Falling for You by Julie Ortolon Page B

she turned about.
    “What would we do with it if we didn’t?” Adrian asked.
    “Rent it for parties,” Allison suggested.
    “Actually,” Summer said, “that’s a good idea. It would also make a good meeting room for day conferences.”
    “Conferences.” Allison scrunched up her face in distaste. “The room is meant for dancing. For letting some divinely handsome man sweep you around the floor and right off your feet.”
    “May I?” Aurora said in a deep voice and bowed to her sister.
    “Why, sir, I’d be honored.” Allison batted her eyes playfully. The sight of them waltzing about the room, one petite and dark-haired, the other as tall and golden as a Valkyrie, made Chance smile.
    “Rory, that’s not how a man dances,” Adrian complained. “You’re letting Alli lead.”
    “I have to let her lead. She’s older than me.” Aurora laughed as they continued to twirl about.
    “She might be older but she’s only half your size.” Adrian intercepted them as they passed by. “Here, silly, like this.” He spun Aurora into his arms and whirled through a series of sweeping turns.
    “Now isn’t this more fun than dividing it up into smaller rooms?” Aurora said. The two moved with fluid grace, and Chance felt a stab of envy that it wasn’t his hands guiding her through the waltz.
    “You’re right.” Adrian agreed. “And with all the other work that needs to be done, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to leave it as is for now.”
    “Does that mean you want to do it?” Aurora asked. “You agree the house would make a good bed-and-breakfast?”
    “I think it would make a great bed-and-breakfast.” He stopped dancing and turned to Allison. “What about you?”
    A slow smile came over Allison’s face. “I agree.”
    “Do you mean it?” Aurora looked from one to the other, hope shining in her eyes. “You really want to do it?”
    “If we can get the loan,” Adrian said. “I say let’s go for it.”
    With a squeal, Aurora leapt against his chest and wrapped her arms about his neck and her legs about his hips. Then, laughing, she bounded to Allison and scooped her sister off the ground in a hug.
    “Rory!” Allison squeaked as Aurora twirled her about. “Put me down. We haven’t qualified yet, you know.”
    “I know, but it’s going to happen. I can just feel it!” Releasing her sister, she twirled about the room, spinning and spinning with her head thrown back. “We’re going to have the best bed-and-breakfast in all Galveston!”
    Summer sent Chance a satisfied look before she addressed the St. Claires. “Is there anything else you’d like to see before we discuss your offer?”
    “I’d like to see the kitchen again,” Adrian said.
    “And the music room,” Allison added. “Rory?”
    “You two go on.” Aurora moved toward the French doors. “I’ll be down in a minute.”
    The others headed downstairs, the clatter of their feet and voices fading, while Chance stood absorbing the quiet that followed. A breeze danced in from the open doors, dispelling the mustiness with the scent of sunshine and surf. On the balcony, he saw Aurora arching against the rail with her head back as she breathed the moment in.
    Unable to resist, he went to the doors but stopped on the threshold. What a picture she made, a yellow shirt tied at the waist over faded denim cutoffs, her sun-bright hair flying on the breeze, and the azure waters of the cove stretched out before her.
    “So, you’re really going to go for it?”
    She turned with a laugh. “Did you ever think we wouldn’t?”
    “No. I had a feeling you would.”
    “Oh, Chance, you can’t imagine how happy I am right now.”
    He wished he could. God, he wished he knew how it felt to be that free and impulsive just once, without worrying about the consequences.
    “Do you think she’s happy, too?” Aurora asked.
    “She?”
    “Marguerite? To know her descendants are finally going to win.”
    “You’re a long way from pulling it off, you