Free Campaigning for Love by K.D. Fleming Page B

“Katherine, I thought since you couldn’t make it Friday night I wouldn’t be seeing you this morning.”
    “I told you I’d be with Uncle Charles.”
    “Oh, Jeremy, let me introduce Nick Delaney.” The judge motioned Nick forward. “He’s serving in my court with Katherine for the next month.”
    Jeremy extended his hand in a neutral greeting.
    “Pastor.” Nick’s response was as cool.
    Katherine wondered at Jeremy’s uncharacteristic stiffness. But then, Nick appeared standoffish too. There was no time to dwell on their odd behavior. They were holding up the line of members scrambling for Jeremy’s attention. Jeremy squeezed her hand before Nick grasped her elbow and guided her away.
    * * *
    Back on the road, Nick cut his eyes to the rearview mirror and watched Katherine.
    “He’s your Friday night date?”
    A blush stole across her face. “He’s a friend.”
    He waited for her to elaborate, but she held silent. “Judge Pierce, are we free to go once we get back to your house?”
    “You two have fulfilled my requirements. I trust you will remember this experience and behave with more civility in my courtroom in the future.”
    “Absolutely. Yes, sir.” They answered at the same time.
    After they dropped the judge at home, Nick stowed both of their bags in his vehicle. He shook hands with the judge, promising to deliver Katherine on time to the awards dinner.
    They drove off in silence. He tugged his tie loose then merged with the traffic. “I guess this is two Friday nights you’ll miss seeing Jeremy.”
    “He’ll be at the ceremony.” She rotated as much as her seat belt would allow. “In fact, I can ride with him so you don’t have to go out of your way.”
    Was that desperation in her voice? He glanced over, but she’d turned away. At a red light, he laid his hand over hers. She jumped and his lips quirked into a half smile. “I don’t mind. Besides, if you don’t show, the judge will blame me.”
    She glared. For the rest of the drive, he left her to her own thoughts. He set her overnight bag on the porch at her house and waited until she’d unlocked the front door. “I’ll see you Tuesday morning in court, Miss Harper. Have a good night.”
    “Thanks. You too.”
    As he backed out of Katherine’s driveway, Nick pulled his cell phone out and punched speed dial. His basketball buddy answered on the second ring.
    “I thought you might call,” Jeremy said, his voice tinged with laughter.
    “Funny, very funny. Are you home or did you take some single parishioner out to lunch?”
    “Actually, I went to lunch with Senator and Abby Blackmon. She’s very beautiful.” Jeremy sighed.
    “I’ve heard that. Are you at home? We need to talk.” He didn’t bother disguising the edge in his voice.
    “Ah, so the new attorney who’s driving Katherine Harper crazy is you. I had no idea you two knew each other that well.”
    “We haven’t seen each other in a long time.” Nick pulled over on the side of the road for safety. “It’s complicated. Can I come over or not?”
    “There’s no service tonight so I’m free for the afternoon. We can watch the game while we talk.”
    Not twenty minutes later, Nick pulled up in front of the ranch-style parsonage Pastor Jeremy Walker called home. Before he could ring the doorbell, Jeremy opened the door.
    “Come on in.” Jeremy stepped back and threw his arm out in an open gesture. As soon as Nick stepped inside, Jeremy nailed him with the question he’d expected. “Tell me why you didn’t want Katherine and Judge Pierce to know we’re friends.”
    Nick followed him into the den, where a flat-screen TV was mounted on the wall. He sat down in the twin to the leather recliner Jeremy called his “quarterback-coaching” chair. “I didn’t know you were the Jeremy she volunteers with on Friday nights. I finally have her where she’ll open up to me and I thought if she knew about our connection, she’d clam up again.”
    Jeremy folded his