Free Wife for Hire by Janet Evanovich Page B

trying to get out of walking,” she said. “I think you’re lazy.”
    The grin widened. “No, you don’t. You think I’m only out for one thing, and I’m sweet-talking you.”
    She felt the flush creep into her cheeks. “Well, you are the scourge of Skogen.”
    â€œTrue. But I’ve changed. All that’s behind me. It’s been years since I’ve been worth anything as a scourge.”
    â€œWhat about Linda Sue and Holly?”
    Linda Sue and Holly felt like part of hisextended family. He’d grown up with them. They made girlfriend noises, but it had been a long time since he’d found them exciting. Not since high school, in fact. And anything in a skirt had been exciting when he was in high school. “Linda Sue and Holly are my friends.”
    â€œHave you explained that to them lately?”
    â€œLinda Sue and Holly are good at talking, short on listening.”

Chapter 5
    â€œTell me about apples,” Maggie said, following the rutted road. “I want to know about your orchard.”
    â€œI grow five varieties of apples. The original orchard was all McIntosh, but I’ve put in Paula Reds, Empire, Red Delicious, and Northern Spy. It’s extended my growing season, and I think the blend of apples makes a more interesting cider.” He picked a small green apple. “This is a Northern Spy. It’s the apple I intend to build my pie business around. It’s a hard baking apple. Matures late in the season. Keeps well.” He threw the apple down the road and Horatio took off after it.
    So, he had to prove himself, she thought. She could relate to that. Her life wasn’t exactly filled with stellar accomplishments. She’d barely graduated from college, barely hung on to herteaching job, barely kept her sanity in Riverside. She was one of those women who put their sheets in the dryer because she knew damn well they wouldn’t mea sure up.
    It was kind of funny that she and Hank had come together. Two misfits aiming for their first real success. And how were they doing it? He wanted to bake pies, and she was writing about a madam. They were outrageous.
    They walked until they came to a stream. “Goose Creek,” Hank said. “My land ends here. When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time fishing and swimming in Goose Creek. If you follow it downstream, it fans out into a nice deep pool.”
    Maggie stood on the grassy bank and stared at the water. The colors of the land were muted, the sky was brilliant with a sunset, and Goose Creek gurgled as it rushed over rocks. She thought this would be a nice place to be a little boy. Goose Creek and cows and row after row of apple trees. It was the American Dream.
    When Aunt Kitty was a little girl there had been farms like this surrounding Riverside. Now there were shopping malls and highways and houses. Lots and lots of houses. And lots and lots of people. The people spilled out of the houses, clogging the roads and the supermarketaisles. Maggie’d had to stand in line to go to a movie, cash a check, buy a loaf of bread. And now here she was—just her and Hank and Goose Creek. It felt a little odd. All she could hear was Goose Creek and a cow, mooing in the distance. A cow, for crying out loud. Who would believe it.
    â€œI think I’m experiencing culture shock,” she told Hank.
    â€œWhat’s the matter, don’t they have cows in Riverside?” He moved closer, draping an arm around her shoulders. He felt her stiffen and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Don’t worry. This is a friendly gesture. I’ve decided not to put any big moves on you until your opinion of me changes.”
    â€œGee, thanks.”
    â€œI’m not even going to repeat my proposal of marriage for a while. I mean, after all, who would want to marry the scourge of Skogen?”
    She could hear a hint of laughter in his voice. It pulled at her, causing her to