Defender

9780373793464_PL.inddExtracted 1 threads from 9780373793464-exw.PDFUntitled Article 01: UntitledFriday, August 28thEveningST. PETERS CHURCH looked deserted. When Sadie Oliver had driven by a few seconds ago, thered been no one on the steps. Her sister Julianas note had said to come at seven, but the only indication that there was anything going on was a dark van shed spotted blocking the entrance to the little parking area behind the church. Thered been something vaguely familiar about the man behind the wheel but she hadnt been able to draw up the memory. Sadie was debating whether or not to swing back and ask him to move so that she could park behind the church when she finally spotted a space just big enough to squeeze her Miata into. She hated being late, but a glance at her watch told her shed slipped into the tardy zone by almost ten minutes. Grabbing her purse, Sadie scrambled out of her car, locked the door and slipped her key into her pocket. She also hated feeling guilty. Maybe if she wasnt so obses- sive-compulsive, shed have been willing to leave some unfinished work on her desk over the weekend. But shewasobsessive-compulsiveandlateandfeeling guilty. Spotting her reflection in the drivers window of her car, she addeddowdyto her list. Just the cherry she needed to top off a very depressing sundae. Sadie narrowed her eyes as she studied her image in the glass. Her long, dark hair was pulled back in a braid because she didnt like to fuss with it. Her earrings and suit were definitely conservative and work oriented. Shed taken great care in the selection because she wanted to represent her family well. But the ensemble reflected in the glass didnt make the transition to after- five easily. Not that she was an after-five kind of girl, or had been, well, ever. It wasnt until shed begun to work at Oliver Enterprises that shed bought a couple of basic black dresses appropriate for the social functions that she was expected to attend as part of the Oliver family. Finally, she glanced down at her shoes and winced. They werewellserviceable was the best word she could come up with.Dowdyrepeated the little voice in the back of her mind. Annoyed, she turned and hurried up the street. A few months ago, she wouldnt have given a second thought to the way she looked. Her baby sister Juliana, whod taken after their mother, had always been the girlie-girl. Since Sadie had tried to do everything her older brother Roman could do, shed become a bit of a tomboy. Being awoman,fussing with her clothes and her hair had always made heruncomfortable. But shed been sat- isfied with herself. Hadnt she? Sadie frowned. It had only been since Theo Angelis had stopped to talk to her in the courthouse two months ago that shed caught herself glancing in the mirror more frequently andwhat? Seeing herself the way Theo would see her?Dowdy,insisted the little voice. oeStop being ridiculous, she scolded herself as she picked up her pace. Theo ASummers, Cara is the author of 'Defender ', published 2007 under ISBN 9780373793464 and ISBN 0373793464.