Page 3 of Wine and Research
Initially, she’d bought the house on the lake thinking it would be peaceful and productive, and for a time it was. But lately, she found herself away from it more and more. And shehadn’t realized what peaceful meant until she’d rented Ryder’s cabin.
It felt more like home than her house.
“You might as well put in their usual order too,” Sophia said, capturing Elle’s attention.
She smiled and repeated, “Will do.”
After submitting the orders that she knew by heart, she brought the drinks to the booth they’d chosen, just as the bell jangled as Ethan and Phoebe walked in.
“Over here.” Sophia waved at the couple, who immediately headed their way.
“I didn’t know you were still working here, Elle,” Ethan said.
Phoebe nodded. “Yeah, I thought you’d started writing.”
Mary set down two meatloaf platters on a nearby table and walked over. “The answer is that she’s an angel coming to this old lady’s rescue. Gabe had two call-offs, and Elle agreed to come in. I feel bad you’re giving up your writing time.”
Elle set a hand on the woman’s shoulder and shook her head. “You’re not. Trust me. All I was doing was staring at a blank page. I’m happy to have something to do.”
“Ah, writer’s block,” Phoebe said with a nod. “I know a lot of playwrights who go through it.”
She released Mary and turned to face the actress. “Any idea what to do about it?”
Phoebe wrinkled her nose. “Pretty much what you’re doing. Change of scenery. Change of focus. They find something new to occupy their thoughts.”
The bell jangled again.
“Well, look at that…I think your change of focus just walked in.” Sophia grinned.
Elle knew without turning around that Officer Jeremy Mercer had entered the restaurant because she could feel theman’s overwhelming presence with a smattering of awareness prickling its way across her skin.
“Then I guess it’s a good thing he’s your customer,” Mary said, walking away with a slight twitch to her lips. “Jeremy, Scott, Nico, nice to see you boys. You sneak out of the armory for a quick lunch?”
“Yes, ma’am,” all three answered in unison.
“Then have a seat,” Mary said. “Elle will be happy to take care of you.”
All three had very honorable careers, and just as honorably, they served part-time in the Army National Guard. One weekend a month they had drill at the armory across the street. It was just her luck this was one of those weekends.
Swallowing a groan, Elle plastered a smile on her lips then turned around to face three very handsome men in ACUs—Army Combat Uniforms—walking toward her. They were all tall, broad-shouldered and handsome, but it was the one with blue eyes and his expression dialed to Robocop that tripped her pulse.
Why couldn’t it be the gorgeous green-eyed paramedic, Scott? Or the dark-haired, dark-eyed firefighter, Nico?
She couldn’t for the life of her understand why it was Officer Grumpy who made her insides flutter.
It wasn’t fair, and it was freakin’ irritating.
So was the weird feeling pinging low in her belly that she experienced from looking at the guy. He didn’t appear to have the same reaction to her, though. Nothing ruffled Jeremy’s calm or got past that tough exterior. And what an exterior he had. At six-feet-one inch, he was solidly built, but managed to move all those mouth-watering muscles with an easy fluidity that would make a tiger nervous.
It certainly made her insides quiver.
Stupid insides.
No doubt from her fierce annoyance and reluctant lust.
The heck with writer’s block, she needed a cure for that.
Chapter Two
