Lambert's Peace Read Online Free

Old English sheepdog rescue. Some family in Maine couldn’t care for him, so I adopted him a couple of years ago.”
    Taylor looked up. “He’s a lucky dog.”
    â€œI believe you challenged me to a game of one-on-one.”
    She stood straight, her hands on her hips. “I believe I did.”
    Will motioned to the side of the court. “Harry, go lie down.”
    The big dog hesitated, looking between Taylor and Will as if he wasn’t sure whether he wanted to obey his master or stay with his new friend. “Harry, lie down,” Will repeated, pointing courtside.
    This time, Harry obediently loped over to the grass.
    Will tucked the ball under his arm. “Look at you. One face lick and you’ve captured the affection of my dog.”
    â€œSeems to be my only talent these days.”
    Will raised a brow, wondering what that was supposed to mean, but let the comment go. He bounce-passed the ball to her. “Ladies first.”
    â€œI haven’t played in a while,” Taylor said, dribbling, squaring off in front of Will.
    â€œWhoa now, no excuses. You challenged me, remember?”
    She laughed, and he remembered how much he loved the melody of her merriment.
    With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she taunted him. “Is that a spare tire around your middle, Adams, or have you put on a few pounds?”
    Will guffawed and patted his belly. “Nothing spare around here, Hanson. You worry about yourself. Having worked a desk job and all, I’m wondering if you have the stamina for this.”
    On the heels of his last word, Taylor drove the ball up the middle of the lane. Will moved into her path, but she shoved past him for an easy layup.
    â€œI believe that’s one for me and nothing for you.” She tossed him the ball then turned in a circle, waving her index fingers in the air. “One to nothing, one to nothing.”
    Will shook his head, bouncing the ball. “You are so going to be humiliated, Hanson.”
    She made a funny face. “We’ll see.”
    He’d forgotten how competitive she was. “First player to twenty-one wins,” he said.
    â€œWhat’s the prize?” Taylor asked, leaning forward, her hands on her knees.
    The word came without thought but from the depths of his heart. “Dinner.”
    Taylor stood upright, her jaw jutted forward. Will thought he saw a flicker of … what? Anger? Doubt? Resistance?
    After a second, she said, “What about your girlfriend, Mia?”
    Will squared his shoulders. “She’s not my girlfriend. Just a dinner date.”
    â€œDoes she know that?”
    â€œI made no promises, if that’s what you mean.” Will bounced the ball once.
    â€œAll right, then, dinner,” Taylor said.
    Will smiled with a nod, then jumped into motion, running around the top of the basketball key. “Good. I hear your New York salary can afford to take me to a nice place.”
    Taylor tried to block, but he ran around her for an outside jump shot. An easy point.
    Taylor took the ball, recounting the score. “One to one.”
    â€œGetting scared yet?”
    â€œNo, are you?” she asked with a sideways smirk.
    Actually, yes—afraid of falling in love before the game is over
.
    Taylor made another basket, then he made two as daylight faded to dusk. Will played hard, but as always, Taylor proved to be a worthy competitor.
    When the score reached fifteen to sixteen, Will called for a time-out. “I need a little water.”
    Taylor smiled. “I just ran five miles, and you don’t see me begging for water.”
    â€œOverachiever.”
    â€œJealous.”
    To Will, the whole scenario was like a picture out of their past. After high school, most of their friends married or moved away from White Birch, so Will and Taylor spent nearly every college summer break together, shooting hoops, taking long runs, or grabbing pizza at Giuseppe’s. Then,