Homecoming Day Read Online Free PDF

JT. She missed him. Terribly. Sniffing, she surreptitiously swiped at her eyes.
    â€œAre you crying?” Seth’s voice rose in a rather uncoplike way.
    She could distinctly hear the universal male horror at the thought of her tears. She lied when she said, “No,” the catch in her voice giving herself away entirely.
    â€œYou are crying. I know you’re crying. I’ve got three sisters, and I can tell crying when I hear crying.”
    The fact he’d witnessed his sisters’ tears obviously hadn’t hardened Seth to the sight.
    She gave one more healthy sniff and blinked back the waterworks. “You’ve said the word crying more than any man—especially a cop—should. And you’re wrong. I’m not crying. I have…allergies. And I’m pretty sure the thing I’m most allergic to is you and your bossy ways.”
    â€œRight, allergies.”
    He was probably used to women hanging all over him and thought she was kidding. Well, she wasn’t. She didn’t need a keeper. “But let’s be honest, I don’towe you any allergy explanations, and I certainly don’t have to check in with you when I’m going about my business. So good afternoon, Lieutenant.” She started down the hall.
    Seth easily matched her pace.
    â€œMay I come, too?” he asked.
    â€œWhy?” she asked defensively. “To keep an eye on the pregnant woman who obviously doesn’t have enough sense to take care of herself?”
    â€œNo, of course not. I want to come because I’m worried about JT, too.”
    She could have taken offense if he was trying to control or protect her, but she couldn’t quite manage it if he was simply trying to help JT. She eyed him suspiciously. “Really?”
    â€œCops care, too.” Then he smiled, held up a few fingers and said, “Policeman’s honor.”
    She sighed. “Fine. I’ll give you the address. You can meet me there.” It wasn’t the most gracious invitation, but she wasn’t feeling overly gracious.
    â€œOr…”
    â€œOr?” she repeated as she continued down the hall.
    â€œOr, I could drive and bring you back afterward to pick up your car.”
    She wanted to say no. As a matter of fact, she wanted to say hell no. But instead, she found herself saying, “Fine.” She was hopeless at directions. For her birthday last year, Jay had given her a GPS. She’d laughed, telling him she wasn’t planning any out-of-town trips.
    He’d responded he knew that. The GPS was for navigating around town.
    And for the first time since he died, she remembered Jay and had an urge to laugh rather than cry.
    She glanced at the quiet police officer next to her, and though he wore the same uniform, there weren’t any other similarities to Jay.
    Jay had worn his hair on the shaggy side of long, compared to Seth’s military cut. And Jay had been quick to laugh. She hadn’t seen any signs of quick laughter in Seth Keller. He’d smiled, but even then, the expression hadn’t quite reached his eyes. He wasn’t grim. More…sad. She wondered what had happened to make him that way.
    They walked in silence to the parking lot and he led her to a huge truck. It was blue and had one of the cabs that had a backseat with a second door. It also sat about a mile off the ground.
    Somehow Laura needed to get her beached-whale self up and into it. She was pretty sure it was going to take a forklift. She was about to ask if maybe Seth would consider taking her car when he said, “Would you be offended if I offered you a hand?”
    â€œI’m practical enough to admit I do need a hand.”
    He got her settled in the giant truck. She gave him JT’s address and they drove in silence toward the nice section of town. Seth stopped in front of a neat, two-story brick house.
    Laura slid out of the truck with more ease than she’d gotten in. She