Read Online Not the Marrying Kind (Destiny Bay Romances - Forever Yours) by Helen Conrad - Free Book Online Page B

probably read her like a book, she changed her mind and smiled.   She said something to the young man.   He glanced back at Michael and shrugged, then moved on, and Shelley rose to come toward him.  
    “ Like an old friend ,” he thought.   “ Why not ?”
    He had to admit, she’d appealed to him from the first.   Something about her tugged at him, and at the same time, something else flashed like a warning.   In his love-‘em and leave- ‘em world, women like Shelley didn’t fit the scenario.  
    “Hi,” she said, stopping a stool away, as though afraid he might touch her if she got too close.   “What are you doing here?”
    “Having lunch.”   He smiled, looking at her.   He couldn’t help it.   Her hair was tousled, as though she’d been hugging lots of cousins, and her sweater was clinging to her lovely breasts in a way that made his pulse go a little faster.   Her dark eyes were wary and uncertain.   He wanted to pull her in and hold her and whisper reassurance.  
    But anything he would tell her would be a lie.   No point.  
    “Care to share my cheeseburger?” he offered.  
    “No thanks.”   She smiled back and risked coming a little closer.   “So what happened with your partner?” she asked.   “The last time I saw you, you said he was in trouble or something.”
    He stared at her for a moment, then nodded.   “He’s okay,” he said dismissively.   “We got it taken care of.   No problem.”
    She nodded, wondering if he was telling her the truth.   What a strange way to live—always so close to disaster for yourself or for those that you were close to.  
    “So what brings you here?” he asked.  
    “My cousin Reid and his wife Jennifer just found out the baby they’re having is actually two.   Twins!   So of course, a bunch of us had to get together and…. .”   She shrugged.  
    “Congratulate them?” he guessed, helping her out.  
    She nodded and looked away, then visibly steeled herself and looked back into his eyes with new energy.   “So, how are your sessions with Jeff going?   Coming to any conclusions about your tendency to shoplift?”
    He laughed.   “Sure,” he said.   “It was just a phase I was going through.   Nothing serious.”
    “Nothing serious,” she repeated softly, wondering if that wasn’t close to being the story of his life.   “Good.   I guess you’re cured then.”
    He nodded and took another bite before he answered.   “Actually, I’ve had my last session.   In fact, my job here is done.”   He gave her a half grin.   “It’s time to say good-bye to Destiny Bay.   I’m moving on.”
    Their eyes met and something seemed to quiver between them, like a note held by a violin.   It touched her emotions, deep inside, but she couldn’t have said how or why.  
    “Where to?” she asked, trying not to sound plaintive.  
    He shrugged and looked away.   “You know better than to ask that.”
    She nodded, thinking of the matchbook she’d found.   Did she have the nerve to ask him about it?   No.   Not quite.    
    Suddenly she was angry.   It was awfully convenient to have a way to back out of any sort of commitment or responsibility, wasn’t it?   All he had to say was, sorry, it’s a secret.   I can’t tell you where I’m going or what I’m doing.   See you later-- if I feel like it.  
    She wished she hadn’t come over to see him.   Who needed this, anyway?   Why did he have to come and disrupt her life like this just when she’d almost convinced herself to forget all about him?  
    “So this is it?” she said coolly.   “This is what you always do?   Stop by for a quick adventure and then move on to something more exciting?”
    He frowned.   Her words stung more than he’d expected from her.   They made him sound shady, unfeeling, superficial.   Like someone who just skimmed across life and love, taking what he could and dismissing what he couldn’t reach as though it didn’t