them,
when what we should be afraid of is how empty our life will be if we don’t grab
onto happiness while we can.” He stopped the movement of the rocking chair and
leaned forward. “Do you want to go through life wondering, Carmen?”
“But Jake hasn’t said anything. You know
what I mean, Sean. We’ve only known each other a couple of days. I can’t expect
him to...” Her words trailed off.
“Can’t expect him to what?” His eyes
flashed. “Come on, own it. What do you want from him?”
“I want to stay, but I want him to ask
me. I want him to tell me he loves me as much as I love him.”
Sean eased back into the chair, a satisfied
smile on his face. “There, that wasn’t so hard, was it? But you’re telling the
wrong person.”
“Do you think so?” Hope erased the doubt
on her face.
He rose. “Even when we were young, I was
never able to figure out what goes on in that bone head of his. But you’re
making yourself crazy playing ‘what ifs’, Carmen.” He smiled down at her.
“You’ll know when the time is right.”
* * *
Nick walked down the driveway as soon as
Danielle pulled up in front of the jobsite. It looked like he wanted to have a word
with her before the homeowners started in on her.
“Is everything okay?” she asked.
He looked frustrated. “Yes, but it’s
kind of late to make changes, Dani. They want to add a sunroom. That would
probably double the bill.” He lowered his voice. “Do they have money?”
She waved and smiled at the wife, who
was in the living room, watching them through the window. “I don’t think that
will be a problem, but I can’t give them a price today.”
“Okay, well let’s go and talk to them.”
Alain and Marie Bourget, the newly
retired homeowners, apologized profusely. “...but we saw the lovely sunroom you
built for the Berkshires and we fell in love with it.” The husband and wife
exchanged glances. “We’d like one very similar, and we thought that since the
house is already opened up...”
Danielle nodded, and Nick did the same.
“Show us where you’d like it and we’ll work something out.”
The consultation took longer than she’d
expected, and when the grandfather clock chimed eleven, Danielle looked at her
watch.
“Uh oh. I’m supposed to be out at
Silverton at noon.” She turned to Nick. “Can you carry on here for a few days?
If necessary, we can secure the roof in case it rains, but in the meantime I
have to run.”
“No problem. Talk to you later.”
The homeowners thanked her, and she
assured them that the sunroom would be a valuable addition to their home. A
sunroom had been one of her first real jobs when she set up her business. Had
it really been ten years ago? She’d always been grateful to the Berkshires for
their confidence in her abilities.
She drove off with a smile on her face, lost
in happy memories. Then the memory of what she’d seen this morning came
crashing back. How could Grayson have gone from asking her to come to his ranch
to spending the night with Andrea? Yes, she had turned him down, but she hadn’t
imagined the tenderness, the intensity in his kiss. Or had she?
She took a swallow of coffee from her
thermos cup. It was almost cold, but she scarcely noticed as realization
struck.
She’d been looking at this situation entirely
the wrong way. She should be relieved that she’d discovered his true nature
now... before she did something foolish, like fall farther in love with him.
Love? The word bounced around inside her
head, as elusive and unsettled as her emotions. Was she in love with Grayson
Crawford? In spite of everything that had happened, it was time to be honest,
and unfortunately, the answer was yes. Unfortunate because he’d asked for her
trust.
It was a good thing she hadn’t given it
before she’d learned who he really was.
When the turn-off to Silverton came up,
she was gripping the steering wheel so hard her knuckles were white. Prying her
hands loose, she
when what we should be afraid of is how empty our life will be if we don’t grab
onto happiness while we can.” He stopped the movement of the rocking chair and
leaned forward. “Do you want to go through life wondering, Carmen?”
“But Jake hasn’t said anything. You know
what I mean, Sean. We’ve only known each other a couple of days. I can’t expect
him to...” Her words trailed off.
“Can’t expect him to what?” His eyes
flashed. “Come on, own it. What do you want from him?”
“I want to stay, but I want him to ask
me. I want him to tell me he loves me as much as I love him.”
Sean eased back into the chair, a satisfied
smile on his face. “There, that wasn’t so hard, was it? But you’re telling the
wrong person.”
“Do you think so?” Hope erased the doubt
on her face.
He rose. “Even when we were young, I was
never able to figure out what goes on in that bone head of his. But you’re
making yourself crazy playing ‘what ifs’, Carmen.” He smiled down at her.
“You’ll know when the time is right.”
* * *
Nick walked down the driveway as soon as
Danielle pulled up in front of the jobsite. It looked like he wanted to have a word
with her before the homeowners started in on her.
“Is everything okay?” she asked.
He looked frustrated. “Yes, but it’s
kind of late to make changes, Dani. They want to add a sunroom. That would
probably double the bill.” He lowered his voice. “Do they have money?”
She waved and smiled at the wife, who
was in the living room, watching them through the window. “I don’t think that
will be a problem, but I can’t give them a price today.”
“Okay, well let’s go and talk to them.”
Alain and Marie Bourget, the newly
retired homeowners, apologized profusely. “...but we saw the lovely sunroom you
built for the Berkshires and we fell in love with it.” The husband and wife
exchanged glances. “We’d like one very similar, and we thought that since the
house is already opened up...”
Danielle nodded, and Nick did the same.
“Show us where you’d like it and we’ll work something out.”
The consultation took longer than she’d
expected, and when the grandfather clock chimed eleven, Danielle looked at her
watch.
“Uh oh. I’m supposed to be out at
Silverton at noon.” She turned to Nick. “Can you carry on here for a few days?
If necessary, we can secure the roof in case it rains, but in the meantime I
have to run.”
“No problem. Talk to you later.”
The homeowners thanked her, and she
assured them that the sunroom would be a valuable addition to their home. A
sunroom had been one of her first real jobs when she set up her business. Had
it really been ten years ago? She’d always been grateful to the Berkshires for
their confidence in her abilities.
She drove off with a smile on her face, lost
in happy memories. Then the memory of what she’d seen this morning came
crashing back. How could Grayson have gone from asking her to come to his ranch
to spending the night with Andrea? Yes, she had turned him down, but she hadn’t
imagined the tenderness, the intensity in his kiss. Or had she?
She took a swallow of coffee from her
thermos cup. It was almost cold, but she scarcely noticed as realization
struck.
She’d been looking at this situation entirely
the wrong way. She should be relieved that she’d discovered his true nature
now... before she did something foolish, like fall farther in love with him.
Love? The word bounced around inside her
head, as elusive and unsettled as her emotions. Was she in love with Grayson
Crawford? In spite of everything that had happened, it was time to be honest,
and unfortunately, the answer was yes. Unfortunate because he’d asked for her
trust.
It was a good thing she hadn’t given it
before she’d learned who he really was.
When the turn-off to Silverton came up,
she was gripping the steering wheel so hard her knuckles were white. Prying her
hands loose, she
Similar Books
