Read Online The Heart Remembers by Irene Hannon - Free Book Online

heart.
    â€œMmm-hmm.” He cleared his throat, but still the huskiness in his voice remained. “I’m sorry you never got to see them, Maggie.”
    â€œOh, but I will.” The smile she gave him was luminous. “I’m going to Europe right after Christmas. I decided what with the twins going away to college this fall on scholarships, it was time I started a new phase of my life, as well. I’m going to close the B&B for four months and visit all the museums and take some art classes and just soak up the ambiance. It should be wonderful!”
    The sudden spark of enthusiasm in her eyes lit up her face, giving it a glow that warmed his heart. “That sounds great. I know you’ll enjoy it, especially with your art background.” He nodded toward the canvases stacked around the room. “I guess I never realized just how talented you are. I remember you sketching, but not painting. I don’t know that much about art, but these look very impressive to me.”
    â€œThanks. I’m not that good, though. I really don’thave any formal training. But Philip—he owns a local gallery—has encouraged me. He even displays some of my work. And he’s been trying for the past year to convince me to have a show at a gallery in Bangor that’s owned by a friend of his. I’m just not sure I’m ready for that, though.”
    â€œYou look ready to me.” Jake meant every word. There was a quality to her work, an emotion, a compelling power that radiated from the canvases. Even with his untrained eye he could sense it.
    â€œPhilip says so, too. But I haven’t committed to it yet.”
    â€œIs this Philip someone whose judgment you trust?”
    â€œAbsolutely. About everything except my painting, that is. We’ve been friends for a long time, and I’m afraid he may not be as impartial as he should be.”
    An alarm bell rang in Jake’s mind. Maggie had used the term friend, but when she spoke of this Philip, the warmth and familiarity in her voice implied something more. And that possibility disturbed him. Which was wrong. He had no claim on her heart. He should be glad that she’d found a male companion. Considering all the love she had to offer, Maggie wasn’t the kind of woman who should spend her life alone. But even as he acknowledged that his reaction was selfish andwrong, he couldn’t change the way he felt. The thought of Maggie in love with another man bothered him. It always had.
    â€œWell, I think he’s right.” Jake bit back the question that he longed to ask her about Philip.
    â€œWe’ll see.” Maggie left it at that and changed the subject. “So…you’re heading back to Boston. How did the interview go?”
    â€œI’ll tell you all about it in exchange for a cup of coffee.” He smiled and winked.
    She blinked, as if taken aback, then stood. “Sure. I thought maybe you only had a few minutes.”
    â€œI’ve got an early flight out of Boston tomorrow morning, so I’d like to get back at a reasonable hour. But I can stay for a little while.” He followed her into the large, airy kitchen.
    â€œFlight?” She tossed the question over her shoulder as she filled two cups.
    â€œRob and I are meeting at the old house. Before we put it on the market we have to sort through everything and decide what we want to keep. The rest will be sold at an estate sale.”
    Maggie turned to him with a troubled frown. “This must be hard on your dad.”
    â€œIt is. But he’s accepted the necessity of it and other than a few specific items he’s asked us to save, he’s left the disposition of everything in Rob’s and my hands.”
    â€œThat won’t be an easy job.”
    Jake hadn’t really thought that far ahead. But he’d been gone from his childhood home for a long time. The emotional ties had loosened long ago. He expected