Read Online Shadows of the Past (Logan Point Book #1): A Novel by Patricia Bradley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Patricia Bradley
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said Nick.
“It doesn’t matter.” The mother shifted the baby in her lap and unbuckled her seat belt. “This is too good to pass up. Besides, I’m not coming between lovers.”
“Really, we’re not.” Nick grabbed the woman’s diaper bag. Protesting only made it worse. “But there is a new grandmother in first class I think you’ll love meeting.”
As Nick settled in beside her, Taylor edged closer to the window but couldn’t escape the clean, cottony scent of his aftershave. She couldn’t believe he’d gone along with the story her seatmate had fabricated and had actually changed seats. She turned toward him.
“You let her believe we had a . . . a relationship .”
At least he had the grace to blush.
“You heard me, I tried to tell her.”
“Not hard enough.”
“Well, you didn’t mention you were flying to Memphis today.”
Warmth spread through her chest as his gaze held hers. It’d be so easy to get lost in those eyes. She’d never noticed the green and blue flecks before. Against her will, her focus drew to his chiseled jaw and then to his full, sensuous lips. He seemed to be waiting for an answer, and she tried to recall the last thing he’d said. Something about flying. Oh. “I decided to fly home after you left.”
“To find Scott?”
“Uh, no.” She shot him the look she reserved for arrogant freshmen. Once more a blush crept up his neck.
“I did it again.” He dropped his gaze. “That’s why I wanted to change seats—so I could apologize for yesterday. I thought this way would be a little more private.”
She snorted. “Sure. Now everyone within five rows thinks we’re in love.”
“Okay, so now I have three things to apologize for—embarrassing you and being nosey today and my rudeness yesterday. I’m sorry.” He tilted his head. “Accepted?”
Somehow Taylor didn’t think he was sorry about today. To her surprise, she didn’t care. She hadn’t looked forward to the long flight to Memphis, and especially so after finding out the baby was teething. At least she wouldn’t feel bad telling Nick she didn’t want to talk, might even get satisfaction out of it. “Apology accepted, on one condition—no arguing about Scott.”
“Deal.” He hesitated. “Can we talk civilly about him?”
“Yes.” She sighed. “And for the record, Scott isn’t the reason for my trip home—not to say I won’t try and find him.” Nick didn’thave to know that Livy was looking for his brother even as they flew. She turned her attention to the refreshment cart as it rattled past their seat.
“Coffee? Or a soda?” The attendant waited for their order.
“Coffee,” she replied
“Sprite for me and a bag of pretzels.”
Taylor accepted the cup and a napkin and sipped the black brew. Strong. She blotted her lips and shifted in her seat toward Nick. Questions hovered in his green-flecked eyes. Questions she didn’t want to answer, she was sure. Maybe she could get him to talk about himself. Men liked to do that. “So, you grew up in Memphis.”
“Yep.” He popped open the tiny package of pretzels and offered her one.
“Never thought about leaving for somewhere like New York City?” Taylor asked.
“Nope.” He wrapped his napkin around his soda. “My turn with a question. How did a Southern girl end up teaching college so far from her roots?”
So much for directing conversation away from herself. “Hmm.” She munched on the pretzel. “I couldn’t wait to get away from Logan Point. Left for New York University the summer I finished high school. After getting my bachelor’s degree, I enrolled at Florida State University in a dual master’s and doctorate program in forensic psychology. That led to working with law enforcement, and that’s how Conway learned about me. They offered me a position teaching criminal psychology.”
“But Conway is so small,” he said. “How did you transition into teaching something as specialized as victim
“It doesn’t matter.” The mother shifted the baby in her lap and unbuckled her seat belt. “This is too good to pass up. Besides, I’m not coming between lovers.”
“Really, we’re not.” Nick grabbed the woman’s diaper bag. Protesting only made it worse. “But there is a new grandmother in first class I think you’ll love meeting.”
As Nick settled in beside her, Taylor edged closer to the window but couldn’t escape the clean, cottony scent of his aftershave. She couldn’t believe he’d gone along with the story her seatmate had fabricated and had actually changed seats. She turned toward him.
“You let her believe we had a . . . a relationship .”
At least he had the grace to blush.
“You heard me, I tried to tell her.”
“Not hard enough.”
“Well, you didn’t mention you were flying to Memphis today.”
Warmth spread through her chest as his gaze held hers. It’d be so easy to get lost in those eyes. She’d never noticed the green and blue flecks before. Against her will, her focus drew to his chiseled jaw and then to his full, sensuous lips. He seemed to be waiting for an answer, and she tried to recall the last thing he’d said. Something about flying. Oh. “I decided to fly home after you left.”
“To find Scott?”
“Uh, no.” She shot him the look she reserved for arrogant freshmen. Once more a blush crept up his neck.
“I did it again.” He dropped his gaze. “That’s why I wanted to change seats—so I could apologize for yesterday. I thought this way would be a little more private.”
She snorted. “Sure. Now everyone within five rows thinks we’re in love.”
“Okay, so now I have three things to apologize for—embarrassing you and being nosey today and my rudeness yesterday. I’m sorry.” He tilted his head. “Accepted?”
Somehow Taylor didn’t think he was sorry about today. To her surprise, she didn’t care. She hadn’t looked forward to the long flight to Memphis, and especially so after finding out the baby was teething. At least she wouldn’t feel bad telling Nick she didn’t want to talk, might even get satisfaction out of it. “Apology accepted, on one condition—no arguing about Scott.”
“Deal.” He hesitated. “Can we talk civilly about him?”
“Yes.” She sighed. “And for the record, Scott isn’t the reason for my trip home—not to say I won’t try and find him.” Nick didn’thave to know that Livy was looking for his brother even as they flew. She turned her attention to the refreshment cart as it rattled past their seat.
“Coffee? Or a soda?” The attendant waited for their order.
“Coffee,” she replied
“Sprite for me and a bag of pretzels.”
Taylor accepted the cup and a napkin and sipped the black brew. Strong. She blotted her lips and shifted in her seat toward Nick. Questions hovered in his green-flecked eyes. Questions she didn’t want to answer, she was sure. Maybe she could get him to talk about himself. Men liked to do that. “So, you grew up in Memphis.”
“Yep.” He popped open the tiny package of pretzels and offered her one.
“Never thought about leaving for somewhere like New York City?” Taylor asked.
“Nope.” He wrapped his napkin around his soda. “My turn with a question. How did a Southern girl end up teaching college so far from her roots?”
So much for directing conversation away from herself. “Hmm.” She munched on the pretzel. “I couldn’t wait to get away from Logan Point. Left for New York University the summer I finished high school. After getting my bachelor’s degree, I enrolled at Florida State University in a dual master’s and doctorate program in forensic psychology. That led to working with law enforcement, and that’s how Conway learned about me. They offered me a position teaching criminal psychology.”
“But Conway is so small,” he said. “How did you transition into teaching something as specialized as victim
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