Read Online And Then Forever by Shirley Jump - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shirley Jump
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happy, was that summer here on Fortune’s Island when he’d met Darcy.
Then they’d broken up, and Kincaid had refused to talk about why. All Abby knew was that one day Kincaid was happy, the next he was getting on a ferry and heading back to the mainland. From that day forward, Kincaid had stepped into the role their father had prepared for him, attending Harvard, then Stanford, then going to work for the family firm. He’d lived his life for everyone—but himself. Maybe now, maybe here, he could get back to what he’d left behind. Because if there was one person she wanted to see happy, it was her big brother.
Abby broke away from him and crossed to the railing. She rested her hands on the hard wood, and stretched her back a little. “I hear Darcy still lives here,” she said, as casual as a breeze.
Silence on Kincaid’s side.
“You should see how she is. Maybe ask her for coffee. Catch up on the past.”
“I tried. She turned me down.”
Abby turned around. “Really? Why? I thought she was madly in love with you that summer.”
“Feelings change.”
Abby pushed off from the railing and came to stand before her brother. He worked so hard, worried so much. At the expense of himself, she thought. And he kept everything bottled up, instead of opening up. But she could see in his face that being close to Darcy again had left him a little disconcerted. “Did yours?”
He scowled. “It’s late, it’s getting chilly, and you need some sleep so baby Samson there can grow big and strong.”
Abby laughed, and let Kincaid lead her back into the cottage. “I am not naming my child Samson.”
“I don’t know why you keep turning down my great name ideas. You rejected Goliath—“
“Because that’s a name for a Great Dane.”
“And Champ.”
“If he goes into boxing, I’ll let you call him that.”
“And now Samson.” Kincaid shook his head, and opened the door. “You gotta give the kid a power name. It’ll help him stand up to the bullies.”
As they stepped into the kitchen, she leaned into her brother one more time. “Have I told you that you’re the best big brother ever?”
“Not in the last five minutes.” But his grin was easy, maybe even a little sheepish. “I’m not doing anything you wouldn’t do for me.”
“No, Kincaid. You’re doing a lot more.” A watery smile filled her face, and her eyes stung with unshed tears. She placed a hand on her belly again, resting it against the outline of her child. Here, there was a new beginning. A family. “A lot more.”
F ive games of Candyland , two peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches and three giant Pepperidge Farm cookies later, Emma finally caved to a nap. Most days, Darcy would try to catch a few minutes’ sleep herself before heading out for her shift, but her stomach was in knots and her mind kept racing back to the encounter with Kincaid on the beach.
That kiss.
Seven years later, and the man could still undo all her best intentions with one simple kiss. She’d forgotten everything—the impossible agreement she’d made with his father, the secret she was keeping, the resolve to never see Kincaid again—when his mouth had met hers and desire had roared through her veins.
For five seconds—okay, maybe thirty, well, possibly sixty, tops—she’d considered hauling him back behind the dunes, tearing off his clothes and climbing on top of him in that must-have-you-now frenzy that had existed between them from the first day. It wasn’t just the fact that he was handsome—she’d met a lot of good-looking men over the years—it was the way Kincaid looked at her. Touched her. It was as if she became part of him when his eyes stared into hers, or his hands settled on her waist.
“Mommy? Are we gonna go to the beach?”
“Not today, honey.” Darcy ruffled Emma’s head. She thought again how lucky she was to have such a sweet, easy daughter. It made Darcy wonder if maybe some of her own wildness had been due to
Then they’d broken up, and Kincaid had refused to talk about why. All Abby knew was that one day Kincaid was happy, the next he was getting on a ferry and heading back to the mainland. From that day forward, Kincaid had stepped into the role their father had prepared for him, attending Harvard, then Stanford, then going to work for the family firm. He’d lived his life for everyone—but himself. Maybe now, maybe here, he could get back to what he’d left behind. Because if there was one person she wanted to see happy, it was her big brother.
Abby broke away from him and crossed to the railing. She rested her hands on the hard wood, and stretched her back a little. “I hear Darcy still lives here,” she said, as casual as a breeze.
Silence on Kincaid’s side.
“You should see how she is. Maybe ask her for coffee. Catch up on the past.”
“I tried. She turned me down.”
Abby turned around. “Really? Why? I thought she was madly in love with you that summer.”
“Feelings change.”
Abby pushed off from the railing and came to stand before her brother. He worked so hard, worried so much. At the expense of himself, she thought. And he kept everything bottled up, instead of opening up. But she could see in his face that being close to Darcy again had left him a little disconcerted. “Did yours?”
He scowled. “It’s late, it’s getting chilly, and you need some sleep so baby Samson there can grow big and strong.”
Abby laughed, and let Kincaid lead her back into the cottage. “I am not naming my child Samson.”
“I don’t know why you keep turning down my great name ideas. You rejected Goliath—“
“Because that’s a name for a Great Dane.”
“And Champ.”
“If he goes into boxing, I’ll let you call him that.”
“And now Samson.” Kincaid shook his head, and opened the door. “You gotta give the kid a power name. It’ll help him stand up to the bullies.”
As they stepped into the kitchen, she leaned into her brother one more time. “Have I told you that you’re the best big brother ever?”
“Not in the last five minutes.” But his grin was easy, maybe even a little sheepish. “I’m not doing anything you wouldn’t do for me.”
“No, Kincaid. You’re doing a lot more.” A watery smile filled her face, and her eyes stung with unshed tears. She placed a hand on her belly again, resting it against the outline of her child. Here, there was a new beginning. A family. “A lot more.”
F ive games of Candyland , two peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches and three giant Pepperidge Farm cookies later, Emma finally caved to a nap. Most days, Darcy would try to catch a few minutes’ sleep herself before heading out for her shift, but her stomach was in knots and her mind kept racing back to the encounter with Kincaid on the beach.
That kiss.
Seven years later, and the man could still undo all her best intentions with one simple kiss. She’d forgotten everything—the impossible agreement she’d made with his father, the secret she was keeping, the resolve to never see Kincaid again—when his mouth had met hers and desire had roared through her veins.
For five seconds—okay, maybe thirty, well, possibly sixty, tops—she’d considered hauling him back behind the dunes, tearing off his clothes and climbing on top of him in that must-have-you-now frenzy that had existed between them from the first day. It wasn’t just the fact that he was handsome—she’d met a lot of good-looking men over the years—it was the way Kincaid looked at her. Touched her. It was as if she became part of him when his eyes stared into hers, or his hands settled on her waist.
“Mommy? Are we gonna go to the beach?”
“Not today, honey.” Darcy ruffled Emma’s head. She thought again how lucky she was to have such a sweet, easy daughter. It made Darcy wonder if maybe some of her own wildness had been due to
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