voice.
While dinner was cooking, Meghann stared mindlessly across her backyard that spring had not touched yet while her mother repacked her suitcases for the trip to Bruce’s apartment.
Her life was in turmoil and her insides resembled a novice’s poor attempt at Boy Scout knots. What could Bruce be thinking, inviting her and her mother to his place? Certainly he wasn’t expecting them to share a room…and a bed. She wanted to ask but was afraid. What if that
was
what he had in mind? It would break her heart. She didn’t want him to be like that.
Please, Lord, don’t let him be thinking that.
“You wanted to speak to me?”
Meghann sucked in a quick breath. He’d come up so quietly, she hadn’t heard his approach.
“At least, I assumed that’s what the glare you sent me before you retreated out here meant.”
She took the soggy tennis ball from Lucky’s mouth and threw it across the yard. The dog ran after it without a care in the world. Meg wished she were so fortunate. He couldn’t really expect her to just move in with him.
She let her gaze travel from the dog’s hind endsticking out from a bush to meet Bruce’s gaze.
“If you’re worried I might try to take advantage of you or the situation, I assure you I won’t. You have my word.”
Thank you, Lord.
She breathed a sigh of relief. “How did you know that’s what I was thinking?”
Her hand flew to cover her mouth. She couldn’t believe she’d said that out loud. But Bruce just smiled.
“It’s written all over your face and body; the worry lines across your forehead, your mouth drawn into that thin line, your stiff stance.”
She tried to relax, but in truth it was difficult with all that was going on.
“I can easily slip out after your mother goes to bed and be back before she wakes up.”
“I don’t want to kick you out of your own place. Where will you go?”
“It was my idea, remember? I’m sure I can make some sort of arrangement at the hotel.”
“I know you don’t want to disclose your reasons, but I can’t help but wonder why you are doing all this. You could pretend to go away on a trip and make this easy on yourself. It makes me wonder what’s in it for you and what you want.”
“I just want to do this for you, no strings attached. Isn’t that enough for you?”
No! She wanted specifics, details. Still, she could see that this tight-lipped Bruce Halloway wasn’t likely to give her any more than that, and she wasn’t exactly in a position to insist.
“I guess so. Of course.” It would have to be.
After dinner was cleaned up, Meghann and her mother finished packing.
“It would have been easier to go on a business trip,” Meghann whispered, handing Bruce her suitcase to put in her car trunk.
“But not nearly as much fun,” he said with a smile and closed the trunk.
She reached in her pocket and plopped something unceremoniously in his hand before retreating to the driver’s seat. He looked at the circular gold wedding band in his palm. It had a fine, etched design around it. He smiled at the back of Meg’s head as she sat alone, her posture stiff, waiting to leave. She had thought of everything, even a ring for him. As he slipped it on his finger, he noted the perfect fit. Had she bought it when she bought hers or did she run out and get it just today?
He could tell he had ruffled her feathers a little, but that was okay. He kind of liked having her off balance so he could be there to steady her.
Meghann followed Bruce and her mother, keeping a close eye on his silver gray Infinity Q45. How could an assistant manager at a hotel afford such a car? Was Bruce moonlighting?
She studied the automobile in front of her, fighting the growing anxiety. What were her mom and Bruce talking about? Why couldn’t her mom have ridden with her? She pressed her lips together. They were probablytalking about her. She bit her lip, wondering what they were saying. Was her mother asking him all sorts of
While dinner was cooking, Meghann stared mindlessly across her backyard that spring had not touched yet while her mother repacked her suitcases for the trip to Bruce’s apartment.
Her life was in turmoil and her insides resembled a novice’s poor attempt at Boy Scout knots. What could Bruce be thinking, inviting her and her mother to his place? Certainly he wasn’t expecting them to share a room…and a bed. She wanted to ask but was afraid. What if that
was
what he had in mind? It would break her heart. She didn’t want him to be like that.
Please, Lord, don’t let him be thinking that.
“You wanted to speak to me?”
Meghann sucked in a quick breath. He’d come up so quietly, she hadn’t heard his approach.
“At least, I assumed that’s what the glare you sent me before you retreated out here meant.”
She took the soggy tennis ball from Lucky’s mouth and threw it across the yard. The dog ran after it without a care in the world. Meg wished she were so fortunate. He couldn’t really expect her to just move in with him.
She let her gaze travel from the dog’s hind endsticking out from a bush to meet Bruce’s gaze.
“If you’re worried I might try to take advantage of you or the situation, I assure you I won’t. You have my word.”
Thank you, Lord.
She breathed a sigh of relief. “How did you know that’s what I was thinking?”
Her hand flew to cover her mouth. She couldn’t believe she’d said that out loud. But Bruce just smiled.
“It’s written all over your face and body; the worry lines across your forehead, your mouth drawn into that thin line, your stiff stance.”
She tried to relax, but in truth it was difficult with all that was going on.
“I can easily slip out after your mother goes to bed and be back before she wakes up.”
“I don’t want to kick you out of your own place. Where will you go?”
“It was my idea, remember? I’m sure I can make some sort of arrangement at the hotel.”
“I know you don’t want to disclose your reasons, but I can’t help but wonder why you are doing all this. You could pretend to go away on a trip and make this easy on yourself. It makes me wonder what’s in it for you and what you want.”
“I just want to do this for you, no strings attached. Isn’t that enough for you?”
No! She wanted specifics, details. Still, she could see that this tight-lipped Bruce Halloway wasn’t likely to give her any more than that, and she wasn’t exactly in a position to insist.
“I guess so. Of course.” It would have to be.
After dinner was cleaned up, Meghann and her mother finished packing.
“It would have been easier to go on a business trip,” Meghann whispered, handing Bruce her suitcase to put in her car trunk.
“But not nearly as much fun,” he said with a smile and closed the trunk.
She reached in her pocket and plopped something unceremoniously in his hand before retreating to the driver’s seat. He looked at the circular gold wedding band in his palm. It had a fine, etched design around it. He smiled at the back of Meg’s head as she sat alone, her posture stiff, waiting to leave. She had thought of everything, even a ring for him. As he slipped it on his finger, he noted the perfect fit. Had she bought it when she bought hers or did she run out and get it just today?
He could tell he had ruffled her feathers a little, but that was okay. He kind of liked having her off balance so he could be there to steady her.
Meghann followed Bruce and her mother, keeping a close eye on his silver gray Infinity Q45. How could an assistant manager at a hotel afford such a car? Was Bruce moonlighting?
She studied the automobile in front of her, fighting the growing anxiety. What were her mom and Bruce talking about? Why couldn’t her mom have ridden with her? She pressed her lips together. They were probablytalking about her. She bit her lip, wondering what they were saying. Was her mother asking him all sorts of
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