Sins of the Past by Keyonna Davis Page B

on.”
    Ashley gasped at his tone before answering. “Well, like I was saying. I told a few of the women in town about your situation yesterday. There was no way we were going to allow the new guy in town to suffer, so we got together and decided to cook for you. Consider this your own personal welcoming committee.” She held up the storage container and smiled. “I hope you like casserole.”
    Before Jacob could say anything, the doorbell rang again. Once Ashley was out of the kitchen and headed for the door, he banged his head a few times against the table and groaned. He desperately wanted to get rid of the annoying woman, but it looked like he was in for a day in hell.
     
    * * * *
     
    Lorna flung the curtain closed and hoped Jacob hadn’t seen her. “What the hell is that bitch doing there,” she whispered to herself as if Jacob could hear her. When she heard the car come up the street and then banging as she was getting coffee, the last person Lorna expected to see when she looked out the window was Ashley practically beating down Jacob’s door. What shocked her even more was the fact he had let the evil bitch into his house then looked around as if he was making sure no one had seen them before he went inside and closed the door behind him.
    She stomped away from the window and ignored the way her heart ached as she changed into her work clothes. Lorna had thought Jacob was different. He was the first man, other than Uncle John, who saw her when he looked at her and not just a product of the town outcast. If she had known she was going to pour her heart out to the man one night and watch him let her enemy into his house the next morning, then she would have never given him the time of day in the first place.
    Lorna rubbed her chest as it tightened and she forced herself to hold back the tears threatening to fall. Her Uncle John was the only man she had ever cried over and she loved him with all her heart. Jacob didn’t deserve her tears. She ignored the voice in the back of her head that told her she was starting to fall for the man as she gathered her keys and headed out to her car. Lorna forced herself not to look over at Jacob’s house as she pulled out of the drive and headed down the street. She had put herself out there and got nothing but heartache back in return. As she drove, Lorna decided she had learned her lesson. She wouldn’t allow herself to be hurt ever again. She only had herself to rely on and Lorna planned on keeping it that way. If that meant she had to avoid Jacob, then that’s what she would do. Eventually, he would get tired and give up.

Chapter 7
     
    Lorna frowned when the bell to her shop door rang as the door opened. She was flat on her back under the VW she was working on when she heard footsteps headed her way. She pushed herself so the trolley she was lying on propelled her from under the car. She had no idea who was in her shop, but there was no way she was going to greet them lying down. She wouldn’t put it past someone in the town to try something while they had the advantage.
    Lorna’s heart thumped as she gripped the wrench she was using and stood. The footsteps grew closer and she watched waiting to see who would come around the corner. She saw one of his crutches before she saw Jacob and froze. Lorna had successfully avoided the man for two days, but it looked like her luck had just run out.
    “What are you doing here?” She glared at the man to let him know she wasn’t happy about his visit.
    “I’ve been trying to talk to you for a couple days now. I figured you couldn’t run away from me if I came here.”
    “I haven’t been running away from you.” Lorna could hear the lie in her own voice and when Jacob raised one brow, she knew he could too.
    She swallowed back a moan at how sexy Jacob looked when he did that. The expression made him look arrogant and gorgeous at the same time. Add that to the smirk he was currently giving her, and the man was