Page 47 (1/2)

"I stayed because of you"

"Oh, please" She didn’t hide her sarcas, she wanted to hear

"I’ has it been?"

"I forget" She hadn’t, but she wasn’t about to let hiered in herabout you," he said quietly

"Try harder," she advised

"Do you suppose I haven’t?"

"It was one night I’d had too much to drink"

"No, you hadn’t You knew exactly what you were doing and so did I"

Gloria released her breath He was right, and while she’d like an excuse for their brief interlude, there was no point in lying--to him or to herself "Why can’t you be like every other o on to the next conquest?"

"Is that what you think of ize But apparently you read more into our…encounter than you should have" She didn’t want to hurt hiainst her nature; nevertheless it was best, as far as she was concerned, to forget this and move on

He continued to look out over the water "At first I thought your reluctance had to do with Linnette"

It had Gloria had ether Then, through a fluke, she’d discovered that her sister had a crush on him

Except that, at the time, Linnette hadn’t known they were sisters No one did

After being adopted as an infant, Gloria had grown up in California, in a loving hoo, she’d lost theed to learn the names of her birth parents It was a shock to discover that after they’d given her up for adoption, they’d gone on to marry and have two other children These were Gloria’s full siblings, her sister and brother Hungry for the connection with family, she’d moved to Cedar Cove

Then, as luck would have it, her sister had moved into the apartment next door Her birth father, Roy, soood or bad, was all aand the luck were both Good and bad Linnette, a physician assistant, had a huge crush on Dr Chad Timmons, and Gloria had quickly bowed out of the relationship with Chad, preferring to step aside rather than risk destroying her chances with Linnette because they were both interested in the sa with Chad was near the top of that list

The night with Chad had been co about it Even after Linnette had started dating Cal Washburn, she’d decided not to see Chad again She’d convinced herself it was just easier that way Less aard

"Linnette is out of the picture," he added gently

"She has been for quite a while"

Chad sipped his coffee He still didn’t look in her direction "My point exactly"

"Why is it," Gloria de the fact that I’m not interested?"

"Because I know it’s a lie"

"You have a rather high opinion of your charreed readily "However, I doubt it"

His remark amused her "Really?"

"Yes, really" He turned to face her then, with his back to the railing "I scare you to death because I’uard You have your life carefully planned out and falling in love didn’t fit those plans Take ahappens according to schedule"

"Excuse ist"

He ignored that "I don’t otistical, but you’re in love with h was forced and high-pitched

"If you want to laugh," he said in a bored voice, "go ahead, but we both know the truth"

In response, Gloria conspicuously checked her watch "Your tie your feelings and aduess not"

"And you know all this about ht, I ure it out"

For reasons she couldn’t explain, a lump had formed in her throat