Read Online Breathe by Donna Alward - Free Book Online Page B

hundred and fifty-five horsepower. There was a time long ago that such an obvious display of hubris wouldn’t have bothered her. Now it just accentuated how different their lives had become. How changed their priorities were.
    â€œNever mind. You must have things to do. You didn’t invite me here to be more trouble. I can drive us in.”
    â€œAnna, you’re in no shape to do that. Besides, you’ll have one eye on Aurelia all the time and you can’t drive safely that way.”
    She laughed a little, the sound dry. “You’re worried about safety when you drive that?” She gestured towards the parking pad with her chin.
    â€œI’m not driving children around, am I?”
    Her bubble deflated.
    â€œLet me take you.”
    â€œFine.” She swept past him, carrying the diaper bag.
    The drive to town was quiet except for Aurelia’s whimpers. Anna was relatively sure now that the baby was fine, but the spot was still puffy and red. The pharmacist gave them some cream and an antihistamine to counteract the sting.
    The drive home was different.
    In the moments when Aurelia had been wailing, they’d worked as a team. Now that it was over Anna could step back and evaluate what had happened. She realized a few things. The first being that Jace had simply reacted and treated Aurelia most efficiently. He’d scooped her up, taken out the stinger and had put a cold cloth on it to soothe. He’d done what she should have and that burned.
    But he’d done more than that. Seeing him holding her daughter in his strong arm had done something to her. It had broken something she’d thought healed a long time ago. It made her wish. It made her wish that her children were his and not Stefano’s, and she resented him for it. He’d had his opportunity and he’d turned away from her and their chance at happiness. He’d dutifully taken up the position of friend, and she’d accepted it rather than settling for nothing at all. But seeing him with her daughter on his arm pierced her heart in a way she hadn’t thought possible.
    â€œMaybe it would be better if I took the children and went to Alex’s.” She murmured it but Jace got the message.
    â€œBecause of today? Bee stings happen.”
    She couldn’t tell him the real reason why, because she never wanted him to know how deeply her feelings ran.
    â€œWhy were you at the guesthouse in the first place?” he asked, looking at her briefly, then turning his attention back to the winding road.
    It was as good an opening as any. It was the only thing she could think of at the moment to balance things out. A way to escape the feeling that he was taking over, or that she was starting to rely on him. She didn’t want to rely on anyone. She merely wanted a place for some peace so she could figure out what she was going to do next. Perhaps now was the time to draw that line in the sand.
    â€œI had an idea this morning. That guesthouse is sitting empty, which is a shame. Look at what you’ve got here. A gorgeous, secluded winery on the river, minutes from the Shuswap. This is a tourist trap in the summer. Why not fix up the guesthouse and rent it out? Either by the night or week. And you could do wine tours. I picked up a local events paper today and a few other wineries in the area have them.”
    â€œAnd who do you suppose would run it?”
    â€œThat’s what you hire people for.”
    â€œPeople like you?”
    She paused. What an interesting thought. A fleeting vision of herself playing hostess while Jace ran the vineyard and the children played on the grass…but no, it was pure fantasy. This was temporary, not a permanent relocation. “Of course not. I have a job with Morelli. But I can help you get it ready, get you set up. It’s what I do best.”
    â€œGo on.”
    â€œI have Morelli contacts and a good eye, and you know it.” She hesitated, took