Jealous in July (Spring River Valley Book 7) Read Online Free PDF

no…I’m far too humble for that. I’d be more than satisfied with a plaque and maybe a holiday named after me.”
    “I’ll ask purchasing to order the plaque,” Riley quipped.
    Brenda smiled, hoping to make eye contact with him, but his attention had strayed already to a group on the far side of the picnic area.
    “Well, it looks like there’s a legal argument taking place over the chicken kabobs. I’d better go intervene. You two save me a seat later, okay?”
    “Sure.” Brenda sighed as he walked away, then turned to Chase. “There’s a difference between making someone a little jealous and boring them to the point that they run away in self-defense.”
    “That wasn’t running away. That was running to . Tyler Brady is over there, and Riley has to suck up to him because, as I understand it, he’s the outlier in the vote to bring him onto the fast track.” He scooped up a sinfully delicious-looking chocolate muffin and handed it to her. “Here, if you’re going to start drinking this early, you should eat something more substantial than a couple of mango slices.”
    She looked at her plate , then at her half-finished drink. “I’m not. This isn’t… Dani gave it to me.”
    Chase took it out of her hand. “Come on. Let’s get you some plain juice.”
    “What am I, in pre-school? Juice and a muffin to keep me out of trouble?”
    He grinned, and for the first time she noticed he hadn’t shaved. She’d never seen Chase with stubble before , and oddly it transformed him. He looked rugged this morning in stonewashed jeans and a faded denim shirt. A red bandana hung from his back pocket, giving him a down-home look. All he needed was a cowboy hat and a hayseed, and he could have graced the cover of one of the western romances she liked to read. The look made a nice change from his usually crisp business suit and studious wire-rimmed glasses.
    “Do you need keeping out of trouble?” he asked.
    After last night, she’d begun to wonder. Her obsession with snagging Riley’s attention was getting out of hand. How hard should it be, after all, to let a man know she was interested in him? Of course, Riley was a special case. He was trapped in his own personal bubble of responsibility, and Chase kept making her wonder if piercing that bubble was a good idea, assuming it was even possible. “The only trouble I see around here is you. My instincts tell me to keep my eye on you.”
    He grinned and followed her to one of the shady picnic tables. “Then you’ve got good instincts.”
     

Chapter Four
     
     
    Fortunately, the company picnic tended have a slightly more relaxed atmosphere than the Penthouse Fourth Party, so Chase didn’t feel the same pressure Riley obviously did to make the rounds and keep the partners entertained.
    Neither did Brenda. She remained under the shade trees, much like most of the women, hidden behind her hangover costume —the sunhat and huge glasses—looking like an undercover celebrity. He had to admit, on her, the ensemble was incredibly sexy. She looked mysterious and troubled, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her. He even convinced himself that behind those black reflective lenses she was watching him and not Riley.
    Fighting a twinge of guilt all day, he managed to run interference whenever Thayer approached her, which wasn’t all that often. There was a short conversation over the chicken kabobs and a longer one revolving around the best way to toast a marshm allow, but each time Chase subtly maneuvered his competition back toward the senior staff huddle.
    By five o’clock, the party was winding down, and people were saying their good-byes and leaving for the true holiday weekend. Dani had agreed to sing one number, which had all the remnants at the party swaying to the lilting melody of a sad love song. Chase watched Brenda working her way through the crowd toward Riley, who looked just about dead on his feet. If nothing else, the guy was a stroke waiting to