his snarly preteen and replaced him with somebody older and
wiser? Not to mention, a bit kinder to his kid sister?
“Was there something else?” Justin asked, apparently ready
to get back to his writing.
William had the sneaking suspicion Justin was up to
something. For some odd reason, he suspected it had something to do with girls.
“Everything all right?”
“Oh yeah, Dad. Just dandy.”
Dandy? “There’s
nothing you want to tell me about? Nothing you want to discuss?” Like your raging hormones or possible new
interest in girls , William
wanted to ask.
Justin smiled at him, tightlipped. “Nope.”
****
Chapter Ten
William had been pondering a way to see Lucy again, but knew
that it wouldn’t be right just to pop on over there and say hi the day before her wedding. Still, he
had her gifts to return. Bridget’s gifts, anyway. William peered in the top box,
his face firing red. Well, no wonder Lucy hadn’t wanted him to look! He paused,
wondering what had become of his sense of adventure. He wasn’t even forty and
yet it seemed he’d morphed into an old man. Something about the light in Lucy’s
bright blue eyes told him she could find a way to reawaken his youth. Hadn’t he
nearly been driven to pull her into his arms and carry her up to his bed half a
dozen times? Okay, he had carried her upstairs that once. But given that they
scarcely knew each other at the time, and she was effectively passed out, that
didn’t seem to count.
William sat on the side of the bed, feeling foolish. There
really hadn’t been anyone since Karen died. The fact was, when his wife had
gone he’d been so devastated by the entire event, he didn’t believe he’d ever
love again. And then, this stranger waltzed into his house... More like
sleepwalked... And suddenly, his heart was all over itself, unable to stop its
pounding each time that she was near. There was something about her, he didn’t know
what, that just seemed so right. It was like she’d belonged in this house . . .
and in his arms, he thought, as his neck flushed hot. Though he never truly got
the chance to hold her like he’d yearned to do. He tried to imagine what that
might be like, having a wife and mother in this house once more. He’d never
before trusted there would be a way for that to work. The person would have to
be very special. Extra special. To fit such a large bill.
But what was he doing entertaining such cockamamie notions?
Tomorrow, Lucy was marrying Mitch. That was the life she was meant to lead, and
had decided on, long before she’d wound up on William’s sofa. It wasn’t like a
few days with his family were going to change her mind.
Lucy trudged through the snow up to William’s house, her
palms damp inside her warm wool gloves. For the past forty-eight hours, she’d
been dreaming up any excuse she could think of to come on over. Then, she
recalled Bridget’s packages. Of course, she had to get them back and make that
delivery. After all, she’d promised Mitch.
Maybe it was true that deep inside she longed to see William
again. Ever since staying with the Kinkaids, she’d felt oddly conflicted about
her upcoming wedding. Perhaps dropping by this morning would set everything right.
She’d had a few days to gather her thoughts and distance herself from the disconcerting
events that had occurred here, she thought, climbing the front porch steps.
Lucy paused, taking in the pretty handmade Christmas wreath, tied up with a
bright red bow and hanging from the front door. Everything in this house teemed
with life.
Especially William! She looked up with a start when he opened
the door, before she could ring the bell. He stood there in his parka,
appearing more handsome than ever, light brown eyes sparkling with surprise.
“Lucy!” he said, holding a stack of Christmas gifts.
“Bridget’s packages,” she exclaimed, heaving a breath. “I
was just coming to get them!”
He raised his
wiser? Not to mention, a bit kinder to his kid sister?
“Was there something else?” Justin asked, apparently ready
to get back to his writing.
William had the sneaking suspicion Justin was up to
something. For some odd reason, he suspected it had something to do with girls.
“Everything all right?”
“Oh yeah, Dad. Just dandy.”
Dandy? “There’s
nothing you want to tell me about? Nothing you want to discuss?” Like your raging hormones or possible new
interest in girls , William
wanted to ask.
Justin smiled at him, tightlipped. “Nope.”
****
Chapter Ten
William had been pondering a way to see Lucy again, but knew
that it wouldn’t be right just to pop on over there and say hi the day before her wedding. Still, he
had her gifts to return. Bridget’s gifts, anyway. William peered in the top box,
his face firing red. Well, no wonder Lucy hadn’t wanted him to look! He paused,
wondering what had become of his sense of adventure. He wasn’t even forty and
yet it seemed he’d morphed into an old man. Something about the light in Lucy’s
bright blue eyes told him she could find a way to reawaken his youth. Hadn’t he
nearly been driven to pull her into his arms and carry her up to his bed half a
dozen times? Okay, he had carried her upstairs that once. But given that they
scarcely knew each other at the time, and she was effectively passed out, that
didn’t seem to count.
William sat on the side of the bed, feeling foolish. There
really hadn’t been anyone since Karen died. The fact was, when his wife had
gone he’d been so devastated by the entire event, he didn’t believe he’d ever
love again. And then, this stranger waltzed into his house... More like
sleepwalked... And suddenly, his heart was all over itself, unable to stop its
pounding each time that she was near. There was something about her, he didn’t know
what, that just seemed so right. It was like she’d belonged in this house . . .
and in his arms, he thought, as his neck flushed hot. Though he never truly got
the chance to hold her like he’d yearned to do. He tried to imagine what that
might be like, having a wife and mother in this house once more. He’d never
before trusted there would be a way for that to work. The person would have to
be very special. Extra special. To fit such a large bill.
But what was he doing entertaining such cockamamie notions?
Tomorrow, Lucy was marrying Mitch. That was the life she was meant to lead, and
had decided on, long before she’d wound up on William’s sofa. It wasn’t like a
few days with his family were going to change her mind.
Lucy trudged through the snow up to William’s house, her
palms damp inside her warm wool gloves. For the past forty-eight hours, she’d
been dreaming up any excuse she could think of to come on over. Then, she
recalled Bridget’s packages. Of course, she had to get them back and make that
delivery. After all, she’d promised Mitch.
Maybe it was true that deep inside she longed to see William
again. Ever since staying with the Kinkaids, she’d felt oddly conflicted about
her upcoming wedding. Perhaps dropping by this morning would set everything right.
She’d had a few days to gather her thoughts and distance herself from the disconcerting
events that had occurred here, she thought, climbing the front porch steps.
Lucy paused, taking in the pretty handmade Christmas wreath, tied up with a
bright red bow and hanging from the front door. Everything in this house teemed
with life.
Especially William! She looked up with a start when he opened
the door, before she could ring the bell. He stood there in his parka,
appearing more handsome than ever, light brown eyes sparkling with surprise.
“Lucy!” he said, holding a stack of Christmas gifts.
“Bridget’s packages,” she exclaimed, heaving a breath. “I
was just coming to get them!”
He raised his
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