Free Exposed by Kaylea Cross Page B

“Yeah, guess I have since you last saw me.” He stuck his hands into his pockets.
    “What are you doing here?” Last she’d heard through the neighborhood grapevine he’d been in the military, mostly overseas.
    He shrugged, looked down the street at the place he used to live. “Feeling nostalgic, I guess. Thought I’d come see the old neighborhood again.” He focused back on her, his eyes hidden by the sunglasses. “Just visiting your mom?”
    She lifted the casserole dish a little. “Picking up some plantains she cooked. I’m just heading over to Mama Cruz’s place for a barbecue. Ethan’s there. Want to come over and say hello?”
    For just an instant his face tightened but then he shook his head. “Thanks, but I can’t. Working.”
    She groaned. “What are you doing now?”
    “Security.”
    He looked it. It’d been nearly a decade since she’d last seen him around and looked so different now. “Working on a Saturday night. Man, do I know how that goes. I should be there right now too. I feel guilty for taking a night off.”
    “So I’m betting you became a lawyer after all, am I right?”
    She grinned. “I did.”
    “No surprise there.”
    “No, guess not.” Everyone had known that’s what she’d dreamed of becoming.
    “What kind of law do you practice?”
    “Criminal.”
    He nodded. “Got your own practice?”
    She shook her head. “I’m actually with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
    His eyebrows went up. “That’s pretty good for someone as young as you, isn’t it?”
    “Well, I got lucky.”
    “Doubt that. They get some pretty big cases. High profile ones too.”
    “They do. But I love it.”
    His expression was neutral, but she recognized that was his default expression, one he’d learned at a young age to mask his emotions. “Lots of bad people involved with that kind of thing. Be careful.”
    Man, he sounded just like Ethan. “I will be.” The next pause was just long enough to be awkward, so she put on a smile and took a step toward the edge of the sidewalk. “Well, better get these to the party before they get cold. It was great seeing you again, take care of yourself.”
    “Yeah, you too.” He turned and started up the sidewalk.
    “Miguel.”
    He stopped, looked back at her over his broad shoulder.
    “How’s your grandmother?”
    She couldn’t be sure but he seemed surprised by her question. “Still alive. She’s one strong lady.”
    Marisol smiled softly. “Always was. Well, bye.”
    She crossed the street and paused to look back just in time to see him climbing behind the wheel of a newer-model Lexus. Whatever security job he was working, it paid well. Had to be a private contractor of some kind.
    At the top of the Cruz’s steps she took a deep breath and rang the doorbell, prepared to face Ethan again. She’d just pretend nothing had happened yesterday.
    She waited a few seconds and rang it again. When still no one answered, she balanced the casserole dish on one oven-mitted hand before trying the knob and found it unlocked as usual when Mama Cruz was expecting guests. But when she opened the door the sound of multiple male voices registered.
    Frowning, she headed through the entryway and into the kitchen, her heels clicking on the tile floor. She peered out the sliding glass doors that led to the back deck and internally groaned as she took in the scene. The tiny backyard was filled with big, fit men.
    Her gaze found Ethan standing beside the grill, a beer in one hand as he flipped the burgers and talked to two guys who were built like linebackers. And that Sawyer guy was in a lawn chair talking to Mama Cruz, his black Stetson shading his face.
    Not just a simple family barbecue, then, as she’d assumed. She withheld a groan. She should have just stayed at work because she didn’t feel like socializing with a bunch of strangers right now.
    “Hey, Soli,” a bright female voice said from behind her.
    Marisol turned to face Carmela, Ethan’s sister.