She's the One Read Online Free Page A

that why she was here and insisted on staying? “What kind of photographer?”
    Alexandra blinked at the question. “Nature, wildlife. Mostly scenic stuff. I sell my photos online to businesses and advertising agencies for promotional materials. Have you seen the photos used for Roo Insurance or the Western States Tourism campaign? Those are mine,” she said with a proud smile. “And I’m also gathering photos for a gallery showing in Tennessee.”
    Not tabloid paparazzi. That was definitely good news. “Sounds like you’re doing well,” he murmured.
    Zeke often told him how paranoid he’d become since his arrest, but how could he not be? That experience, like all the others surrounding Lauren’s death, had changed him and not for the better. “But I believe you’d enjoy one of the other resorts or inns along the peninsula more. I’d be happy to give you a refund and help you rebook with another company. We can go do it right now.”
    “Wait a minute,” she said before he could take a step, her gaze searching his intently. “Let me get this straight. In this economy, you want to give my business away?”
    He heard the challenge in her tone, the incredulous curiosity and disbelief. Protesting the way he was, he was raising her suspicions to a degree that couldn’t be shrugged off. “It’s not because we don’t want your business,” he quickly corrected. “You’re welcome to stay at Deadwood Mountain but most women wouldn’t want to stay with us. That’s the point I’m trying to make. We’re very remote. We’ve been trying to hire a housekeeper for months and can’t get any takers.”
    It was a spin on the reality of the problem but the truth all the same. He blamed the power of the Internet. Unless they were fans of his work most people wouldn’t recognize him or associate his given name with anything of importance. But type his name into a search engine and his bestselling author pen name of Dylan MacGregor appeared—and immediately pulled up pages and pages of listings regarding his arrest and the sensationalism caused by a coincidence in one of his novels.
    Two years ago his life had played out like a soap opera on news and scandal sheets all over the world depicting the ruins of his burned home, his books and career, and his arrest and release. Regardless of the investigation’s final report listing the cause of the fire as accidental, he’d been painted a cold-blooded murderer who had taken a revenge scene from one of his novels and performed it in real life, seeking retribution by setting his wife and her lover on fire and letting the house burn down to cover the evidence. “I’m just trying to warn you that the lodge might not be your type of place.”
    “I see. Well, I appreciate the warning,” she said, a slight bite to her tone, “but I’m sure it will be fine. I might look soft but I like camping, and roughing it inside a lodge will be perfectly acceptable.”
    The tilt of her chin told him he wasn’t going to be able to change her mind without making her suspicious of why he persisted. And until she gave him a reason to believe she was there under false pretenses, he couldn’tturn her away without potentially opening the door he’d worked so hard to close, for his son’s sake if not his own.
    Dylan’s gaze shifted to the floor behind her and he bit back a sigh. If he needed more proof that she didn’t belong on Deadwood Mountain, right there it was. Air restrictions required duffel bag type luggage only, but Alexandra Tulane’s luggage wasn’t the typical black or blue or gray. No, even her luggage was feminine, a bold red and quilted . And instead of rifle bags and preferred fishing gear, she carried what he assumed to be large camera bags and a computer case. Just the sight of them made him cringe.
    “So…it’s settled then?”
    Her drawl rolled over his senses like cotton even though her tone was lined with steel. And out of the blue Dylan visualized Alexandra