Love Enough For Two (Love Inspired) by Cynthia Rutledge Page B

serious relationship. And it may serve another purpose.”
    Sierra tilted her head. “What is that?”
    “Cootie Carl. I’m sure Matt is right.” Libby picked up her drink and regarded Sierra through lowered lashes. “Carl will move on and find another woman when he sees you aren’t available.”
    Sierra shook her head at her friend’s confident tone. “You should be in sales.”
    Libby’s eyes brightened as if sensing that Sierra was wavering. “You should do it.”
    Sierra thought for a moment. All her life she’d tried to do the ‘right’ thing and where had it gotten her? Anyway, like Libby said, what would be so wrong with just having fun? After all, she wasn’t really herself this summer, anyway.
    “Why not,” Sierra said, for once in her life throwing caution to the winds. “I have nothing to lose. Right?”

Chapter Seven
     
    M att swung his black Mercedes roadster into his sister Tori’s driveway and hopped out. His feet had barely hit the front stoop when the door to her peach-colored stucco town house swung open.
    “Matt.” Tori’s welcoming smile faded and she stopped short, eyeing his dark suit and tie. She glanced down at her striped cotton sundress. “I dressed casual for tonight. Do I look okay or do you think I should change?”
    Matt smiled. Even though he knew he was prejudiced, he was firmly convinced his sister would look good in a gunnysack. Her silvery-blond hair was cut short, barely brushing her jawline. She wore it straight and tucked back behind her ears. Her complexion was flawless and she utilized her makeup to full advantage, emphasizing her big blue eyes and full, pouty lips.
    “You look great.” He was struck once again by how much Tori looked like their mother. Or rather, their mother’s pictures. Photographs were pretty much all they had. Janice Dixon had left her husband and children when Matt was ten and Tori was four.
    She’d decided that not only didn’t she want to be married anymore, she didn’t want to be a mother, either. She’d taken a job with a multinational firm based out of Hong Kong. “I thought we’d just eat at one of the sidewalk cafés downtown.”
    “But you’re all dressed up.” Tori glanced down at her dress then back at his suit. “Are you sure you don’t want to go somewhere a little nicer?”
    “I like eating outside and watching the tourists walk by.” He took her arm and pushed her toward the shiny black car. “And I’m only wearing a suit because I came directly from the office. You seem to forget that some of us have to work for a living.”
    Tori rolled her eyes at his teasing. “Don’t give me that. You’re on the golf course more than you’re in a courtroom.”
    Matt couldn’t help but laugh again. Tori had been born when he’d been six and she’d always had a mind of her own. But he’d adored his baby sister from day one and he still did.
    Tori stopped short and stared. “Is this your new car?”
    “Yep,” Matt said. “Just picked it up yesterday.”
    “It’s absolutely adorable,” Tori said, admiring the shiny black finish and plush tan leather seats. “Can I borrow it sometime?”
    “Get in,” Matt said, having learned early on the value of not dignifying ridiculous questions with an answer.
    “Maybe some Saturday night you could let me have it for a few hours?” Tori’s gaze grew hopeful. “I’ll take good care of it. I promise.”
    “In the car,” he repeated firmly, though he knew he’d probably give in to her pleadings one of these days.
    Tori tossed her head and slid into the passenger side. He shut the door and rounded the car. In only seconds he was behind the wheel and they were on the freeway headed toward downtown.
    “Dad said something about you and John breaking up,” Matt said, turning the volume down on the radio. “I was surprised. You two seemed to get along so well.”
    “We did,” Tori said. “But there were some significant problems.”
    Matt’s fingers tightened