Family Ties. Bonnie K. Winn

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ she’d ever felt that way about a man.

      Even though it broke her heart, she backed off when he and Julia became serious. And she steadfastly accepted the position of maid of honor for Julia, cheerfully organizing showers, parties and wedding breakfasts.

      If there were tears beneath the smiles, no one knew. And Cindy told herself that her feelings for Flynn would fade. That in time, she would come to view him as a brother. But that hadn’t happened.

      Instead, to extricate herself from the situation, a few months after the wedding she had moved to Rosewood where her best friend, Katherine Blake Carlson, was the pastor of the community church.

      In the time that followed, Cindy had seen her sister far less frequently than she would have liked. She made sure she visited when Flynn was away on business, keeping the pain at bay. When she did occasionally run into him, it all rushed back, though. He was unfailingly polite when they met, but she could tell that despite the passage of time he still saw her as flighty, unfocused. And she didn’t try to change that opinion. It didn’t really matter anymore.

      Yet his tie to Julia and subsequent place in their family remained an unhealed wound. So Rosewood became Cindy’s escape, her place of peace.

      And now Flynn Mallory was shattering that to bits.

      Cindy shook back her hair, added earrings, then picked up her purse, feeling strangely nervous about being in Flynn’s company.

      For an instant she remembered his startling phone call a month earlier—the one that promised to change her life and threaten her secure existence. She’d wanted nothing more than to ask him to stay away—not to move to Rosewood. But she couldn’t deny her nieces a chance for happiness. If she truly could help them, she wouldn’t put her own concerns ahead of theirs.

      And it was nothing short of a miracle that Flynn had asked for her help. It was a complete turnaround for him…and a point she couldn’t stop questioning. Why, why was he doing this?

      Taking a breath, Cindy stepped through the expansive arched doorway that led into the parlor. Flynn turned just then. And despite her best intentions, she caught her breath.

      He stepped forward and she exhaled, praying silently for strength.

      “I’m ready,” she announced, forcing cheerfulness into her tone.

      When he glanced at her, she wondered if it was disapproval she saw registering in his expression. Self-consciously, she smoothed the soft fabric of her long, flowing, deep purple skirt. Belatedly it occurred to her that the choice might be a bit wild for Flynn. Julia had always dressed and acted much more conservatively. Their parents’ death had stolen Julia’s sense of adventure. Cindy had reacted in just the opposite fashion—she needed excitement and new challenges to feel alive. But then everything about her had been too wild for Flynn.

      She tried not to dwell on that as they walked outside and settled into his SUV. Once inside it, however, her nervousness increased. The spacious vehicle seemed oddly intimate.

      “So, what do you think of Rosewood?” she asked, trying to chase away her nerves.

      He shrugged as he handed her the directions Linda had given him. “Haven’t seen much of it yet.”

      “There’s a lot of history here, but not anything too high-tech.”

      “You have electricity and phone lines?”

      She blinked. “Of course.” Then she realized he was teasing. “Except on candle day, of course.”

      He took his attention from the road. “Candle day?”

      She met his gaze. “Keeps us from becoming too dependent on technology.”

      He lifted his brows in acknowledgment. “Guess you hope it doesn’t fall on stormy days, then.”

      She pursed her lips. “So the wind doesn’t blow out our candles?”

      “Right.”

      The teasing exchange allowed her to relax a fraction. “It’s really a good place to raise children. People watch out for each other, the schools are filled with teachers who care. And our church pulls together through good times and bad.”

      “You make it sound idyllic.”

      Cindy turned to gaze at the crepe myrtle trees in full bloom, their delicate blossoms coloring the landscape. As she did, she thought of her own loneliness, the empty nights, the longing for what would never be. “Not exactly idyllic. But genuine.”

      “That’s rare enough in the world today.”

      Agreeing, Cindy nodded. Seeing that they were nearing the turn to the address he’d given her, she pointed out the way.

      “Linda promised to show me the best Rosewood has to offer,” Flynn commented as he made another turn.

      “She’s a great Realtor, as well as a nice person,” Cindy acknowledged. “And hopefully she’ll have some decent listings.”

      Glancing at her, he frowned. “That was said with a bit of doubt.”

      Cindy hesitated. “Rosewood doesn’t have much growth, so there’s not a lot of new home construction. People tend to settle in and stay in one place. I think only one new subdivision’s been built in the last twenty years. So, not much was available when I started looking. Luckily I was able to stay with Katherine because it took me a while to find my place.”

      “Is that how you wound up in the Victorian?”

      “Oh, no! It’s exactly what I wanted. That’s why it took so long. I’ve dreamed of owning one of the painted ladies as long as I can remember. I didn’t want to settle for anything else.” Or anyone else, she added silently.

      Flynn glanced at her in baffled astonishment and she wondered why he seemed so surprised. Belatedly she also wondered just what he had expected.

      Then, rounding the corner, they arrived at the first house. A cheerful Linda Baker waited on the front porch.

      As they walked through the house, Cindy found her gaze going more toward Flynn than the smallish interior. Sunshine spilled through the uncurtained windows, brightening the rooms. Flynn turned just then and the light framed his uncompromising features. Despite the fact that his lips didn’t rest in a smile, she was so drawn to him, it was nearly a physical ache. What was it about this one man that touched her heart in a way no other had?

      His gaze shifted, meeting hers, and for a moment she glimpsed uncertainty. As instantly she knew it to be a rarity for him. Again she wondered why he was doing this. How could he consider moving to this sleepy town so far from everything that was intrinsically him?

      Flynn again shifted his gaze, obviously unwilling to share that truth with her. But it didn’t stop her wondering, nor her awareness when he brushed by.

      She pulled back swiftly, yet she could see his eyes widen in startled surprise. Her vivid purple skirt twirling, she spun away from him, practically running toward the front door.

      A few moments later Linda joined her, keeping her voice low. “I really thought he’d like this one.”

      Perhaps СКАЧАТЬ