Like One of the Family. Kimberly Meter Van

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ likely change his mind, right quick.”

       Pops adored them all. Their mother, his only daughter, had given him three little sugar birds that he’d delighted in spoiling. And it was true, she did soften her natural inclination to go for the jugular when she was around Pops. She narrowed her stare at Heath for his spot-on observation.

       “My relationship with my grandfather is none of your business,” she said sharply. “I fail to see why you’re so up in arms over a problem that doesn’t truly concern you. It’s not as if anyone asked you to take on my family’s problems. If you’re so bothered by the way I am, then by all means, find some other family to attach yourself to.”

       At her rebuke, he stiffened and she felt the overwhelming urge to apologize. It seemed her mouth didn’t know when to rein it in or offer mercy. She struggled not to grimace. That was similar to what her former boss had said to her when he fired her. According to Stan Brothers, CEO of The Pershing Group, Lora lacked tact, and was unnecessarily abrasive. Of course, Stan hadn’t cared when she’d been bringing in the big accounts, only when she’d lost one account. Okay…if she were being honest, the biggest account The Pershing Group had ever managed but was that truly enough to warrant termination? Realizing her mind was traveling off topic, she returned to Heath with a barely restrained sigh.

       “I thought everyone on the island was supposed to be easygoing and nice. What happened to you?”

       Heath’s mouth tipped in a slow smirk that didn’t quite reach the storm of his hazel eyes. “You happened, Lora Bell. Plain and simple…you happened.”

      * * *

      HEATH©NEARLY©BIT©HIS tongue in half as he let the words fly, wishing he’d just held to his earlier decision to keep his mouth shut for the duration of the car ride and then move on after he’d deposited her in the driveway. But the minute he’d seen her, looking stiff as steel, poured into the tailored business suit that was ridiculously overdressed for the humid tropical climate, he’d been unable to listen to his own good advice.

       Seeing the woman made it difficult to remember the girl.

       She hadn’t always been chipped from granite like she was now. Hell, he didn’t think she remembered that fact or if she did, she didn’t much like to be reminded. Maybe that’s why they’d always rubbed each other wrong. He knew a few of her secrets, even if she pretended otherwise. He remembered a girl with tears on her face, struggling to hold it together for her sisters’ sake on the day of her mother’s funeral. Lindsey and Lilah had been looking to her for strength and she was determined to give it to them, even if she’d had nothing left for herself.

       He remembered laughter between two kids, running along the surf, and eating fresh coconut when they were hungry. He also remembered the way she’d looked at him, as if he were the funniest, brightest, most awesome boy alive. He remembered a basket of food when he’d been most certainly about to starve.

       That’s how he remembered Lora Bell. And damn it, that might’ve been the moment he lost a tiny piece of his heart to her, too.

       Sometimes he wondered if he’d imagined all of it.

       The woman she’d become wasn’t even a shadow of the girl she’d been.

       Everything changed when he’d returned to the island after a year of being gone.

       Suddenly, he’d become just the boy who did odd jobs for Pops, the unwelcome presence at the dinner table on some nights, or the lanky teen who’d burned with humiliation as Lora dismissed him as any kind of romantic possibility.

       He was ashamed to admit there was some small part of him that hoped he’d see a remnant of the girl she’d been so long ago even though it’d been years since she’d put in an appearance. He was an idiot for hoping—he knew—but buried deep, that hope still flickered, even if it was a very dim ember.

       “You know if you weren’t so damn difficult all the time, people might have an easier time liking you,” he bit out in spite of himself.

       “You suffer under the mistaken assumption the opinions of others matter to me,” she replied simply. “I couldn’t care less what other people think of me. You’ve known me long enough, surely you remember that about me.”

       He gritted his teeth. “I also remember you being a bit nicer at one time.”

       She seemed momentarily shaken by his admission, as if they’d both quietly agreed to never talk about the times before he left for St. Thomas for a year, and within a heartbeat she’d stuffed away any hint of discomfort or raw feeling.

       “Your memory is flawed.”

       “Maybe,” he acknowledged with a shrug. “But doubtful. However, why you would take pride in being so difficult, I don’t understand. You know, you catch more bees with honey than vinegar and spreading a little goodwill might be helpful considering you haven’t been on the island for some time. You never know where you might need help.”

       She leveled a short look his way. “Thanks for the advice I didn’t ask for. I take pride in being efficient. If you consider that being difficult, then so be it. As far as needing goodwill…I don’t see how that applies. I’m here to solve a problem, not run for mayor.”

       Ah, hell. Why did he even try? She was a lost cause. “Fine. Whatever. Just trying to help.”

       “Your help would’ve been useful before I was required to hop a plane and put my life on hold,” she said evenly, staring straight ahead, though her grip tightened ever so slightly on the roof handle, betraying something. Heath couldn’t be sure if his comment had struck a nerve or she just really had to pee and she wished he would drive faster.

       “Yeah, well, I guess if you were more efficient about getting your messages, we might not be in this mess now.”

       He expected a cutting retort but she remained silent. Whether she secretly agreed with him or she simply had run out of steam to argue, he didn’t know.

       One thing was for sure, he was pretty certain whatever had been lodged in his heart for all those years was dead and gone. Now he was just here for Pops. He loved the old man and would do whatever was necessary to help him—including putting up with Lora.

       Lilah had tried to mop up the mess but she’d been out of her element and completely clueless as to how to keep a resort running while her beloved Pops held imaginary conversations with her long-dead Grams. Actually, he felt kinda bad for the kid. Lora had put her in a bad spot and now was ready to crucify Lilah for failing.

       Time for damage control. If there was a way he could reel back the words he’d carelessly uttered, he’d do it. Barring that, he needed to focus attention on what mattered.

       “Listen, here’s the deal. Pops loses time. One minute he’s totally fine and acting like the Pops I’ve known since I was a kid but then he slips and he’s not in the here and now.”

       “What does that mean?” she asked.

       “It means sometimes he thinks Grams is still alive,” he answered grimly.

       Lora exhaled softly, shocked by his admission. He knew how close Lora and Grams had been. Losing her had been nearly as tough as when she’d lost her mother. When she spoke again, her voice was strong, betraying nothing of whatever she was feeling inside, leaving him to wonder if she СКАЧАТЬ