Free No Sunshine When She's Gone by Kate Angell Page A

from staring at her when he thought no one was looking. Aidan caught each of his glances, and found the situation amusing. Mike’s reaction to the woman wasn’t normal. He had charm in him, when he chose. Tonight was not the time.
    Mike had accepted a cold Guinness from Shaye, but he had yet to pop the top. Beer usually called to him, but tonight a woman held his attention. He’d gone quiet; his brow was creased. He tensed when Carrie laughed at something Trace said. He was on edge. The night rode his last nerve.
    Bored by the men’s company, Sadie pushed herself up with effort and ambled toward the cooking center. Deserted by man’s best friend, Aidan mused. The pointer seldom left his side. She couldn’t be hungry; he’d fed her before they’d left home.
    Sadie sniffed the air and he could almost hear her sigh. The aroma coming from the grill enticed her. She would get her fair share of tidbits. Trace would fix her a special chicken breast without barbecue sauce. Aidan would peel off the meat. He didn’t want her choking on the bones.
    He watched as Sadie ambled toward Jill. Trace had put her in charge of the potatoes and corn. She clicked a pair of tongs. Sadie curled back her lip and gave Jill her crooked smile. Aidan had no idea how Jill would react. Did the woman even like dogs?
    He was secretly pleased when she bent and scratched Sadie’s ear. Sadie pushed her head against Jill’s palm, and looked adoringly at her new friend. They’d bonded.
    The night air slowly swayed, and a light breeze seduced the hem of Jill’s sundress, pushing it up her thigh. Another gust cupped the material to her bottom. Her curves were again visible. Aidan appreciated what he saw, a little too much.
    “Nice ass,” Mike admired.
    Aidan’s chest squeezed. He didn’t appreciate Mike eyeing Jillian Mac. He had no claim on her. Still, he was glad when Carrie stopped to massage Sadie’s shoulders. Her timing was perfect. She distracted Mike.
    Mike scrubbed his jaw with his knuckles and grunted. “It’s going to be a long year.”
    Aidan understood. Instead of standing on the pitcher’s mound, throwing one-hundred-mile-per-hour fastballs, Mike would be the construction superintendent of the Rogues’ training facility. It didn’t seem fair. Aidan felt bad for the man.
    He valued Mike, so much so, he gave him an option. “The construction company has two big projects running simultaneously,” he stated. “There’s the expansion on the cardiac unit at Tampa Memorial Hospital as well as the sports center here in town. I’ve split our crew. Guy Clarion is supervising the Tampa project, but I can switch the two of you. There’d be less distraction, less pressure, if you took over the hospital. Your call.”
    Mike called it quickly. “Leave, and miss out on Trace’s Thursday night barbecues? Not on your life,” he said.
    “You’ll find a way to deal with the Rogues then . . . and Carrie?”
    “She owns a Corvette, what’s not to like?”
    “Chances are good she doesn’t.”
    “Yeah, I figured as much.” Mike actually smiled. “Jill was misleading. She made up the second vehicle to make Carrie look good.”
    Jill had defended her friend. The lady was fierce. “The women are close,” Aidan agreed.
    Mike stared across the patio. “Carrie’s stronger than she looks,” he said.
    “You know this how?”
    He shrugged. “A gut feeling.”
    “Don’t test that feeling,” Aidan said.
    “Jill would come after me.”
    “She’d take a nail gun to your testicles.”
    Mike winced. “That’s a painful image.” He then popped the cap on his beer and sipped deeply.
    “Ten minutes and we eat,” Trace called to the men.
    Shaye glanced their way. “Aidan, you’d better go see Olive soon or she’ll be breaking out of her cage to find you.”
    “I’ll see her now.” He patted his back pocket. “I brought her a packet of pistachio nuts, dried cranberries, and a mirror.”
    His sister nodded. “She loves you almost