Collision Course Read Online Free PDF Page B

rose to his feet. “Remember
what I said about the sheriff.”
    Casey
smiled as politely as she could. Why did everyone seem so interested in pairing
her up as fast as they could? Her parents were forever waving someone in front
of her, including the sheriff. As if being single was some kind of crime. Or
finding someone would solve all her problems. It would be a long time before
she trusted another man. If ever. Meantime, her own company suited her fine.
    Blotting
her face and neck with a towel, Casey zipped and locked her gun bag, pulled her
ponytail tighter through the opening in her ball cap and climbed into her
truck. Sighing, she backed out of the parking space and turned onto the
highway.
    It was
hot outside but she lowered the window, leaning her elbow on the frame and
letting the sun kiss her skin. She drank in the scent of the
countryside—horseflesh, hay, cattle, the abundant crepe myrtles. Familiar
scents she let wash through her system. Texas aromatherapy. To her left,
undulating waves of russet as a herd of cattle roamed the fenced pasture. To
her right, horses frisked in the open meadow, nickering softly, tossing their
heads.
    Despite
everything, she loved it here, no doubt about it. And it was a perfect place to
decompress. But time stood still for her in Connelly, Texas, population ten thousand
and two. She needed to find something to do besides helping her parents out at
the Half ’n Half, the combination restaurant/coffee shop they owned. And
keeping her skills sharp. Something to give her life purpose again.
    Not that
she expected she’d need to shoot anyone in Connelly or use her Krav Maga moves
on them. But practicing the martial arts moves had become an integral part of
her daily routine, as if these things defined her.
    How
pathetic.
    Some
days she felt as if she were stuck in blob of cement, unable to move forward or
backward. If she could just get a handle on what direction her future would
take. But before that could happen, she had to stop being so angry at
everything and everyone and deal with the issues causing her rage. Then she could
decide the most useful application of her skills and proceed from there.
    She had
a college degree, for cripes sake, six years with the feds and four in the
Army. There had to be something in there that would appeal to an employer. The
thought of spending the rest of her days at the Half ’n Half depressed her too
much even to contemplate. What if she woke up one day and discovered she’d
faded away, destroyed by the resentment eating away at her.
    Maybe a
stint with the sheriff would help her fill in some of the blanks. She’d have to
think about it.
    Forty-five
minutes later, showered and changed, she walked into the Half ’n Half, waving
to her mother at the cash register and stopping to give her dad a quick kiss on
his cheek. As usual, the lunchtime customers were jammed wall to wall. Vicki
Bromfield, who’d been working there as long as Casey could remember, skillfully
wove from table to table, taking orders, refilling coffee cups and water
glasses. Delivering orders as soon as they were up on the service counter.
Mouthwatering aromas drifted from the kitchen. Her father’s cooking was second
to none.
    Sighing,
she tamped down her emotions, put on her apron and her game face and began
checking on the customers in the coffee shop side. All of them had some form of
computer or tablet open in front of them, eyes glued to the screen.
    “Hey,
Casey.” Jim Garnette smiled at her as she brought him another decaf with a shot
of chocolate syrup. “Thought maybe you forgot about us today.”
    Retired
and doing genealogy research, Jim had convinced himself his roots traced to the
years of the Texas Revolution. He aimed to prove his eligibility for the Sons
of the Republic of Texas, and he’d been at it for weeks now.
    Casey
sighed, wishing she had a goal of her own. But with her head still so screwed
up, she didn’t know if she was capable of defining