still safe. After tonight, I don’t think that’s an issue, sadly. She’ll let us do it.”
“You really don’t need to help.” Andrea’s chair scraped as she shoved it in, the only sound in the room other than the ticktock of the ornate Black Forest mantel clock. “I’m sure my grandmother appreciates your offer, but I can hire someone. I’ll pay—”
He swung around, annoyed that she thought this was about money. “I said I’d do it.”
“It’s my responsibility.” That stubborn jaw was very much in evidence. “Why should you be involved?”
“Because I live here, too. Because your grandmother and your sister have both been kind to me.”
Because they can accept me as I am, without needing a dossier on my past.
Her hands moved, palms up, in a gesture of surrender. “All right, then. If you feel that way about it, I guess we’d better head out to the hardware store tomorrow.”
“Fine.” He strode toward the door and pulled it open. “Be sure you lock this behind me.”
“You don’t need to remind me of that.” The ghost of a smile touched her lips as she came to the door and reached for the dead bolt. “I’m a city-dweller, remember? Locking up is second nature to me.”
She stood close in the dim light, with the half-opened door between them like a wedge. Her face looked softer in the shadows, more vulnerable.
The way it had looked when she’d catapulted out of the shed practically into his arms. He’d felt her heart racing in the instant she’d pressed against him. She’d been panic-stricken, although she was hardly likely to admit that to him.
“Katherine could use a few street smarts. But I can’t see her changing at this time of her life, so we’ll have to take care of it for her.”
She nodded, but he thought there was still a question in her eyes. About him. She wasn’t like Katherine and Rachel in that regard. She didn’t accept anyone at face value.
No, if Andrea stuck around for long, she’d be trying to find out more about him. She’d have to know, just so she could fit him into her neat classification system. And if she did, it would only raise more questions in her mind. Why would a rising young attorney in a prestigious firm throw it all over after winning the case of his career? She’d want to know the answer.
She wouldn’t. No one here knew but him. His conscience would never let him forget the mistake he’d made in his rush to get ahead, or the child his stupidity had returned to an abusive father. It had cost his career to right that wrong, and he didn’t figure he was finished paying yet. But that wasn’t Andrea’s business.
“Good night.” His fingers brushed hers lightly as he grasped the door to pull it shut behind him. “Pleasant dreams.”
“So basically it was much ado about nothing.” Andrea gave Rachel her most reassuring smile the next morning. “Really. Stop looking so worried.”
Of course Rachel couldn’t help it, tethered as she was to a wheelchair by the two heavy casts. The chair was parked by the window, but she didn’t look as if she’d been enjoying the view of the hospital’s helipad.
“I knew we should have taken more security measures, especially after thieves broke into the Bauman farmhouse and vandals knocked over some of the gravestones in the church cemetery.” She brushed a soft brown curl behind her ear with a quick gesture, brow crinkled. “But Grams still thinks this place is as safe as it was fifty years ago, and anyway, she said—” She stopped abruptly, guilt plainly written on her face.
“Relax, Rachel. I talked to Uncle Nick. I know about Grams’s finances.”
Rachel blinked. “He told you?”
“Yes. What I want to know is, why didn’t you tell me?” She forced the hurt out of her voice.
Discomfort made her sister move restlessly in the wheelchair. “You know Grams. She’s proud. The only reason I found out was because I happened to be visiting when she hit a low
“You really don’t need to help.” Andrea’s chair scraped as she shoved it in, the only sound in the room other than the ticktock of the ornate Black Forest mantel clock. “I’m sure my grandmother appreciates your offer, but I can hire someone. I’ll pay—”
He swung around, annoyed that she thought this was about money. “I said I’d do it.”
“It’s my responsibility.” That stubborn jaw was very much in evidence. “Why should you be involved?”
“Because I live here, too. Because your grandmother and your sister have both been kind to me.”
Because they can accept me as I am, without needing a dossier on my past.
Her hands moved, palms up, in a gesture of surrender. “All right, then. If you feel that way about it, I guess we’d better head out to the hardware store tomorrow.”
“Fine.” He strode toward the door and pulled it open. “Be sure you lock this behind me.”
“You don’t need to remind me of that.” The ghost of a smile touched her lips as she came to the door and reached for the dead bolt. “I’m a city-dweller, remember? Locking up is second nature to me.”
She stood close in the dim light, with the half-opened door between them like a wedge. Her face looked softer in the shadows, more vulnerable.
The way it had looked when she’d catapulted out of the shed practically into his arms. He’d felt her heart racing in the instant she’d pressed against him. She’d been panic-stricken, although she was hardly likely to admit that to him.
“Katherine could use a few street smarts. But I can’t see her changing at this time of her life, so we’ll have to take care of it for her.”
She nodded, but he thought there was still a question in her eyes. About him. She wasn’t like Katherine and Rachel in that regard. She didn’t accept anyone at face value.
No, if Andrea stuck around for long, she’d be trying to find out more about him. She’d have to know, just so she could fit him into her neat classification system. And if she did, it would only raise more questions in her mind. Why would a rising young attorney in a prestigious firm throw it all over after winning the case of his career? She’d want to know the answer.
She wouldn’t. No one here knew but him. His conscience would never let him forget the mistake he’d made in his rush to get ahead, or the child his stupidity had returned to an abusive father. It had cost his career to right that wrong, and he didn’t figure he was finished paying yet. But that wasn’t Andrea’s business.
“Good night.” His fingers brushed hers lightly as he grasped the door to pull it shut behind him. “Pleasant dreams.”
“So basically it was much ado about nothing.” Andrea gave Rachel her most reassuring smile the next morning. “Really. Stop looking so worried.”
Of course Rachel couldn’t help it, tethered as she was to a wheelchair by the two heavy casts. The chair was parked by the window, but she didn’t look as if she’d been enjoying the view of the hospital’s helipad.
“I knew we should have taken more security measures, especially after thieves broke into the Bauman farmhouse and vandals knocked over some of the gravestones in the church cemetery.” She brushed a soft brown curl behind her ear with a quick gesture, brow crinkled. “But Grams still thinks this place is as safe as it was fifty years ago, and anyway, she said—” She stopped abruptly, guilt plainly written on her face.
“Relax, Rachel. I talked to Uncle Nick. I know about Grams’s finances.”
Rachel blinked. “He told you?”
“Yes. What I want to know is, why didn’t you tell me?” She forced the hurt out of her voice.
Discomfort made her sister move restlessly in the wheelchair. “You know Grams. She’s proud. The only reason I found out was because I happened to be visiting when she hit a low
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