Free Not Just Friends (Brookfield) by Lacey Wolfe Page A

about that.”
    Cody
motioned her from the door.
    “Cody
needs me. I’ve got to go.”
    “I’ll
call you later.”
    Alyssa
pressed the end button and joined her brother.
    “I’m
taking Matt back to my place,” Cody told her.
    “Can
you do that?”
    “I
talked to the sheriff, Seth, and he’s fine with it. Less paperwork this way. Come
on by when you’re ready and we’ll get to the bottom of all of this.”
    “I
might as well follow you.”
    Cody
shook his head. “I want some time alone with him.”
    Alyssa
nodded and understood. Cody was not only wanting to get to the bottom of it,
but he was the brother of the two women this man was messing with. Good luck to
Matt by the time Cody got done with him.
    * * * *
    Connor
sat at his desk doodling on a sheet of paper. He was doing his best to listen
to the client on the other end go on and on about his worries with the stock
market. Connor needed to reassure his client that things were fine on Wall Street
and not to move stock, but all he could think about was Alyssa and how she must
have felt when she found someone sleeping in The Reading Corner.
    He
supposed he should be relieved it was only her ex, but that seemed to bother
him much more than if it was some bum. He was falling hard for Alyssa, and
fast. Sure, they’d been friends for a few years, so it wasn’t like they didn’t
know one another. Alyssa knew more about him than most of his guy friends. But
that didn’t put him at ease about the way he longed for her. To touch her.
Smell her. Taste her.
    Connor
caught himself from groaning. He was positive his client wouldn’t appreciate
it.
    “Listen,
your stocks are fine. I understand your concern and I suppose the president’s
speech didn’t help, but from what I can see, things are fine. Your stocks are
growing. You’re not losing.” Connor dropped the pencil.
    “I
want to believe you,” his client said.
    “Then
do it. Isn’t that what you pay me for? If you’re not making money, I’m not
either.”
    “You’ve
got a point. Okay, okay, I’ll stop complaining.”
    Finally.
But it had been one of those days. It seemed like whenever the president
addressed the country, people went frantic. You would think they’d feel
reassured. “If anything changes, I’ll call you immediately.”
    “I
know you will, Mr. Phillips. Have a good day.”
    Connor
put the phone back on the hook and leaned back in his chair, placing his hands
behind his head. He had one more meeting and then he could leave. Could he get
out of it? Doubtful. But he was sure Alyssa was fine. Her brother had been
there and he would keep her safe.
    One
thing Connor did know was he hated the idea of Alyssa’s ex being back in town.
Even though he was sure Alyssa didn’t want Matt, jealousy still filled his
veins knowing that she had once been involved with him.
    * * * *
    Alyssa
pulled up to Cody’s house. Sitting in her car for a few minutes, she took long
breaths to compose herself. It had taken a bit longer than she expected for
Cody to contact her, but as soon as he did, she was out the door and headed to
his place. Hopefully they’d have their answers and could send Matt’s sorry butt
back to Diane, and they could live happily ever after or whatever.
    She
climbed out the car and up the steps to the older home. She knocked lightly on
the door and heard Cody call for her to come in. As she entered his place, she
saw the two men sitting on the couch. Matt looked rough. His blond hair was a
mess.
    “Come
on in and have a seat.” Cody motioned toward the couch.
    She
took a seat on the opposite end from Matt.
    “I’m
sorry,” Matt began, “I’ve been sleeping in my car. I knew you weren’t open on Mondays,
so I thought I could get some rest in your store.”
    “How
did you get in?” she asked.
    “I
still have my key to your place.”
    “Did
you go through my home?” He must have. The key to the front of the store was
different. She needed to get her locks changed