there with that scumbag, he hadn’t been able to breathe right.
Telling himself she was a valuable employee and he would have been just as concerned about another employee’s well-being, he didn’t realize his mother was standing beside him, following his line of vision out the window until she said, “Is everything all right, Sean?”
Hell no, he wasn’t fine. He was thinking far too much, far too often, about a woman who shouldn’t even be on his radar.
Having no intention of sharing any of that with his mother, he simply said, “The snow is going to melt soon.”
He moved away from the window and she followed him over to the check-in desk. Only a coward would pray for a guest to walk in asking for help right now. And, unfortunately, only a lucky coward would see that prayer answered.
“I’m really sorry, Sean, about what happened over at the house yesterday. You shouldn’t have had to see your father and me behave like that.” She waved her hand in the air. “Bill is a little tense lately.”
Not wanting to get anywhere near the middle of their relationship, he asked, “How’s his business going lately?”
“Fine. Same as always.”
“And your graphic design clients?”
“I’m still working for about as many as I did when you lived at home.”
He could see how disgruntled she was when he refusedto pick up the emotional threads she was dangling in front of him. She should know better.
“We were hoping you could come to dinner tonight. It’s been so long since your father and I got to spend some quality time with you. We don’t know anything about your life. How your job is going.” She paused, a hopeful glint in her eyes as she added, “If you’re dating anyone.”
“Sorry, I offered to work the desk tonight.”
A smart man wouldn’t have let her crestfallen expression crawl beneath his armor. But if his consistently inappropriate reactions to Rebecca were any indication, Sean had a feeling his smart days were long behind him.
“But tomorrow night will probably work.”
His mother’s smile was so bright, so big, it completely transformed her face. And despite himself, Sean saw just how beautiful his mother still was.
Chapter Nine
T he minute Rebecca walked into Lake Yarns, she breathed a sigh of relief. At this point, she really needed a refuge from the emotions swirling around inside of her for a little while.
Carol Powell, Andi’s mother, was busy helping a customer, and as Rebecca ran her fingers down a display of soft yarn, she was glad for the chance to focus on something other than the Murphy boys for a few moments.
She was a late convert to knitting but found it incredibly calming. Plus, she loved watching socks and blankets and sweaters take shape. She’d been toying with making new pillow covers for the couch in her living room, but just as she was about to grab a skein of blue worsted wool, her elbow knocked into another display. Super soft cashmere rained down upon her and she scrambled to catch the high-priced skeins before they hit the ground.
A short while later, Carol found her standing there with a dozen in her arms.
“Uh-oh, let me help you with that.”
“Sorry,” Rebecca said as she picked up a stray ballthat had rolled across the wood-plank floor. “I’m afraid I wasn’t paying enough attention.” Because she couldn’t stop thinking about Sean, a man she shouldn’t be thinking about at all.
Carol waved away her apology. “Andi always tells me I try to fit too much in a small space. And she’s right. But I love all the yarns so much I can’t stand to keep them in boxes in the back.”
Rebecca adored Andi’s mother. Carol’s warmth and open smile made her long for her own mother, for the warmth of arms that had held her since she was a baby.
And yet, hadn’t she just told her mother not to come visit for a while?
The problem was, Rebecca’s mother saw everything. With five daughters, she had to. And Rebecca didn’t want her to see
Telling himself she was a valuable employee and he would have been just as concerned about another employee’s well-being, he didn’t realize his mother was standing beside him, following his line of vision out the window until she said, “Is everything all right, Sean?”
Hell no, he wasn’t fine. He was thinking far too much, far too often, about a woman who shouldn’t even be on his radar.
Having no intention of sharing any of that with his mother, he simply said, “The snow is going to melt soon.”
He moved away from the window and she followed him over to the check-in desk. Only a coward would pray for a guest to walk in asking for help right now. And, unfortunately, only a lucky coward would see that prayer answered.
“I’m really sorry, Sean, about what happened over at the house yesterday. You shouldn’t have had to see your father and me behave like that.” She waved her hand in the air. “Bill is a little tense lately.”
Not wanting to get anywhere near the middle of their relationship, he asked, “How’s his business going lately?”
“Fine. Same as always.”
“And your graphic design clients?”
“I’m still working for about as many as I did when you lived at home.”
He could see how disgruntled she was when he refusedto pick up the emotional threads she was dangling in front of him. She should know better.
“We were hoping you could come to dinner tonight. It’s been so long since your father and I got to spend some quality time with you. We don’t know anything about your life. How your job is going.” She paused, a hopeful glint in her eyes as she added, “If you’re dating anyone.”
“Sorry, I offered to work the desk tonight.”
A smart man wouldn’t have let her crestfallen expression crawl beneath his armor. But if his consistently inappropriate reactions to Rebecca were any indication, Sean had a feeling his smart days were long behind him.
“But tomorrow night will probably work.”
His mother’s smile was so bright, so big, it completely transformed her face. And despite himself, Sean saw just how beautiful his mother still was.
Chapter Nine
T he minute Rebecca walked into Lake Yarns, she breathed a sigh of relief. At this point, she really needed a refuge from the emotions swirling around inside of her for a little while.
Carol Powell, Andi’s mother, was busy helping a customer, and as Rebecca ran her fingers down a display of soft yarn, she was glad for the chance to focus on something other than the Murphy boys for a few moments.
She was a late convert to knitting but found it incredibly calming. Plus, she loved watching socks and blankets and sweaters take shape. She’d been toying with making new pillow covers for the couch in her living room, but just as she was about to grab a skein of blue worsted wool, her elbow knocked into another display. Super soft cashmere rained down upon her and she scrambled to catch the high-priced skeins before they hit the ground.
A short while later, Carol found her standing there with a dozen in her arms.
“Uh-oh, let me help you with that.”
“Sorry,” Rebecca said as she picked up a stray ballthat had rolled across the wood-plank floor. “I’m afraid I wasn’t paying enough attention.” Because she couldn’t stop thinking about Sean, a man she shouldn’t be thinking about at all.
Carol waved away her apology. “Andi always tells me I try to fit too much in a small space. And she’s right. But I love all the yarns so much I can’t stand to keep them in boxes in the back.”
Rebecca adored Andi’s mother. Carol’s warmth and open smile made her long for her own mother, for the warmth of arms that had held her since she was a baby.
And yet, hadn’t she just told her mother not to come visit for a while?
The problem was, Rebecca’s mother saw everything. With five daughters, she had to. And Rebecca didn’t want her to see
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