Free Three Brides, No Groom by Debbie Macomber

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good for Chief Davidson. I know his tricks, and I consider it my duty to make
sure everyone else knows them, too.”
    “You enjoy living on the edge, do you?” Josh teased.
    “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
    Gretchen noticed how Janet’s gaze zeroed in on one particular
officer. She recognized the longing in the other woman’s expression; she’d felt
the same thing herself in the past couple of days. Janet dragged her eyes back
to her lunch with a resignation Gretchen could almost feel. The young attorney
had been happy and animated moments earlier, but she grew suspiciously quiet
now.
    “Someone you know?” Gretchen asked, motioning with her head
toward the tall athletic-looking officer.
    “Yeah, I know him.” Janet pushed aside what was left of her
lunch. “His name’s Gary Foreman. Unfortunately we don’t see eye to eye on a
number of important issues and—”
    “You like him, though, don’t you?” Gretchen asked.
    “Does it show that much?”
    “Yeah, it does.”
    “Oh, dear.” Janet lowered her gaze. “We’re constantly at odds
with each other. At one time…well, never mind, it isn’t important now. He’s very
good at his job, and unfortunately, so am I.”
    Gretchen stood, then reached for her empty paper plate and
Janet’s almost full one. She walked over to the Dumpster and deposited them both
there. On the return trip, she routed herself past the table where Gary sat
alone, his back to Janet. She would say one thing for the attorney—she had
excellent taste. Gary Foreman was exceptionally good-looking.
    “Hello,” she said, boldly meeting his eyes.
    “Hi.” He sounded hesitant, suspicious.
    “Why don’t you come over and join us? My friend and I are
having lunch with Janet Mercer. I think you know her, and since you’re eating
alone…”
    Gary frowned, his thick dark brows drawing together. “Who on
earth are you?” he asked, instead of replying.
    She had his attention, she noted. “Gretchen Wise. Janet’s
wonderful. She just got my friend released after he was arrested. It was a case
of mistaken identity.”
    His frown deepened, and he stared at her as if he thought she
might be crazy. Then he suddenly got up, picked up his lunch and gestured for
her to lead the way.
    “What were you two talking about?” Josh demanded as she and
Gary reached the table.
    “Nothing important,” she said, and winked at Janet, who was
staring in shock at Gary.
    As soon as he sat down, Gretchen turned to Josh and said, “I
think it’s time we left.”
    “I think so, too,” he quickly agreed.
    They thanked Janet, ignoring her wide-eyed insistence that they
stay, and Josh wrote down an address where she could send him a bill. As they
walked away, he started hammering Gretchen with questions. “What the hell
prompted you to do that?” he demanded. “You don’t even know the guy.”
    “Shh.” She walked across the street and pulled him behind a
huge fir tree. “Tell me what’s happening back there.”
    He rolled his eyes.
    “Josh, I’m serious. Are they talking?”
    “It looks that way.”
    “Cool!” She’d never done anything as bold or as crazy in all
her twenty-two years.
    “Well, I’ll be,” he muttered.
    “What? Tell me!” She didn’t dare look herself, because she
didn’t want either of them to know she was watching.
    “Janet just tossed my address in the garbage.”
    So Janet appreciated her little conversation with Officer
Foreman. “Good. Now let’s get out of here before someone else finds an excuse to
arrest you.”
    “My sentiments exactly,” he said. “Now, where did you say my
bike was?”
    “I parked it in front of the courthouse,” she told him.
    “I can’t get over you driving the Harley,” he said, and linked
his fingers with hers.
    “I couldn’t very well leave it at the gas station, could I?”
She reached into her jeans pocket and retrieved the key.
    Josh walked across the street and stroked the motorcycle the
way a man might