortunate girls who actually sweats instead of glows.” Barbara shook her head. “It’s not a good look for her.”
    “Could be those heavy sweats she has on. Or that she’s actually here to work out, not to be the center of attenti—” Hawk took an elbow to the ribs from Gage. “Shutting up.”
    “Why, it’s my duty as a friend to offer her advice.” Barbara stalked off toward Delaney, calling, “Delaney Lyons, what a surprise to see you back in town!” Barbara leaned forward, waving her hand into Delaney’s line of sight. “Yoo-hoo, Delaney.”
    Delaney glanced over at her, then refocused her eyes back on the clock. She kept on walking for another minute before she stopped the treadmill and finally rested her legs.
    “Delaney Lyons, how are you?” Barbara asked.
    “Hello, Barbara.” Delaney grabbed the small white towel she’d hooked on the handrail and wiped the sweat from her face. She stepped off the treadmill and looked over at Barbara. “I’ve been better.”
    “I can see that.” She looked Delaney up and down.
    “And I’ve been worse.”
    “Really?” Barbara sounded doubtful. “I can’t imagine.”
    Be nice. Be nice. Be nice. Delaney closed her eyes and took a swallow from her water bottle. She didn’t have the energy for this. She just wanted to get through this day, so she could go curl up in bed and pretend the last year had never happened. Was that too much to ask? Although, truth be