Free Fate Intended (The Coulter Men Series Book 3) by Elizabeth Seckman Page A

done…then what?”
    “We?”
    “I’ve got time off, so I thought I’d spend it with you. And if you’re working, then I’m helping.”
    “You are?” She shut the dryer and leaned against it, her arms crossed over her chest.
    “Yep. Just tell me what I’m to do. And when we’re done…I was thinking…have you been outside today?”
    “Not since 6:00 A.M. when Frosty went to do his, ah, business.”
    “Well, it’s still beautiful outside. Skies are blue, sixty-three degrees. Perfect day for a picnic.”
    She grinned at him. “That sounds fun.”
    “Good. And,” he said, taking her hand and playing with her fingers, “I want to invite you to come with me to my brother’s. They want to meet you…see for themselves if you’re as good as I say.”
    “When? I thought you said they lived…”
    “Down south? Yes, they do. But, my oldest brother, Tres, he invited us to his house for the weekend, and if you’re coming, Craig says he’ll be up for sure. Says he has to…well, let’s just say…he’d like to meet you.”
    “What? Why?” Jane nudged him with her shoulder.
    Trip squeezed his eyes closed and rubbed his head with his free hand. “Craig hated Olivia….”
    “I like him,” Jane said with a laugh.
    “Yeah. He didn’t like her at all. And I was telling him about you and he is further convinced I have impaired judgment.”
    “Oh.” Jane’s spirit hit the floor.
    “It’s my fault. I never should have told him what I was thinking, about you being special.”
    “Oh?” Jane’s spirits found their way back to the ceiling
    “Well, you are. And yes, we’ve only been going out for a week, but I feel like I’ve known you a lot longer than that. But Craig doesn’t get it.” Trip took her hand and held it. “But after he meets you, he will understand.”
    “I don’t know. They don’t sound like they approve.”
    “They just want to meet you. It’s either we go there, or I assure you, they will come here.”
    “But an entire weekend? That would leave Sasha with all the work. I can’t do that.”
    “I could hire someone. Aren’t there cleaning crews you can hire by the hour?”
    Jane shook her head. “No…well, I’m sure there are, but not just anyone can clean. The people trust that their stuff is safe.” A blush heated her cheeks as she thought of her amateur hacking, but she shrugged the guilt away as she reminded herself that all was fair in the love war.
    “Please? I’ll help you clean as much as you need. See?” He held up a pair of neatly folded track pants and said, “I do good work.”             
    “I don’t know….”
    “Yes, you do. You want to go with me.”
    “Of course I do. I just don’t know how I can.”
    “How about this? We leave Friday, after work, and I get you home Sunday night. You will only miss Saturday. That’s workable, right?”
    “It is far, no?”
    “I can make it work. Will you go with me?”
    “I don’t….”
    He put a finger over her lips. “No, no. Don’t say no. Say yes.” Moving closer, his lips hovered close to hers. “Yes is the only answer I’ll accept. A weekend, with me…at the beach. Tres lives on the Outer Banks. I think you’ll like it there. Besides, you can’t break my heart and say no.”
    Jane chewed on her lower lip. Sasha was going to kill her, but— “I will think about it. Best I can say for now.”
    He planted a kiss on her that made her heart skip a beat, and then he smiled as if he’d already won her agreement.
    “You really shouldn’t have, Jane,” Trip argued as they walked out of McDonald’s and into the glorious December sunshine.
    “Of course I should. You helped me finish my work. Me buying lunch is completely fair.”
    “Well, thank you.”
    She carried the paper bag with the burgers and fries. He carried the sodas. They settled on a park bench and ate as they watched the water sparkle off the duck pond. The brown grass and barren trees seemed so much less gray and ugly