Love by Association

He’d known something was up. But had figured since she was keeping up appearances pretty well with Chantel, that it hadn’t been a big deal.

Then Chantel had asked if she could help with lunch, and Julie had been curt and had immediately sent Colin a panicked look. She wanted to have lunch ready for him and Chantel. She needed him to get Chantel out of the room while she composed herself.

That look struck fear in his heart every single time he saw it.

Because the first time had been that god-awful night when he’d done nothing. Nothing. To protect his little sister.

“It’s probably just something about one of their shared committees. Maybe Leslie made some calls looking for support for Julie’s child-life funds and found out that Sunshine board members weren’t going to vote in her favor.”

He hoped to God that was all it was, but he didn’t think so. That look wouldn’t be in his sister’s eyes.

“I just don’t want her to think that she has to entertain me...” Chantel said.

Colin had promised himself he’d keep his hands off her. Until midnight. But she looked so genuinely worried about Julie, and he couldn’t resist the urge to pull her to him. To kiss her tenderly. He wanted to thank her.

“Trust me,” he ended up saying. “She wants you here. I think that, in a very different way, you’re working your magic on her, too.”

He sent up a small prayer to the heavens, maybe running it past the parents who’d left him in charge before he was ready, that he wasn’t making a mistake where Chantel Johnson was concerned.

Trusting just wasn’t his thing.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

LUNCH WAS AS she expected given the stereotypical perceptions she’d gained from her reach into society lifestyles. It wasn’t Chantel’s way to make conversation when there were real issues to be dealt with. Possible life-and-death situations needing attention.

Undercover work was frustrating as hell.

But the chicken salad was superb. And would have been even better if she could have helped herself to three times the amount she’d been served. Still, there was ice cream waiting for her at home. She’d be full before she went to work.

She planned to have a double burger and fries on break, whether Daniel felt like hamburgers or not. He could just stop twice if it came to that. She was having her burger...

As if thinking about the sensual pleasure derived from consuming fast food was somehow going to distract her desires away from the man whose knee had been touching hers under the table for the entire meal.

Johnson was out of control.

Chantel had made a mistake. She’d had sex with an informer. And now more than ever she was going to do what she had to do to see that the assignment got done. Successfully.

She wasn’t getting out until she was certain that Leslie and Ryder Morrison were safe. And until she’d brought everyone involved in Julie’s rape—and hiding it—to justice. She also wasn’t going to tell Wayne about her and Colin.

That would be stupid.

“I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to go,” Colin said as he was finishing off the last piece of fruit on his plate. They’d spent twenty minutes at the table together and discussed the unseasonably warm weather, the lack of rain and the effect on the California water situation.

“You have to go already?” Julie asked, frowning at her brother. “I made strawberry shortcake.”

One of Chantel’s favorites. Next to chocolate ice cream.

“I’m already pushing it,” he said, standing.

“That means I’ll need to be going, too.” Chantel gathered her things, welcoming the idea of a few hours free before work. She could change, eat and head in early. She wanted to look up the graduating class from the private school she’d heard Julie and Colin had attended. She was going to check out every male in the school, then cross-reference that list with functions Julie had attended, crossing off all boys whose families were also in attendance. Just because she’d turned down the chance for detective didn’t mean she didn’t have exemplary investigative skills.

“I can take you home.”

Chantel wasn’t sure who Julie’s offer surprised more—Colin or herself. It wasn’t as if the woman didn’t drive. From what she’d heard, Julie traversed LA freeways like a pro, but...

She had to write. And...was supposed to have a few minutes alone with Colin in the car. Not that she needed them for anything...

But a few more minutes alone with Julie could produce meaningful information and save hours of name searching.

“I’m fine to go with Julie,” she said, dropping her purse back to the chair next to her. “You’re in a hurry, go ahead...” Strawberry shortcake sounded good.