Read Online The Ripple Effect by Elisabeth Rose - Free Book Online Page B

held it with both hands, gazing thoughtfully at him over the rim.
    Shay nearly choked on the mouthful he’d just taken. He managed to swallow and wiped his mouth on the paper serviette Annie had left.
    “Why do you wonder that?” he asked.
    Joelle put her cup down carefully. “Maybe it’s Melanie who’s adopted—except being older I know for a fact she isn’t.” She laughed. “We don’t like each other at all. Is that normal, do you think?”
    “Probably. Siblings always fight. My brother Ben used to say he wished he were adopted because then he’d know he wasn’t really related to Lisa, our big sister. She was a real bossy boots.”
    “But we’re adults now. It’s as if we’re from different planets.” The smile hovered about her mouth but how serious was she? Perhaps on a subconscious level she knew she didn’t naturally belong in that family. “I always felt Mum and Dad favoured her. She could do no wrong.” Joelle sighed. “They always tell me I’m jealous.”
    Shay forced a laugh. “Could be something in that. What’s the age gap?” Careful now, after the age slip.
    “Seven years.”
    “Old enough to resent a new baby in the house after being the centre of attention for so long,” he said. “It’s common enough.”
    “But there was Bridget in between and I looked forward to having another sister,” Joelle protested. “Bridget and I get on fine. She lives in England, though. I miss her.”
    “I don’t suppose there’s a law that says you have to love your family,” he said with a grin. “There’ve been cases in the US where kids have divorced their parents.”
    “I don’t want to divorce my parents.” Joelle laughed. “Just my sister.”
    “What does she do?”
    “Changes her mind a lot. She’s tried various courses.” She sighed. “Mel’s all right. Don’t get the wrong idea. I do love her underneath it all. She can’t find what she wants to do with her life. I’m lucky. I always knew from the moment I got an after school job at the shop when I was fifteen. I loved working with flowers.”
    “You’ve done well,” he said. “Managing the place now.”
    Joelle met his gaze and Shay had to turn his attention to the remains of the coffee in his cup. Her interest was too open. Too innocent.
    She glanced at her watch.
    “Have to go back?” he asked.
    “Five minutes. I am the boss after all.”
    “Have to set an example though.”
    “True.”
    “Thank you for having coffee with me, Joelle.”
    “I enjoyed it, Shay. Thanks for asking.”
    “I hope it doesn’t cause any trouble,”
    “Trouble?”
    “With what’s his name. Your boyfriend.”
    “It won’t,” she said fiercely.
    “If it does, tell him I was filling in time before I go back to Sydney and I won’t be seeing you again.”
    “Won’t you?”
    Shay met her gaze. Disappointment shone in her eyes. Her pretty mouth drooped. She was lovely, his sister. He wanted her to be happy in her love. Not with that Paul character, she deserved to be with a man who appreciated her talent and her creativity, one who wouldn’t stifle her.
    “I can’t, Joelle.”
    “Why?”
    “I’ve done what I came to do,” he said. “Plus I had an unexpected bonus. I met you.”
    He pushed his chair back and stood up. Joelle did the same. Shay paid Annie at the counter, ignoring her curious eyes, and followed Joelle outside.
    At The Garden of Earthly Delights, he held out his hand. “Thanks Joelle. It was nice of you.”
    “Call in if you come to see your relatives again,” she said. She gripped his hand tightly and gazed at him.
    He nodded, unable to speak. Suddenly he bent down and brushed his lips over her cheek.
    “Goodbye,” he murmured and hurried away before he broke a promise he wished he’d never made.

Chapter 4
    When Joelle arrived at her parents’ party on Sunday both sides of the street were choked with cars. She squeezed her sunshine yellow Beetle up on to the nature strip outside old Mrs