Read Online Three Weeks Last Spring by Victoria Howard - Free Book Online
Authors: Victoria Howard
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door and sat down on the sofa . She was totally confounded by the complete turnaround in Walker's behavior and the effect he had on her. Perhaps Debbie was right after all. Maybe he was just another visitor to the islands, here to relax, fish, and generally enjoy the scenery. But, something tugg ed at the back of her mind, but she couldn't quite put the pieces toge ther.
With the exception of John, she didn't trust men in general, and she certainly didn't trust Walker, that was for sure. But if asked why, she couldn't explain. Some would call it womanly intuition. Skye, however, was more logical, and put her lack of trust down as the direct result of Michael's betrayal.
Michael—the one person she had trusted with her heart and soul, and yet he had almost destroyed her. She thought back to the first idyllic ten days of her visit and remembered how things began to change on the eleventh. They’d spent as much time in each other's company as the Navy would allow. Towards the end of her second week, over dinner, Michael asked her to extend her stay. The ship would be in dry dock longer than first anticipated, probably for another couple of months. He'd understand if she couldn't stay that long, but woul d she at least consider trying?
At first Skye had said no. She had commitments and her business partner to consider. But Michael persuaded her to stay and although it hadn't been an easy decision, Skye had changed her mind and said yes to please him. She remembered how guilty she felt when she called John to inform him of her change of plans. They had a blazing row. John was adamant that she should return, claiming the business needed her and it was unfair of her to expect him to do all the work. Skye had responded by saying that John was complaining because , for once, he was workin g the long hours instead of her, and it was his social life that had been put on hold for a change. It was the first time they had exchanged harsh words about their business and personal lives , and the whole experience had left Skye ashen, drained, and exhausted.
Michael had comforted her, and said in the long run it wouldn't matter anyway, not when she was settled in the States with him. Skye had been caught off guard by his comments. Her heart had sung with delight . Wa s Michael proposing? She was euphoric as he explained that he wanted her by his side , always. It was what she had dreamed and hoped for. They had talked long into the night, Michael vehemently declaring his lo ve for her over and over again.
He'd already made plans for their future. After twenty-five years service , he would have a reasonably good pension, enough to buy them a house somewhere. Skye could easily continue her career and Michael couldn't foresee any problems in her being granted a fiancée status visa. Her mind burned with the memory of his smooth words. At the time he’d been so convincing, and it was only now, with the benefit of hindsight, could Skye appreciate how easily she had been sucked in by his glib words and charming smiles.
She would never forget a single detail of the events that took place in the following days . At first it was little things, like Michael's pager going off halfway through dinner and him rushing out of the restaurant supposedly back to the ship, leaving Skye to finish her meal in solitude and to pick up the tab. He became secretive, volunteering little information about himself or why he had been recalled to the ship. On Sunday afternoons he'd disappear for hours on end, on some pretext or other.
There had been other last minute excuses to cancel their plans, like the weekend in Victoria and the trip to Friday Harbor. The endless question s about who called while he was out, made Skye feel as i f he was trying to control her.
When Michael had asked about her business she ha d been reluctant to answer, feeling as if she were betraying all she and John had built together. But once again, Michael
With the exception of John, she didn't trust men in general, and she certainly didn't trust Walker, that was for sure. But if asked why, she couldn't explain. Some would call it womanly intuition. Skye, however, was more logical, and put her lack of trust down as the direct result of Michael's betrayal.
Michael—the one person she had trusted with her heart and soul, and yet he had almost destroyed her. She thought back to the first idyllic ten days of her visit and remembered how things began to change on the eleventh. They’d spent as much time in each other's company as the Navy would allow. Towards the end of her second week, over dinner, Michael asked her to extend her stay. The ship would be in dry dock longer than first anticipated, probably for another couple of months. He'd understand if she couldn't stay that long, but woul d she at least consider trying?
At first Skye had said no. She had commitments and her business partner to consider. But Michael persuaded her to stay and although it hadn't been an easy decision, Skye had changed her mind and said yes to please him. She remembered how guilty she felt when she called John to inform him of her change of plans. They had a blazing row. John was adamant that she should return, claiming the business needed her and it was unfair of her to expect him to do all the work. Skye had responded by saying that John was complaining because , for once, he was workin g the long hours instead of her, and it was his social life that had been put on hold for a change. It was the first time they had exchanged harsh words about their business and personal lives , and the whole experience had left Skye ashen, drained, and exhausted.
Michael had comforted her, and said in the long run it wouldn't matter anyway, not when she was settled in the States with him. Skye had been caught off guard by his comments. Her heart had sung with delight . Wa s Michael proposing? She was euphoric as he explained that he wanted her by his side , always. It was what she had dreamed and hoped for. They had talked long into the night, Michael vehemently declaring his lo ve for her over and over again.
He'd already made plans for their future. After twenty-five years service , he would have a reasonably good pension, enough to buy them a house somewhere. Skye could easily continue her career and Michael couldn't foresee any problems in her being granted a fiancée status visa. Her mind burned with the memory of his smooth words. At the time he’d been so convincing, and it was only now, with the benefit of hindsight, could Skye appreciate how easily she had been sucked in by his glib words and charming smiles.
She would never forget a single detail of the events that took place in the following days . At first it was little things, like Michael's pager going off halfway through dinner and him rushing out of the restaurant supposedly back to the ship, leaving Skye to finish her meal in solitude and to pick up the tab. He became secretive, volunteering little information about himself or why he had been recalled to the ship. On Sunday afternoons he'd disappear for hours on end, on some pretext or other.
There had been other last minute excuses to cancel their plans, like the weekend in Victoria and the trip to Friday Harbor. The endless question s about who called while he was out, made Skye feel as i f he was trying to control her.
When Michael had asked about her business she ha d been reluctant to answer, feeling as if she were betraying all she and John had built together. But once again, Michael
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