Standing His Ground: Greer (Porter Brothers Trilogy 2)

“If you’re done with those folders, I can file them?”

Diamond took one of the top ones, leaving the remainder. “I’m finished with them.”

Holly picked them up off her desk, seeing the one she kept. “Are you going to take Holt’s case?”

“No. A good lawyer will get him off, but it won’t me.”

Holly was glad Diamond wouldn’t be taking the job. She wouldn’t have to listen to Greer badgering her about being a traitor. He took the feud between the Hayes and Porters seriously. She knew the two families competed for the same market, each bragging who was the best grower. Holly wished the Feds heard the same gossip and arrested them all. Well, everyone but Tate and Dustin. Now, if that happened, she would have the talk Greer said she needed to have with Diamond about representing what he considered the criminal element in Treepoint.

Diamond stood up, stretching. “What are you doing for lunch?”

“I thought I’d take a walk, unless you need me?”

“No, I’m having lunch with Knox. Do you want to join us?”

“Thanks, but I’ll pass. I need to walk off the cupcakes you talked me into yesterday.”

“Don’t blame me. Willa was trying out a new flavor. The woman’s been coming up with a different flavor every day since she became pregnant. The whole town has packed on more weight than she has with her pregnancy. Hopefully, the baby will slow her down.”

“That’s not likely to happen. She’ll come up with two new flavors a day to prove she can handle it.”

Diamond sighed. “You’re right. That woman is a menace to womanhood and my expanding ass. The baby is due any day now. I hope he or she arrives before I have to go up a pant size.”

Holly laughed as she went into the front office to file the folders.

Diamond came out of her office, carrying her purse. “Do you want me to bring you something from the diner?”

“No, thanks. I might really get industrious and go by the house and start a load of laundry. Dustin dropped me off a bag of dirty laundry. He didn’t trust Greer to wash them. The last time he did, Greer shrunk his favorite T-shirt.”

Diamond gave her a concerned frown. “How is it working out living in Mrs. Langley’s house?”

“Strangely, it’s been great,” Holly admitted.

“How’s it strange?”

“Logan is there more than he spends at his. Usually, Dustin does, too.”

“Why is he staying there?”

“He’s been working late. By the time he shows up, we’re eating dinner and Logan doesn’t want to leave. So, one night Logan stays. Then the next, he goes home.”

“I bet you don’t miss seeing Greer.”

She unhappily looked down at the files she was holding. “He’s not so bad once you get to know him.”

“Don’t tell me you’re missing him?”

“It’s sad, isn’t it?”

“You need to find another man to take your mind off him. You should go out with Caleb Green.”

“You think I should? Maybe next time he comes into the office, I’ll see if he’s still interested in that lunch date.”

“He has to come by the office tomorrow. If you don’t ask him out, I will do it for you.”

“All right, then I will.”

“That’s my girl. I’ll be back in an hour unless I can convince Knox to take the rest of the afternoon off with me. Don’t be shocked if you don’t see me until tomorrow.” Diamond left her with a gleam in her eyes that said she wouldn’t be back.

Holly finished up the filing, trying to come up with different ways to ask out the Assistant Commonwealth Attorney. She wished she were more assertive where men were concerned. She had never felt comfortable being flirty or outgoing to make herself available to men. If anything, she shied away from their attention when they looked at her in a sexual manner. She had gone on many dates with normally placid men who, once they had her in their car or her home, became octopi, thinking she was an easy lay just because of her bra size.

Going to her desk, she took out a pair of tennis shoes then took off her low-heeled pumps and put on the sneakers. Locking the door, she then left the building, leisurely walking down the sidewalk.

She turned the corner that led toward the sheriff’s office, not seeing Knox’s squad car there or at the diner across the street. She now knew Diamond had convinced her husband to take the rest of the day off.

She continued her walk, deciding to go through the church’s playground. The memory of the night she had almost gotten attacked was still in her mind, but since it was daylight, she knew her pastor and Willa were in the church, so she should be safe.

There were several picnic tables set up so that anyone could sit if they wanted to. Closing the gate behind her, she saw she wasn’t the only one there. Greer was sitting on a blanket with two food boxes she recognized from the diner. She thought about ignoring his presence, but he would more than likely call her out on it if she did.