Free Undercover Heat by Danielle LaBue

mean?”
    Again, he scanned the front isles. No Carrie. And that was fine. No sense being slandered in front of her. He smiled at the girl as if he agreed, then turned his atten tion back to the magazine rack.
    “Wait a minute. I know you!” The girl snapped her gum when she leveled a pointed finger at him. “You’re Amy Miller’s older brother! I’m Kelly. I know Amy from school. Your picture is hanging in her dorm room.”
    Ty shifted his weight, and the rotted floor whined underneath him. Whoever this Todd guy was, she seemed happy to see him, and he never liked to disappoint a pretty girl. His decision made, he cleared his throat. Improv. Just like when he hosted Saturday Night Live. “Hi. Yes, that’s right.” He extended his hand to her. “It’s good to be home. I missed this place.”
    “Todd, right? I’ve totally heard so much about you.”
    Carrie Ann came up to the counter, spilling her handful of items in front of Kelly. She looked past Ty like she didn’t know him, and he picked up on her queue. Either she had overheard his conversation with the girl, and was keeping out of it, or she had an agenda all her own.
    “Well, tell Amy I said, ‘Hi’ , ” Kelly chirped. “I forgot she lived up here, too. You can totally come out with us if you want. I’m not sure there’s a whole lot to do up here, but I’m sure we could find something.”
    The smile widened on Carrie’s face. He moved over when she reached in front of him, pulling a magazine from the rack. “You know, I just overheard you two talking about that Ty Hollister.” Carrie held up Celeb! Magazine and read the headline out loud. “Layla Plays it Straight. I want my Husband Back.”
    “God, do you blame her?” Kelly said, punching the buttons on the register. “The guy might play around, but he is, by far, the hottest man ever.”
    “He’s not bad.” Carrie shrugged. “He just seems like sort of a jerk.”
    “I’ve seen all his movies. And he was on that TV show. What was it?” Kelly looked up to the ceiling, waving Carrie’s twenty in the air. “Undercover... something.”
    “ Undercover Heat , ” Carrie supplied, pulling the zipper closed on her wallet and stuffing it back in her pocket.
    “Oh yeah , ” Ty said, leaning against the counter facing Carrie. “And his costar. Was it Carrie Ann Langley?” He folded his arms, seeing a challenge in her little game. “Wow, she was a beautiful woman.”
    Carrie smirked. “Really, you thought so?”
    “Hell yeah, and talented. I think she won an Emmy.”
    “Hmm, just one?” She took the change from Kelly. “I thought it was two.”
    Ty brushed his beard with his hand. A dramatic pause, but also a moment to contain the laughter. “You know I remember reading somewhere that they had a thing.”
    Carrie raised a brow. “Really, you mean like a romantic thing?”
    “No way,” Kelly said from somewhere behind the register.
    “For real.” He leaned over, with his elbows on the counter. “Yeah, and I also heard that he was so heartbroken over their break up that he never got over her.”
    Kelly put her hand over her heart. “Oh, that is so romantic.”
    “And I don’t blame him , ” Ty added. “Carrie Ann Langley... Wow.” He extended his hand to Carrie, and she took it. “I’m Todd Miller by the way, and forgive me for saying so, but you remind me a lot of her.”
    “Really?”
    “Does she?” Kelly giggled, piling the food into a paper bag. “I don’t really remember her.”
    “She had incredible eyes and a smile that’d melt ice.” He looked up at Carrie. “I always had a thing for her. Still do.”
    “That’s sweet,” Kelly said.
    “And a little scary,” Carrie added, taking the bag off the counter. “That show has been off the air for alm ost five years. Move on, Todd.”
    She breezed past him, her elbow bumping his shoulder. When he heard the bell on the way out the door, he paid for a pack of gum and followed. By the time he made it down the