Summer's Promise. Irene Brand

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СКАЧАТЬ decision to tell David was delayed for the time being when he stated, “I can understand their concern for the children, but why would Bert and Spring expect us to take over that school?”

      Summer had been so preoccupied over custody of the children that the second provision of the will had slipped her mind. She turned toward David and said in a raspy voice, “I absolutely will not be a part of that. I don’t know how to mother two children, to say nothing of operating a school. I couldn’t work with a group of wayward teenagers, and that’s the purpose of their school. I won’t do it.”

      “That was my initial reaction, too, but let’s give it some thought before we make a definite decision. Will you be working tomorrow?”

      “No.”

      “I’m not scheduled to return to Atlanta until Sunday. Let’s sleep on it and talk again tomorrow.”

      “Yes, let’s do. I want to get this settled as soon as possible, so I can go on with my life.”

      “Will noon be okay? I’ll bring a pizza for lunch, and we can go out for dinner. Perhaps to a seafood restaurant?”

      “Twelve o’clock will be fine,” Summer answered, without commenting on his dinner invitation. She didn’t want to get personally involved with David, but when he closed his briefcase and stood, Summer still quivered inwardly with shock and anger. Not willing to face the four walls of her apartment alone the rest of the evening, she said, “Unless you have other plans, you might as well stay for a while. I don’t want to discuss those wills, but we can watch a movie or something else on television.”

      Accustomed to Summer’s standoffish manner toward him, her request startled David until he realized that Summer was struggling with an uncharacteristic emotion. She didn’t want to be alone! He remembered how shaken he’d been when he read his brother’s will. He’d had three days to become reconciled to the requests, but Summer hadn’t had time to get over her shock.

      “Yeah, I’d like that. Thanks for asking,” he said, settling back on the couch.

      She handed him the remote. “Why don’t you run through the menu and find a movie? Make sure it’s a comedy or something light. I’m not in the mood for intrigue and drama. While you do that, I’ll fix some snacks.”

      She poured a jar of cranberry-orange juice over ice and emptied a package of Hawaiian trail mix into a bowl. She placed napkins, glasses, and plates on the coffee table while David glanced at her home. If all of Summer’s life was as ordered and organized as this apartment, David understood why she had almost fainted when she’d read her sister’s will. On the point of being protective of Summer, David wasn’t pleased that his sister-in-law had handed her such a dilemma.

      They didn’t talk much during the rest of the evening as they enjoyed the antics of a lovable dog that wreaked havoc in the household of his human family. It was after midnight when Summer walked with David to the door.

      “Try to sleep,” he said tenderly. “I know this has been a terrible blow to you—losing your sister was bad enough, without having to decide how to act upon her requests.”

      “Especially when I feel guilty about not wanting to do what she asked me to.”

      As he shrugged into his coat she’d taken from the closet, he said, “Don’t lose any sleep over it. We’ll work something out tomorrow.”

      “You’re taking this calmly enough. Aren’t you upset about what they’ve done to us?”

      “Sure. But I’ve had longer to get used to the idea than you have, and staying awake all night fretting about it won’t change things.” She drew back quickly in surprise when he brushed a light kiss across her lips as he eased out into the hallway.

      “Under the circumstances, don’t you think we’re at least kissing kin?”

      David smiled into her surprised blue eyes and strode rapidly down the hallway. In spite of the sorrow over the death of his brother and the disturbing contents of the wills, David was delighted to have a reason to see more of Summer. After she hadn’t answered his letters, he’d decided to forget her, but when he least expected it, Summer’s image had infiltrated his mind, and he wondered if he’d ever see her again. He was attracted to Summer’s beauty, but he was more intrigued by her quiet nature that he believed concealed hidden fires waiting to be ignited. He wanted to be around when that happened.

      Chapter Three

      After David left, Summer drank a cup of hot herbal tea to settle her nerves. She’d calmed down somewhat during the movie, but David’s caress had disturbed her. He’d been bestowing lots of affection on her the past two weeks, and to her dismay, she realized she liked it. Summer had many reservations about agreeing to Spring’s request, and not least among them was her hesitancy to be thrown into frequent companionship with David. He was an attractive man, and he was good company, but she had her future mapped out. There was no place in it for David Brown.

      Summer changed into a nightgown and went to bed, but sleep eluded her. When she did doze, she dreamed—mostly of Timmy and Nicole and how forlorn they’d looked during their parents’ funeral. In her dreams, the children stood with outstretched arms, looking at her with beseeching eyes. After the secure home life she’d known as a child, she couldn’t imagine what it would be like to suddenly lose your parents.

      Awakening at an early hour, anger and defiance replaced the compassion of her dreams. Summer could empathize with her sister’s concern for her kids, but she considered it inexcusable for Spring and Bert to saddle her and David with the responsibility of a school in the hinterlands of North Carolina.

      David’s bright and cheerful manner, when he breezed into the apartment at noon, irritated Summer. She’d tried to cover up the ravages of a sleepless night with makeup, but she hadn’t succeeded for David was unkind enough to say, “I told you to get some sleep.”

      Lack of rest had made her grouchy, and she said, “Let’s get down to business. What can we do about this dilemma we’ve had dumped in our laps?”

      He sat on the couch and stretched his neatly clad legs out in front of him. “What do you want to do about it?”

      “I want to ignore it, but I know we can’t.”

      “I’ve wondered why Spring kept repeating the children’s names at the hospital. I’ve decided she was trying to tell me the provisions of their wills, but she was too far gone to express herself. If we don’t accept the responsibility, the decisions are going to boomerang to our parents, none of whom are able to take over.”

      Stalling for time, Summer walked around the room, adjusting items on the tables. She paused to straighten a wall collage of framed photographs featuring the Weaver sisters and her father’s prize-winning Belgian horses.

      “David,” she began earnestly, “listen to my side of the situation. I wanted to come to New York when I graduated from high school, but my parents wouldn’t let me. When I was of age and ready to strike out on my own, Mother had a stroke, and I went home to take care of her. I was there six years, and now, at long last, I’m in New York with my parents’ blessing. I have a good job and a bright future in the financial market. Do you think it’s right for my sister to ask me to give up my life to take on her family, her dreams and her ambition? Surely it’s time for me to live the way I want to. It isn’t fair!”

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