Shadow of Love by Ellen Wolf Page A

‘Although Sophie warned me that it will be a tough act to get your approval.’
    ‘ Did she?’ What was the correct answer to such a statement, she wondered as she watched him load onto his plate one of the delicate rolls from the large platter in the middle of the table. ‘I just worry about her at times, that’s all.’ She decided on honesty, knowing that anything else wouldn’t do. She was a horrible liar and playing games where one pretended to be something else entirely had never been her thing. Maybe they could get past their first impression and become friends after all.
    She decided to give it her best try. ‘Sophie is my only sister, and I care about her a lot. I was concerned about the speed of your courtship, James.’
    ‘ Why is it a bad thing?’ He was still smiling, but she could have sworn that he was carefully monitoring his words. ‘Haven’t you ever heard of love at first sight?’
    ‘ Heard, yes; found it actually working, no.’ She shrugged when she spoke, and his eyes followed the movement it produced in her shoulder-length hair.
    For a second he seemed distracted before nodding again and admitting with a smile, ‘There are exceptions to every rule, Emily.’ His long, lean fingers played with the silver fork, absentmindedly tracing the intricate design of vine leaves carved into it. ‘What makes you think that knowing someone for a long time can guarantee love better?’
    ‘ Well, for one thing, it’s much easier to get along when you actually know the other person a bit more than you can after just having dinner together and possibly making out afterwards.’ She immediately wished she could bite off her tongue.
    His quiet laughter made her cringe in embarrassment.
    ‘ I’m sorry, that was a wrong thing to say.’ She hurried to repair the damage, only to realize that it was too late. He was watching her intently, the darkness of his eyes even more disturbing from the short distance that separated them at the table.
    ‘ No, that’s quite all right,’ he reassured her, his long fingers coming forward to cover her hand for a split second. The touch was barely there before he leaned back in his chair, but it felt as if he had branded her with a hot iron, her skin tingling with electric current caused by his fingertips. ‘Sophie told me what a sensible, level-headed person you are,’ he continued, obviously unperturbed by their physical touch.
    That realization made her feel even worse, her heart thudding unevenly against her ribs. Why was she so acutely aware of this stranger who would soon become a part of her family, marrying her sister and becoming her brother-in-law? Was it some sick twist of fate, a payback she had subconsciously created as revenge for Sophie stealing Peter?
    ‘ You make it sound as if it’s something wrong, James,’ she answered, her eyes veiled. ‘As if being sensible is bad.’
    ‘ No, not bad.’ He shook his dark head, a small smile playing around his mouth as he continued. ‘I’m all for common sense, actually. “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves.” Isn’t that so?’
    She couldn’t breathe for a second or two, her heart stopping for one horrible moment before it picked up again, beating furiously against her ribs. He didn’t know, of course, she told herself as she struggled to overcome her sudden weakness. How could he? It was just a saying, for God’s sake. People repeated phrases all the time. It was Shakespeare, after all.
    Only, she remembered these words more than any others. They were forever etched in her memory with all the other things that she had tried so unsuccessfully to forget. They had haunted her for the last twelve years, buried under the surface of her peaceful existence, only to break through if she wasn’t careful.
    She could see it clearly, her stepfather’s farewell words on the blood-splattered letter that lay with the gun next to his still body. She could hear herself scream, running to