Page 139 of Masters of Secrets

Yeah, well, sometimes the exercises didn’t help as much as she wanted them to, but it had helped a little. She felt a bit looser, a tad freer. The important thing that she needed to remember was Cassidy was safe, and she would be even safer in Pittsburgh, surrounded by an elite security team. She might even be able to find happiness. She was incredibly lucky to have such an option.

Giving herself a little shake, Julie lifted her chin and started up the walkway toward the house, taking in the details for the first time. It was a cute blue house with white shutters, one story, with a well-maintained lawn. The front of the house was lined with bushes, the kind that didn’t need much care other than the occasional trim but added to the overall picturesque quality of the house. There were two trees on either side of the house—and a little in front of it—creating a natural kind of frame. The leaves on the branches had started to turn, adding a pop of yellow and rusty orange to the scenery.

The front door, which matched the white shutters, opened before she reached it, and there was Connor, filling the doorframe behind the storm door. He raised his eyebrows at her as he pushed the storm door open and stepped to the side for her to enter.

Just seeing him made her feel a little better. So maybe she could hold it together to give him a nice date night after all. She still thought he deserved better than her current mood, but she’d do her best.

“Hi,” she said, smiling up at him and pausing in the doorway to go up on her tiptoes and collect a kiss. He bent his head down, a small brush of the lips as she passed, which left her wanting a little more.

“Hey. Everything okay?” he asked, closing the door behind her while she looked around the space.

The door opened into a great room, basically, since the whole area had an open floor plan, making the most of the square footage. It was a cozy space. To her right was a living area with a small sectional, an entertainment center and television, and two bookcases, although only one had actual books on it.

On the left was the dining area with a table with four chairs, though it could probably fit six more if a chair was placed on either end. Just past that was the kitchen, which was set up a little like a galley kitchen, but one side of the wall was open, with the counter creating an overhang. Bar stools were tucked underneath, providing another area for sitting and eating if someone didn’t want to use the table. It also doubled as prep space and a serving area.

“Yeah… just a long day.”

“I was starting to wonder if you were going to come in.”

She turned to look at him again. There was a bit of hesitation in his expression. Damn. He must have been watching her standing out there, debating on whether or not a date was actually a good idea.

“I just needed a few moments to gather myself,” she replied with an apologetic smile. “Nothing to do with you. It was just a really long day. I can’t really talk about it, though, because it had to do with a client.”

“Gotcha.” Sympathy replaced hesitation in his expression. “Can I get you something to drink? I’ve got water, wine, or beer. Or something stronger if you want.”

“Water to start and wine with dinner sounds great.” She’d forgotten to eat a snack today, so she’d save the alcohol until she had something in her stomach in hopes that it wouldn’t hit her so hard.

“Great.” He headed to the kitchen, and she breathed in, happily sighing at the scent of well-roasted meat.

“That smells incredible.” Following him toward the kitchen, she veered off to the left to pull out one of the stools and sit on the other side of the counter to watch him. There was a large bowl on the counter full of salad and what she assumed was the brisket resting under a cloth on a wooden cutting board.

“Good. Hopefully, it tastes incredible, too.” He gave her a little wink before opening one of the cabinet doors to pull out a water glass, pivoting to the fridge’s water dispenser to fill it up. “Ice?”

“No, thank you.” Yes, she knew it was weird, but ice made water too cold, then her teeth ached.

If Connor thought it was odd, it didn’t show. He just filled up the cup and passed it across the counter to her.

“The bread is almost ready, then we’ll be able to eat.” He grinned at her, seemingly very pleased with himself.

Julie couldn’t help but smile back. Yes, just being around Connor made her feel better. He was a nice reminder that there were good men out there. Men who were nothing like Dickhole Don. Men who didn’t tolerate men like Dickhole.

Which was why Dickhole had gotten himself kicked out of the club. Too bad there hadn’t been anything more they could do.

“How was your day?” she asked, lifting her glass to take a sip, which ended up turning into a gulp. She was thirstier than she’d realized.

“Pretty good. A couple of my coworkers are intent on trying to figure out who I’m dating.” His eyes sparkled with mischief while he opened the oven door.

Damn, that smelled good, too. Maybe part of her problem was that she was hangry.

“I figure I’ll give them a little more time to spin their wheels before I tell them your name.”

Julie laughed.

“Isn’t it amazing how people can get so caught up in what’s going on in someone else’s life?” she asked, shaking her head. “At least that’s not something I need to worry about at work.”

She had her own practice and no coworkers, and her clients definitely weren’t asking about her dating life. Not even the ones who were members of Stronghold and Marquis. They might ask her about it outside of their appointments but not during. Her whole day was about other people, with no one poking in her business, which was normally how she liked it.

“It was more fun when it wasn’t aimed at me,” he admitted with a chuckle. “I think the bread’s ready.”