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

happen, but the feisty brunette wasn’t going to give up yet.
    Chase decided he had one last chance to intervene, so he made his way over to cut her off. She’d just sidled up next to Riley as the song ended, and everyone broke into applause for Dani. On the makeshift stage, she bowed, and Chase took a second to let lose an appreciative wolf whistle, then cut in between Brenda and Riley.
    “Hey, before you go home, I wanted to ask you something.” He glanced sidelong at Riley to make sure he ’d heard the question.
    Brenda eyed him suspiciously. “I’m sure it can wait until Monday.”
    “No…actually it’s not work-related. What do you say to having dinner with me tomorrow night?”
    Her jaw dropped. Not exactly the response he was hoping for, but his question produced a double take from Riley.
    “I…uh…”
    “My treat, of course. It’ll be fun. I promise.”
    “Uh…sure.”
    Chase’s heart soared, though he figured his elation would be short-lived. Thayer walked away , and as soon as he disappeared into the waning crowd, Brenda transformed into the hellcat that hid under her mild-mannered exterior.
    “Are you crazy? I was just about to ask him out. I was this close.” She actually growled in frustration.
    He suppressed a grin. “And Riley lost. His type doesn’t like to lose. They’re wired to hate it , in fact. So now he really has a challenge. Wait and see. He’s starting to get the picture here, and I can guarantee he doesn’t like it. You have to let him come to you. You shouldn’t have to do the asking.”
    She took a deep breath and let it out slowly before fixing him with her stern gaze. “You better be right.”
    “I am. Look, if the tables were turned, I wouldn’t be able to get you out of my head all weekend.” Oh wait, that’s not rhetorical , he added silently. “I’d be plotting how to get you away from him.”
    Brenda looked skeptical. “All right, fine. But if nothing happens next week, I’m done with this little charade.”
    He held up his hands in surrender. “Okay. Fine.”
    “Fine. Well, all this fresh air wore me out, so I’m going to head home. Have a good weekend.”
    Chase touched her arm. Her skin was warm from the July heat, but soft as silk. “Wait a second —we have a date tomorrow night.”
    “Oh, right. I should say, see you tomorrow.” She winked.
    “No, I mean, let’s really go out.”
    “Why?”
    He made a noise like the answer should be obvious. “People will see us. Word will get back to him. This is a very small town, you know.”
    “So we feed the gossip mill?”
    “I’m not suggesting we make out in public. Let’s just go out to dinner. Besides, what other plans do you have for the weekend?”
    She floundered for a moment, clearly debating whether she should lie or not. The truth won out. “Nothing.” The grudging admission left her looki ng a little bereft. He hadn’t meant to make her feel sorry for herself.
    “Me neither, so we might as well have a little fun, and we can talk strategy.”
    “Do we really need a strategy?”
    “Do you want what you want?”
    She shrugged, but he knew she did.
    “Then you have to be willing to work for it. I’ll pick you up at six tomorrow night . Dress fancy.”
    She wrinkled up her nose. God, she was adorable. “Fancy?”
    “When I ask someone out on a fake date, I don’t skimp.”
     
    * * * *
     
    Brenda sat on her front stoop at five to six the next night, waiting for Chase and wondering why she was waiting for Chase. She’d ended up with the dinner date she’d been after, but somehow with the wrong guy. The situation was getting out of control, as was the heat.
    She fanned herself intermittently with the small datebook she carried in her purse. It didn’t move much of the humid air, but it gave her something to do until Chase’s car pulled up in front of her building.
    He stepped out of the car and rounded the front end, tall and lean in black pants and a crisp white shirt and skinny