White Dove's Promise by Stella Bagwell Page B

plead his innocence. “What in hell has come over you? You’ve been a terror to women since you were eight years old. You’d have to be dead to give up on them now.”
    Shrugging, Jared folded his arms across his chest and glanced evasively back to the spot where his foreman was directing a backhoe operator. No matter where he looked he saw Kerry’s luminous brown eyes and soft gentle lips. It had been that way with him ever since he’d pulled Peggy out of the crumbling pipe and placed her in Kerry’s arms. He didn’t understand why or how such a quiet, unassuming woman had captured his thoughts so completely. But she had. And he wasn’t at all sure how he was going to cure himself.
    â€œI didn’t say I was giving up on women entirely,” he said to Bram. “I just meant—well, I’m thirty-four years old. I’m bored with all that playing around I used to do.”
    Bram studied his brother through squinted eyes. “All right,” he said finally, “who is she?”
    Jared’s look of surprise was followed by a laugh that was full of denial. “There is no she. Yet,” he added, then quickly deciding it was high time to change the subject, he slapped an affectionate hand on Bram’s shoulder. “Now tell me about this thing with the mayor. When do I have to be there?”
    Bram glanced at his watch. “About thirty minutes. So hop in and give me the honor of driving Black Arrow’s hero into town.”
    Seeing there wasn’t anyway he could disappoint his brother, Jared said, “All right, you don’t have to drag out your handcuffs. I’ll go. Just let me go tell the foreman what’s going on.”
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    Enola stared moodily at the television set as Kerry watched out the front door for Jared’s arrival.
    â€œYou know I am not happy about this, Kerry.”
    Careful to keep her sigh silent, she said, “Yes, Mom. I can see that I’ve disappointed you by choosing to have dinner with Jared.”
    Tight-lipped, Enola turned her gaze on her daughter. “It’s not the dinner—it’s the idea that you want to spend time with this man.”
    â€œYes, I do want to spend time with Jared,” she conceded. “He’s been very nice to me. And Peggy adores him.”
    Enola turned her gaze back to the television, but Kerry knew her mother couldn’t have told anyone what was flickering across the screen. The woman was silently seething.
    â€œThat’s because he knows exactly how to charm women. Mark my words, you and Peggy will both be hurt if this carries on much further.”
    The way you were hurt, Kerry wanted to say. Butshe didn’t. Pointing out her mother’s miserable marriage wouldn’t help matters now.
    â€œMom, it’s been nearly four years since I’ve had a man in my life. That’s a long time and I’m still a young woman. I don’t want to bury myself forever.”
    Enola shot her an accusing look. “How many times have I tried to get you to go out? I could probably think of ten young men in the past year that you could have dated. But no. You always found excuses not to go.”
    Kerry tried her best not to bristle. Maybe she had made a mistake with Damon, but she was her own person. Good or bad, she had to make her own choices. “I wasn’t attracted to any of those men, Mom. There wasn’t one of them I would have felt comfortable going on a date with.”
    Her remarks brought Enola to her feet. “So you’re telling me that you find Jared Colton attractive? That you feel comfortable with him?” she asked in an astounded voice. “Kerry, the man is up to no good. He’s only going to use you and hurt Peggy in the process.”
    Amazed at how desperate she was to see Jared arrive, Kerry kept her eyes focused on the driveway. “All men aren’t users, Mom. And did you ever stop to think that Jared