it .
‘ She is very good at whatever she does . ’ He shrugged one shoulder . T he corners of his beautifully sculpted mouth lift ed into a smile . ‘ And she really wanted to come, so I figured to hell with all those polite warnings I ’ ve been receiving all week. I thought G randdad would have a heart attack the moment he saw her, but he got over it quickly. I guess I’ll probably have to hear about it afterwards, when we are alone.’
‘ Well , it’s only fair for you to bring your girlfriend, after all . ’ Megan’s voice caught ever so slightly. ‘I know how she must feel, Matt .’
They danced in silence for a moment, the beat of music surrounding them like a cocoon. Meg realized she liked it this way . The silence that hung between them was far from being tense or awkward. This is the good thing about Matt , she thought gratefully . He makes everything easier. For some unknown reason , he seemed to be able to calm the atmosphere, and his easygoing , laid - back attitude rubb ed off on her.
‘You look absolutely beautiful . ’ Matt broke the silence , and she looked up once more, only to see him watch ing her with surprisingly serious expression. ‘Your eyes seem even bluer in this dress than I would have ever thought poss ible. They’ve always reminded me of bluebells. Just like those we picked in the Widow’s Lane when we were kids. Do you remember?’
How could I not? Bluebells were Elisa Harper ’s favorite flowers, and both boys pick ed huge bouquets each spring and deliver ed them to their fairy- like mother. The Widow’s Lane, as Matt called it, was actually a strip of old forest, filled with old oaks, beeches , and birches. S mall meadows and streams crossed the area, merging with the Harper s ’ property . The moist, rich soil prompted a riot of blooms each spring. The forest ended with a crumbling wall that had been erected a good three or four hundred years ago to surround the old church ’ s grounds. Meg an and some other kids used to join the Harper boys in their adventurous escapades while the Harper household was blissfully unaware of their little trespassers . Playdates and kids ’ parties weren’t really a part of their childhood . T he divide between the richest family in town and the rest of the folks was obvious even to children.
‘Those are happy memories . ’ She nodded agreeably . A tiny pinch of nostalgia for those simple, un pretentious times insisted on making her melanchol ic . Life was simpler when they were younger. No obligations, no expectations to live up to, no watchful eyes…
‘ What are your plans now that you ’ re back for good ? ’ She eagerly changed the topic. There was no point in getting all misty- eyed for something that couldn’t be brought back.
‘I’ve been offered a position of a junior consultant in our America n branch . ’ He saw her blank expression and laughed, his voice warm and rich. ‘ Yeah , I guess you are just as clueless as I was as to what that means, Meg .’ They were moving across the dance floor to the other end, their feet gliding effortlessly in unison. ‘I suspect that my family wants to make extra sure I won’t mess up anything too close to home. And I made it clear that I wouldn’t mind a few more year s exile d in the States , either.’
‘But why?’ Meg looked at him , exasperated and upset at the idea of him disappearing again for a long period of time. It m ust be because of Ry and his close relationship to his brother . S he knew Ry an missed Matt a lot while he was away. ‘Why would you go away so soon, Matt ? I ’ m pretty sure there must be something nearer home, isn’t there?’
He looked torn. She could tell there was something he didn’t really want to tell her . T he reason for his decision was too private to be discussed with his brother’s girlfriend. She knew him well enough to be able to read between the lines. The truth was hiding behind his carefully measured expression and
‘ She is very good at whatever she does . ’ He shrugged one shoulder . T he corners of his beautifully sculpted mouth lift ed into a smile . ‘ And she really wanted to come, so I figured to hell with all those polite warnings I ’ ve been receiving all week. I thought G randdad would have a heart attack the moment he saw her, but he got over it quickly. I guess I’ll probably have to hear about it afterwards, when we are alone.’
‘ Well , it’s only fair for you to bring your girlfriend, after all . ’ Megan’s voice caught ever so slightly. ‘I know how she must feel, Matt .’
They danced in silence for a moment, the beat of music surrounding them like a cocoon. Meg realized she liked it this way . The silence that hung between them was far from being tense or awkward. This is the good thing about Matt , she thought gratefully . He makes everything easier. For some unknown reason , he seemed to be able to calm the atmosphere, and his easygoing , laid - back attitude rubb ed off on her.
‘You look absolutely beautiful . ’ Matt broke the silence , and she looked up once more, only to see him watch ing her with surprisingly serious expression. ‘Your eyes seem even bluer in this dress than I would have ever thought poss ible. They’ve always reminded me of bluebells. Just like those we picked in the Widow’s Lane when we were kids. Do you remember?’
How could I not? Bluebells were Elisa Harper ’s favorite flowers, and both boys pick ed huge bouquets each spring and deliver ed them to their fairy- like mother. The Widow’s Lane, as Matt called it, was actually a strip of old forest, filled with old oaks, beeches , and birches. S mall meadows and streams crossed the area, merging with the Harper s ’ property . The moist, rich soil prompted a riot of blooms each spring. The forest ended with a crumbling wall that had been erected a good three or four hundred years ago to surround the old church ’ s grounds. Meg an and some other kids used to join the Harper boys in their adventurous escapades while the Harper household was blissfully unaware of their little trespassers . Playdates and kids ’ parties weren’t really a part of their childhood . T he divide between the richest family in town and the rest of the folks was obvious even to children.
‘Those are happy memories . ’ She nodded agreeably . A tiny pinch of nostalgia for those simple, un pretentious times insisted on making her melanchol ic . Life was simpler when they were younger. No obligations, no expectations to live up to, no watchful eyes…
‘ What are your plans now that you ’ re back for good ? ’ She eagerly changed the topic. There was no point in getting all misty- eyed for something that couldn’t be brought back.
‘I’ve been offered a position of a junior consultant in our America n branch . ’ He saw her blank expression and laughed, his voice warm and rich. ‘ Yeah , I guess you are just as clueless as I was as to what that means, Meg .’ They were moving across the dance floor to the other end, their feet gliding effortlessly in unison. ‘I suspect that my family wants to make extra sure I won’t mess up anything too close to home. And I made it clear that I wouldn’t mind a few more year s exile d in the States , either.’
‘But why?’ Meg looked at him , exasperated and upset at the idea of him disappearing again for a long period of time. It m ust be because of Ry and his close relationship to his brother . S he knew Ry an missed Matt a lot while he was away. ‘Why would you go away so soon, Matt ? I ’ m pretty sure there must be something nearer home, isn’t there?’
He looked torn. She could tell there was something he didn’t really want to tell her . T he reason for his decision was too private to be discussed with his brother’s girlfriend. She knew him well enough to be able to read between the lines. The truth was hiding behind his carefully measured expression and
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