Free Home to Sparrow Lake (Harlequin Heartwarming) by Lynn Patrick Page A

pick up Brian and his buddies and try to scare them straight, but that wasn’t a long-term solution. Once they got over being chastised, they might just get sneakier. He needed to get to the people who had influence over them, to figure out what was missing or wrong in their lives, and then maybe he could make a difference.
    As to involving Kristen...
    She couldn’t have had many dealings with her brother for years, not with her in Chicago and him in California. Still, she was his sister, and family had power. Brian needed some guidance before he crossed a line, and Alex decided that was more important than his own personal life.
    No matter the outcome for him, he had to involve Brian’s sister, because it was the right thing to do.
    He could only hope that Kristen would be reasonable and work with him to find a way to divert her brother’s negative energies toward something good.
    * * *
    “A RE YOU SURE you want to paint the front door such a bright color?” Kristen asked as she looked down into the paint can.
    “Absolutely,” Margaret said. She stooped to stir the paint and eyed Kristen’s navy pants and white T-shirt. Not a speck of vivid color on her. Her niece was too conservative for her own good. “This will make the entryway pop.”
    Kristen raised her eyebrows. “A chartreuse front door. Okay.”
    Margaret laughed and dipped her paintbrush into the can. “It’s spring green, not chartreuse, and it’s a happy color. Lighten up, Kristen. Expand your vision of our world.” She loved that her niece had volunteered to help, but she wished the creative gene hadn’t passed Kristen by. “I’ve never wanted to be like everyone else, and I’ve been unhappy with this white door for a dozen years now, ever since I married Donald and moved into his place. He told me to paint it whatever color I wanted, but I never did. It’s about time I’m finally doing something about it.”
    Margaret brushed color onto one part of the panel and admired the bright yellow-green, similar to the capris and flowing shirt she wore.
    “I’m surprised you waited this long, Aunt Margaret.”
    As if reluctant to be part of this, Kristen carefully dipped her own brush into the paint and started working on the trim.
    “Donald was as conservative as you are, sweetheart,” Margaret said. “This was his house long before we married, so I kept things the way he was used to. I had my studio and my art. He had the beautiful home he’d always wanted. We were both happy compromising. After he died, I thought to make some changes, but I kept myself so busy I didn’t have time to take pleasure in the little things.”
    “Hmm. You’re saying I’m like your late husband, but Alex thinks I’m like you. The keeping-busy-every-minute-of-the-day part, anyway.”
    Heather had told Margaret about Alex arresting her sister for jaywalking yesterday. But for some reason Kristen didn’t sound angry or defensive when talking about the man.
    “So now it’s Alex, is it?” Margaret mused.
    “That is his name.”
    Kristen didn’t look at her, kept her gaze on her paintbrush as if mesmerized. Margaret smiled. The charming police chief had undoubtedly gotten to her niece. Very, very good in the scheme of things. The more Kristen had to like about living in Sparrow Lake, the less reason she would have to go back to Chicago.
    “So, Kristen, when are you seeing Alex again?”
    Her niece gave her a look that was probably meant to show she was annoyed, but informed Margaret that Kristen wasn’t so sure of herself.
    “I’m not seeing Alex. Well, unless I jaywalk again, and he happens to be around, I guess.”
    “I heard about that and about your delivering meals to seniors instead of paying the fine. Why didn’t you just pay? It was only a dollar.”
    Kristen shrugged and kept painting. “Alex rubs me the wrong way. He got my back up.”
    Delighted, Margaret dipped her brush again and attacked the door with renewed enthusiasm. She hadn’t