The Rogue Hunter by Lynsay Sands

ambulance, and even grocery stores are near and handy. Everyone looks out for everyone else up here."
    "You passed the test, by the way," Alex announced as she dropped onto the log on Sam's other side.
    "What test is that?" Mortimer asked with surprise.
    "The once-over by the other cottagers," Jo explained with a laugh as she laid claim to the cooler for a seat. "Why do you think we were so mobbed for such a long time?"
    "Because you are three young women who are as charming as you are attractive, but you've all been so wrapped up in your careers that you haven't been up as much as you used to be and your presence has been missed," he said with a certainty that left all of them briefly silent.
    It was Jo who finally broke the silence by saying, "Yeah, well, maybe, but they were still giving you the once-over."
    "So you said," he murmured with amusement. "You also said I passed."
    "Yes, you did," Sam assured him.
    "How would you know that?"
    "Because everyone was giving a thumbs-up behind your back," Alex announced in dry tones.
    When he turned a questioning glance to Sam, she nodded solemnly. "Not very subtle maybe, but it works."
    "Hmm," Mortimer muttered, but he was scowling as if the idea of being judged didn't sit well with him.
    Jo laughed at his expression and pointed out, "This is a good thing, Mortimer. The other cottagers can make life difficult for people they don't like."
    "I'll have to warn Decker about that," he muttered.
    "Later," Jo suggested with a laugh and then said, "In the meantime, if I were to go drag Bobby and his guitar over this way, would you sing us a song?"
    Sam frowned with concern and began to pat Mortimer's back as he choked up the mouthful of beer he'd been in the process of swallowing.
    They were all silent as he regained his breath, but the moment he seemed recovered Jo asked, "Was that a yes or a no?"
    "Oh, leave him alone, Jo," Sam said. "It's what he does for a living. He'll hardly want to do it while on vacation."
    "Right," Jo said unhappily, and then pursed her lips and asked him, "So what do you like to do on your downtime?"
    Mortimer hesitated for a minute and then admitted, "I'm not sure. I don't get much downtime."
    "Ah." She nodded knowingly. "A workaholic like our Sam."
    Mortimer opened his mouth as if to protest the label, but paused as Bricker suddenly appeared before them.
    "We found someone Decker thinks you should meet," he announced, a solemn expression on his face.
    Mortimer raised his eyebrows, but excused himself and rose to follow the man through the milling people.
    Distracted by watching the two men disappear into the crowd, Sam didn't notice the way Jo scooted over to take up the empty spot Mortimer had left until Jo bumped Sam's shoulder with her own, and said in a teasing, singsong voice, "I think he likes you."
    Sam glanced at her with surprise. "Who?"
    "Mortimer," Alex said dryly from her other side. "Who else? The man hasn't left your side since we got here."
    Sam felt her face grow warm, but shrugged. "I'm not in the market for a boyfriend, thanks."
    "Why not? You're free and single now."
    Sam wrinkled her nose at the now . Up until six months ago she'd been engaged to her high school sweetheart, Tom Granger, but he'd broken it off at Christmas. She shouldn't have been surprised by the timing; he'd never been the most sensitive soul. Timing wasn't the only thing about him that had sucked. While he'd seemed sweet and considerate when they were dating in high school and at university, things had changed considerably once they'd graduated and moved in together.
    Tom had worked a nine-to-five job as a law clerk with the city, while she'd worked much longer hours at the firm, yet she'd come home late in the evening to find him sitting with his feet up waiting for supper. When she asked why he hadn't started the meal, he'd always claim he wasn't hungry, but then he'd always been more than happy to eat her food when she cooked it. She'd soon realized that the truth was