Read Online Operation: Married by Christmas by Debra Clopton - Free Book Online Page B

creased, and his lips flattened. “All that was just reaction from the shock of seeing you after all these years. That’s all it was. We have been put on a project together, and all I want is to get through it like two adults and move on. I realized that there really is no sense in rehashing our sordid past.”
    â€œSordid. Meaning my walking out on you.”
    â€œCall it whatever you want. I don’t really care.”
    â€œI get that clearly. I got that clearly all those years ago and that’s why I left. You never really did get it.”
    The room grew silent again all but for the ticking of the clock and the sound of Haley’s heart pounding in her chest.
    â€œLook, I really can’t do this.” She headed toward the back door. There was no use fighting this. He was bent on trying to make her feel bad and she wasn’t going to give in to that. She refused to just pretend it wasn’t happening. He knew and she knew that he could take care of the drawing of the props without her, so there was no sense in her having to stress out over being around him.
    She yanked her coat off the rack, threw open the door and stormed onto the porch.
    â€œWhat do you want from me?”
    His words stopped her halfway down the steps. She swung toward him, fighting an embarrassing need to cry. Cry! She didn’t cry. “I want you to admit you were partly to blame for what happened between us.”
    By the look in his eyes, she knew he still didn’t get it and that he never would. To him, he hadn’t done anything wrong. It was all her fault.
    She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. “And that right there assures me that I made the right decision.”
    Spinning away, she stalked down the brick path and got into her car. She didn’t even look back to see if he was still standing on the porch.
    Â 
    His fault! Who was she kidding? Haley had turned her back on everything they’d had between them, and she wanted to blame it on him?
    Well, he may have been a fool in love all those years ago, but he wasn’t one any longer. He’d been pining away for her all this time—and for what? A woman who saw nothing except herself. That wasn’t the kind of woman he wanted to love.
    Will closed his eyes and let the cold air seep into him. Hardening his resolve, he refused to listen to the small voice that was trying to get his attention. He went back into the kitchen, snatched up the props sketchbook and stormed into his office.
    He didn’t need Haley Bell Thornton to do this job. He’d didn’t need Haley Bell Thornton, period.

Chapter Eight
    â€œH aley, what are you doin’ here?”
    Haley slammed the door of her car and stalked toward Applegate. He was sitting on his front porch peeling a green apple. “We need to talk, Granddad.”
    â€œWell, I kin tell ya got a spur in yor saddle so sit down and talk.”
    Haley settled into the chair beside him and brought her knees up so she could wrap her arms around them, partly to block out the cold air and partly to comfort her frazzled nerves. “Whatever you have planned for me and Will isn’t going to work.”
    Applegate kept peeling the apple. “I ain’t got any idea what yer talking about.”
    â€œI don’t believe you,” she said, staring at him with hooded eyes.
    He met her accusing gaze straight on. “Well that’s a fine thing to say to yer poor ol’ grandpa.”
    Haley tightened her arms around her knees and rested her chin on top, fortifying herself with the hug. “There’s nothing poor about you. You’re as smart as a whip and as cunning as they come. And don’t think I don’t know it.”
    His eyes shifted briefly, then held hers. “Haley Bell, you spend yer life running from weddings. You ever thank it was Will you shouldn’t have run away from?”
    â€œApplegate,” she warned. “There’s more