Rescued by Larynn Ford Page A

her.
    “Hey,” Rose responded moving toward the pair. “It’s good to see you.” She cut her eyes toward Marty’s truck. At least he had the good sense to pretend to search for something in the console compartment before he got out of the truck and started toward the house.
    “Hey, I see you didn’t have any trouble finding the place,” Randy, one of the boys Marty shot hoops with this morning called.
    Marty extended his hand in greeting. “No trouble at all. You gave good directions.” He inhaled a deep breath. “Hey, y’all got the grill going already. Smells great.”
    “Yeah, everything’s set up out back. Hope you’re hungry.”
    “Are you kidding? After the workout you fellas gave me this morning, I’m starving.”
    They joined the group gathered in the backyard. Marty surveyed the area. Wendy and Rose were throwing lawn darts at plastic circles on the grass. Some of the others were at the patio table deep into a card game, a couple of folks were manning the grill, and two more were shooting arrows at a foam target hanging on the fence. Family fun time. There was nothing visible here to raise any suspicion of wrongdoing. Still, there were unanswered questions and he would get some answers tonight.
    “Food’s ready. Come and get it.” One of the adults from the house brought a platter of hotdogs to each of the picnic tables set for supper. The girls gathered at one table and the boys at the other.
    Roxie reached for the chips, leaned close to Penelope, and whispered, “who’s Randy’s friend? Nice ass. Wouldn’t mind getting me some of that.”
    Penelope elbowed her friend and giggled. “Roxie, you are so bad. I thought you liked Jeremy.”
    “Jeremy’s a kid compared to that.”
    “They can’t be more than a year or two apart.”
    “A year’s experience can make all the difference, Pen,” Roxie responded but didn’t take her eyes off Marty. The girl was practically drooling.
    “Pass the potato salad, please.” Rose changed the direction of the conversation before she leapt across the table and gave Roxie a lesson in respecting other people. How dare that little hussy plan any moves on her mate?
    Whoa. Where did that come from? Before she realized it, her blood had boiled at the thought of any other female touching Marty.
    “Besides, he’s been checking out Rose since he got here. Not so sure you’d have a chance. Have you noticed his eyes all over you, Rose?” Penelope asked.
    “No, no way. Not interested. He’s not my type.” Rose tried her best to hide the green-eyed monster that reared its ugly head inside her. She had sensed his eyes on her all evening. Coupled with the scent of attraction he was giving off that only his mate could detect, it was hard to think of anything except him.
    This had to stop. She had to focus. What is wrong with me? Why am I reacting to these schoolgirls and their adolescent boy talk? Roxie’s a silly little girl barely out of high school. But one with big intentions. Intentions toward her mate.
    “What’s type got to do with it? I’ll take a good time wherever I can find it. Life’s too short to wait for the right type, ladies.” Roxie didn’t bother to hide her attraction to Marty as she doled out the relationship advice.
    “Susan, this is the best potato salad I’ve had since my mama’s.” Rose had to change the subject and change it fast. Her focus was to get into the house, snoop around, and gather information. Ripping into Roxie didn’t fit into her plans.
    “Thank you, Rose. So, your mother’s not here in Memphis with you?” Susan sounded like any normal concerned adult.
    “No, she passed away when I was in high school and my daddy a few years later. He had set aside money for my college fund from the time I was born and when I got a partial scholarship here, I made the move.” She stared at her plate and pushed a few chunks of pickle and potato around with her fork. There was no need to fake her sadness at not having her