Euphoria Lane Read Online Free PDF

to address the board. She shifted in her chair and her eyes widened with interest. Harry announced that each homeowner wishing to speak to the board would be given three minutes to state their concerns.
    Mr. Decker, a retired cowboy of about fifty in worn jeans and a felt Stetson, stood tall and proud. Judging by his deep, leathery tan, he’d spent most of his life working outdoors. His scowl matched Harry’s, brow line for brow line and sneer for sneer.
    “It’s you again.” Harry regarded his paperwork. “Due to our lengthy agenda tonight and the fact we have the room reserved only until nine, each person will have just one minute to speak.”
    Luke’s gut twisted. That wasn’t right. They deserved at least three minutes to vent. Perhaps one of them could get through to the man. “Harry—”
    Harry narrowed his eyes into snakelike slits as he directed an intense stare at Luke. “The rules allow for changes when the president sees fit, and tonight I see fit.”
    The man had memorized every rule and regulation. He knew them better than Luke. “Continue,” Luke said, admitting defeat.
    The cowboy clenched his fists at his sides. “You fined me because there was a carpet cleaning van parked in the fire lane out front of my condo.”
    Valerie ran a perfectly polished nail over the condensation collecting on her water bottle. “You should have parked your vehicle elsewhere and made room for the cleaning van in your driveway.” She smirked at Harry. “Right?”
    The board president winked, then coughed and shuffled his papers, as if the audience wasn’t bright enough to notice the exchange. Luke resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
    Valerie’s husband, Paul, kept his head buried in his own copies of the paperwork throughout the meeting. If he lifted his head even once, Luke reflected, he would probably catch his wife flirting with Harry. Realization dawned on Luke. Paul might know or suspect his wife had her eyes set on Harry. Did he choose to keep his eyes down on purpose?
    “I was out of town that week.” The cowboy’s words grew more pronounced, along with the vein protruding from his temple. “One of the neighbors had their carpets cleaned, not me .”
    Harry’s thinning mustache twitched. “You have a history of breaking the rules. You’ll need to prove you were out of town and that you didn’t hire the service.”
    “ You prove I did hire them! You can’t, because I didn’t.”
    Harry lifted a picture. “I have photographic evidence that the van was parked in front of your condo. That’s all the proof I need.” The timer chirped.
    The horror in Andi’s eyes reflected Luke’s own. This couldn’t go on.
    Mr. Decker spat an obscenity and stormed down the aisle. The odds of a cowboy in Arizona owning a truck and carrying a shotgun in that truck were quite high.
    Luke jumped up to follow him. He rushed down the aisle and caught up with the man at the exit.
    “Mr. Decker,” Luke pressed his hand against the wooden door to keep the man from opening it. “I’ll take care of your violation,” he stated, his voice low enough to keep others from overhearing. “I promise it will go away.”
    The man studied him for a long moment. “Harry might make you go away.”
    “That’s a daily threat.” Luke offered a wry smile, the only reassurance he could give the man, and then stepped back from the door.
    The cowboy’s shoulders relaxed, and he nodded before completing his escape.
    “Unit 1210,” Valerie sang.
    Luke recognized Andi’s unit number and headed back to the front table. He strove to keep his expression stoic, not wanting anyone to guess how worried he was over the verbal exchange about to take place.
    Andi hesitated, then slowly stood. “That’s me.”
    “The timer started fifteen seconds ago.” Harry’s stare bore holes through her.
    Luke clenched his teeth to keep from interrupting. Interfering would make matters worse for them both.
    Andi looked like a timid Dorothy addressing