Read Online When You Are Mine by Kennedy Ryan - Free Book Online

from beneath the glassy surface of the water. “So, what exactly are you doing?”
    “Some of these rocks are so beautiful.” She smiled, holding the rock in her hand, rubbing the excess water away. “I think they’d look great as jewelry.”
    He looked at the smooth, crystalline stone in her hand, swirled with black, red, and green.
    “Once Déjà Vu is up and running, I’ll focus on learning the technique I need to know and figuring out how to do it. For now, I’d just like to find a pretty rock for Iyani.”
    “You’re something else, you know that?”
    The crowd teeming around them, the children’s laughter, the kites billowing overhead—it all went into soft focus. The world had sharply narrowed to this river princess with rocks bundled in her skirt. Walsh watched the teasing laughter in her eyes die. Her pupils dilated and her breath quickened, making him wonder if her world had narrowed down to him, too.
    “Walsh,” Sofie called from the riverbank, her strident tone snapping them to attention. “I need you. The reporter wants shots of both of us with the kids.”
    Walsh stepped back. “See you later.”
    “Come on!” Sofie snapped, stepping down to grab his hand and pull him farther away from Kerris. “The kids are waiting.”
    * * *
    The sight of them holding hands, towering over her like ruling monarchs, looking perfect together, made Kerris feel so ordinary—insignificant, like one of the pebbles under her feet. She was glad Sofie had walked up. She had to be imagining that Walsh felt the same intimate pull that she had. Sofie was Walsh’s reality. And Kerris’s reality was walking toward her with a smile, proffering an elephant ear.
    “You’re awake. Want one?” Cam eyed the departing couple speculatively. “Gotta give it to Sof. That girl is determined to catch her man.”
    “Seems like he’s not running too hard.” Kerris bit into the sweet fried dough.
    “I dunno.” Cam frowned and wiped powdered sugar from the corner of her mouth. “I know everyone thinks they’re made for each other, but not sure Walsh sees it that way. Or at least he didn’t used to. I always thought Walsh would fall in love with some girl no one saw coming. He’s a closet romantic.”
    “What makes you think that?” Kerris tried to rein in her stampeding heart.
    “I know him better than everybody else.” Cam tugged her hand to help her out of the water. “I think Walsh will want to marry a girl he loves. I just don’t see him ever loving Sofie.”
    “Maybe someone should tell Sofie that.” Kerris ran her fingers over the few rocks she had collected.
    “Someone has.” Cam gave a short laugh. “Walsh has, in every way he can think of, but she keeps coming like a tank. A beautiful, sexy tank. I’ll give her that, but I don’t know if she’s gonna land him.”
    “Jo thinks she will.”
    “Really?” Cam raised both eyebrows, obviously surprised. “She must know something I don’t.”
    “Look, the fireworks are about to start. Let’s go watch.”
    She changed gears with no clutch, not wanting to spend another minute talking about Walsh and Sofie.

Chapter Eight
    W hat’s taking so long?” Walsh asked the question for probably the hundredth time.
    Kerris watched him pace back and forth in the small hospital waiting room, wanting to comfort him, to give him answers she knew they would have to wait for. Iyani had been so brave going into surgery, clutching the rock Kerris had brought her like a talisman with mystical powers of courage.
    Kerris fingered the leather bracelet encircling her wrist, blinking back tears. It had been seven hours. Walsh had been on his laptop working for a good part of the day, staying connected to Walsh Foundation business, and, to her surprise, Bennett Enterprises. She hadn’t realized until today how involved he was in his father’s business affairs.
    She had brought her laptop as well, glad that Meredith had installed the business software package so she could do