Page 24 of Unexpected Union

“Ishould have set herstraight the other day,” she said wryly.

He raisedtheir hands. “She’d just think something was going on.”

“Hardlylikely, given my condition.”

“What are youtalking about?”

“Justlook at me,” she said, pausing and turning to face him.

“I dolook atyou. I’d look alot longer but didn’t think good manners would permit.”

She blinked.Had that been a compliment? No, she’d imagined it. Mitch didn’tgive compliments.

Twominutes later he wasconversing with the front desk clerk, picking up a folder and alarge envelope. More work. At least she wouldn’t worry she’d missany stunning change while she napped.

WhenAudra awoke, it was late afternoon. She felt pleasantly relaxed,stilla bit tired. Thewalk had been more than she should have undertaken. Thank goodnessshe’d been able to ride home from the main lodge.

She listenedintently. No voices. Did that mean Mitch wasn’t on his phone?

A fewminutes later she confirmed it. He was again fast asleep on the sofa, papers scatteredeverywhere. Spotting the phone, she picked it up and turned it off.He needed rest, not more problems.

Did hethink the legal structure of the entire city of Boston would cometo a screeching halt if he weren’t working full-out? Weren’t there a dozen or moreassistant district attorneys? The others could cover his workloaduntil he returned.

She placed thephone on the table and wandered onto the porch. Mr. Carmichael wasalmost at the cabin.

“Howdy,young lady. The missussent me over to tell you and your husband dinner is on us tomorrownight. You come about seven.”

“So you caughta lot of fish.”

Hebeamed and nodded. “They practically jumped into the boat. Withwhat I’m sure to catch tomorrow, we’ll have morethan enough for all of us and thosehoneymooners if we can tear them away from each other long enoughto eat.”

He touched twofingers to his forehead in a casual salute and headed on to theStevens’s cabin.

Audrawatched him realizing she wanted to go todinner and hadn’t a clue if Mitch would accompanyher or not.

Shecouldn’thelpremembering another dinner she’d asked him to attend. The annualevent sponsored by her company. The one in which she was given thatbonus and accolades for exceptional work on the Crenshawproject.

Hisabsence had been the final straw. She’d packedup and moved out the nextmorning.

ChapterEight

“I thought Iheard voices,” Mitch said behind her as he stepped out onto theporch.

Audralooked over hershoulder.

“Mr.Carmichael stopped by extending that invitation to dinner tomorrowevening.”

Thatcatch in her heartcaught her by surprise again. It seemed to happen every time shesaw him. Taking a deep breath, she tried to regain a feeling oftranquillity.

“And that hasyou upset?” he asked, his eyes narrowed as he studied herexpression.

“No.”

Herface flamed. She’d neverbe good at subterfuge. Neither did she wish to bring up the misseddinner six months ago. There was no sense rehashing pastmistakes.

“Actually, I, um, didn’t know if I should have accepted foryou. His invitation caught me by surprise. I didn’t have a chance to think before he washeading off to the other cottage to invite thehoneymooners.”

“I likefish. You mentioned the honeymoonersbefore. Who are they?”

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