Deadly Proposal (Hardy Brothers Security Book 4) by Lily Harper Hart Page A
Authors: Lily Harper Hart
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already found happily ever after,” Grady said, kneeling again. “You just don’t realize it yet. Life throws you curveballs. You guys have had a swing and a miss. You’re still in the middle of your happily ever after. I think you guys just need some sleep to figure that out.”
Grady stood again.
“Go and take your shower,” he said. “I’ll be watching television while you’re in there.”
“You don’t have to stay,” Mandy said, biting the inside of her cheek.
“You’re my family,” Grady said. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”
JAMES let himself in Mandy’s apartment, sighing with relief when the door swung open without restraint. Grady’s text told him it was safe. He couldn’t believe it until he saw it with his own eyes.
He found Grady sitting on the couch watching Sports Center.
“Where is she?”
“She’s in the shower,” Grady said. “She’s been in there for a long time. I think she’s been thinking about stuff.”
“What did she say?”
“Girl stuff,” Grady said, getting to his feet. “You have your work cut out for you. The good news is, I think I softened her up. More than anything, she wants to believe you love her.”
“I do love her.”
“I know that,” Grady said “She’s just … she’s a girl.”
“Is that an explanation?”
“They think differently than we do,” Grady replied. “Their minds go to different places. They have different ideas. They’re like aliens, man.”
“Ah, good to know.”
“I see you brought food.”
“We’re not leaving here until this is worked out,” James said. “We’re stuck here for the duration.”
Grady patted James on the shoulder. “I cleaned her back and I covered the gauze with saran wrap so she could shower. She should be good.”
“Thank you.”
“You know, she’s not in as much pain as you think she is,” Grady said. “She’s sore, don’t get me wrong. What’s hurting in her isn’t her back, though. You’ve got to show her that you love her.”
“I thought that’s what I was doing.”
“It’s the alien thing,” Grady said. “Showing for them is different than showing for us.”
“I’m starting to figure that out.”
Grady moved toward the hallway. “Lock the door behind me and reengage the chain. She won’t realize anything is different until she actually sees you.”
“Good idea.”
Grady paused, glancing at one of the items James had left on the dining room table, an incredulous smile spreading across his face. “Is that a bouquet of stuffed sharks?”
“Bye.”
“Good luck.”
James knew he was going to need it.
Twelve
James settled on the couch to wait for Mandy. He was nervous. How the most comfortable thing in his life had turned into the most worrisome thing in his life in less than ten days was a mystery.
But here he was – and he wasn’t going to leave until this was fixed.
He heard the shower turn off in the other room, his heart skipping a beat. It was another ten minutes before the bathroom finally opened and Mandy shuffled into the room. Her hair was damp, but she’d run a comb through it. She’d changed into a pair of flannel sleep pants and a tank top, so she was expecting a comfortable night at home – a home she didn’t share with him.
She looks better, James thought. The hot shower had caused her cheeks to pink up and her eyes, though red-rimmed from crying, were bright and alert.
It didn’t take those beautiful blue eyes long to register the change in the room. “What are you doing here?”
“Watching TV,” James replied, turning back to the television with feigned nonchalance. “What do you want to watch?”
Mandy scanned the apartment. “Where is Grady?”
“He had some place else to be,” James replied. “You’re stuck with me.”
“You need to go,” Mandy said. “I can’t look at your right now. Oh, and tell Grady he’s banned, too. I know he only wormed his way in here so he could let you in when I wasn’t
Grady stood again.
“Go and take your shower,” he said. “I’ll be watching television while you’re in there.”
“You don’t have to stay,” Mandy said, biting the inside of her cheek.
“You’re my family,” Grady said. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”
JAMES let himself in Mandy’s apartment, sighing with relief when the door swung open without restraint. Grady’s text told him it was safe. He couldn’t believe it until he saw it with his own eyes.
He found Grady sitting on the couch watching Sports Center.
“Where is she?”
“She’s in the shower,” Grady said. “She’s been in there for a long time. I think she’s been thinking about stuff.”
“What did she say?”
“Girl stuff,” Grady said, getting to his feet. “You have your work cut out for you. The good news is, I think I softened her up. More than anything, she wants to believe you love her.”
“I do love her.”
“I know that,” Grady said “She’s just … she’s a girl.”
“Is that an explanation?”
“They think differently than we do,” Grady replied. “Their minds go to different places. They have different ideas. They’re like aliens, man.”
“Ah, good to know.”
“I see you brought food.”
“We’re not leaving here until this is worked out,” James said. “We’re stuck here for the duration.”
Grady patted James on the shoulder. “I cleaned her back and I covered the gauze with saran wrap so she could shower. She should be good.”
“Thank you.”
“You know, she’s not in as much pain as you think she is,” Grady said. “She’s sore, don’t get me wrong. What’s hurting in her isn’t her back, though. You’ve got to show her that you love her.”
“I thought that’s what I was doing.”
“It’s the alien thing,” Grady said. “Showing for them is different than showing for us.”
“I’m starting to figure that out.”
Grady moved toward the hallway. “Lock the door behind me and reengage the chain. She won’t realize anything is different until she actually sees you.”
“Good idea.”
Grady paused, glancing at one of the items James had left on the dining room table, an incredulous smile spreading across his face. “Is that a bouquet of stuffed sharks?”
“Bye.”
“Good luck.”
James knew he was going to need it.
Twelve
James settled on the couch to wait for Mandy. He was nervous. How the most comfortable thing in his life had turned into the most worrisome thing in his life in less than ten days was a mystery.
But here he was – and he wasn’t going to leave until this was fixed.
He heard the shower turn off in the other room, his heart skipping a beat. It was another ten minutes before the bathroom finally opened and Mandy shuffled into the room. Her hair was damp, but she’d run a comb through it. She’d changed into a pair of flannel sleep pants and a tank top, so she was expecting a comfortable night at home – a home she didn’t share with him.
She looks better, James thought. The hot shower had caused her cheeks to pink up and her eyes, though red-rimmed from crying, were bright and alert.
It didn’t take those beautiful blue eyes long to register the change in the room. “What are you doing here?”
“Watching TV,” James replied, turning back to the television with feigned nonchalance. “What do you want to watch?”
Mandy scanned the apartment. “Where is Grady?”
“He had some place else to be,” James replied. “You’re stuck with me.”
“You need to go,” Mandy said. “I can’t look at your right now. Oh, and tell Grady he’s banned, too. I know he only wormed his way in here so he could let you in when I wasn’t
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