Secrets Of The Tulip Sisters. Susan Mallery

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ was supposed to take care of her, but she hadn’t been able to say that.

      “I’m not like other mothers. Someday you’ll understand.”

      “I won’t. I hate you. If you’re so unhappy, why don’t you just leave?”

      “Is that what you want?”

      “Yes. Go away. You’re horrible. We won’t miss you at all.”

      Marilee’s green eyes had darkened with an emotion Kelly couldn’t understand. “Be careful, darling. Wishes like that can be dangerous.”

      The fight had ended then. Kelly had cried herself to sleep—an embarrassing truth for a fifteen-year-old. She told herself it was wrong to hate her mother, to wish her gone, but she couldn’t seem to think any other way. The next day, Marilee had left Tulpen Crossing forever.

      That was when everything had changed for all of them. Without Marilee, the dynamics had shifted. They’d all been in pain and reacting. Looking back, Kelly wondered if she hadn’t just lost her mother that day—if she had lost her sister, as well.

      “I’m sorry about that, too,” Griffith said. “I know it was tough for you and your sister.”

      Olivia had suffered far more than Kelly. While Kelly had wrestled with guilt, she’d still had her dad, and the relative peace that had followed. But Olivia had always been their mother’s favorite. With Marilee gone, she was alone. Jeff’s awkward attempts to fill the void had not been enough.

      Kelly knew she should have stepped in, should have done more. Why hadn’t she? A question that still had no answer.

      “What I said didn’t help,” he added.

      “It’s okay,” Kelly told him. “I appreciate the apology.” She managed a slight smile. “I guess based on our previous conversation, I should assume you’re over your distaste.”

      His brows rose slightly. “There was never any distaste.”

      “You say that now.”

      “You’re going to make me pay, aren’t you?”

      “I think a little, yes.”

      “Okay. I’ve probably earned it. Thank you for the tour,” he added. “I liked seeing where you work.”

      “You should come by when we’re harvesting. It’s pretty exciting.”

      “I’d like that.”

      “Me, too,” she said before she could stop herself.

      He smiled and took a step toward her. For a second she thought he was going to kiss her. She had no idea how she felt about that or what it would be like. Anticipation quickened in her belly right before he lightly touched her upper arm, then turned and walked back toward the parking lot.

      She stared after him in disbelief. That was it? What had happened to him wanting to sleep with her? Why hadn’t he made his move?

      She put her hands on her hips and glared at his retreating back. Men were stupid. All of them, but mostly Griffith.

      * * *

      Helen finished locking the front door of the diner. The downside of her job was starting so early in the morning. The upside was she was usually out by three in the afternoon—earlier if she could get her food orders in during the mid-morning lull.

      She dropped her keys into her bag and turned to find Jeff standing a couple of feet away.

      She pressed a hand to her chest. “You startled me.” Which was the truth and also better than her next thought, which was more along the lines of how good he looked. All manly in his plaid shirt and jeans.

      “Were we supposed to go to JML or something?” Because while Jeff was a regular at the café, he’d already been by for breakfast. He wasn’t generally an afternoon kind of guy.

      “No. I wanted to talk to you.”

      For a second she allowed herself to hope that he’d finally come to his senses, realized he was madly in love with her and was here to declare himself. Or at least try to get in her pants, but she was okay with that, too.

      “I’ve been thinking about what we talked about before,” he began. “About the women I see in Seattle.”

      Yes? Yes? She did her best to look completely normal when on the inside she was doing a competition-worthy cheer routine. Oh, please, oh, please let him want sex with her. Wild, crazy, hot monkey sex.

      “You caught me off guard with your questions. I didn’t know what to say.” He raised one shoulder. “I guess I was embarrassed.”

      “About what?”

      “I don’t know. People talking.”

      “No one’s talking. I observed.” Although she did think other people had noticed, she wasn’t going to tell him that.

      “My point is, you’re right. We’re friends. Good friends. So ask me what you want to know and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.”

      The hot, glowing sex bubble inside of her burst with an audible pop. “That would be great. Probably not right here.”

      He looked around at the empty café parking lot. “Probably not.”

      They walked the quarter block to her small house, the one she’d bought after her aunt and uncle had moved away. It was just over fourteen hundred square feet, with nice light and an updated kitchen. But what had sold her on the place was the oversize living room with the perfect space for her piano. The small upright was one of the few things she had from her parents. The piano had to be on an interior wall, away from drafts, vents and the sun.

      She unlocked the front door. Jeff followed her inside. They gravitated to the kitchen, as people always did, and settled on the bar stools in front of the main counter.

      Unsure of the protocol for a conversation like this, she asked, “Do you want something to drink?”

      “I’m fine.”

      They were sitting about two feet apart, angled toward each other. Helen set her purse on the counter, then didn’t know what to do with her hands.

      “I have a couple of bars I go to,” he began. “I’ve also used a dating website or two.”

      She told herself that whatever he said, she was going to keep her mouth firmly shut. And act natural. No snorts, no gasps, no blushing, although the latter would be hard to control.

      “I make it clear I’m not looking for anything long-term or involved. No serious commitments.”

      “Why not?” she blurted before she could stop herself. “See, I don’t get that. I know you and you’re a commitment kind of guy. You love your routine and the rhythm of the seasons. Why would it be different with a woman? Why wouldn’t you want to be with someone long-term?”

      “It’s complicated.”

СКАЧАТЬ