Return to Me (Blue Harbor Book 5) Olivia Miles (ereader android .TXT) 📖

It seemed that everyone understood that Candy had a strong personality.

“She’s only here because tonight’s pick was a romance,” Gabby said, joining them.

“Then you have nothing to complain about!” Brooke knew that romance was Gabby’s favorite genre.

Gabby gave a little shrug. “Other than the fact that the only romance I seem to find is in the pages of my books, or on the cards I write for my flower deliveries…to other people.”

Brooke sympathized, even if she wasn’t looking for love herself. It wasn’t always easy to see other people find it. And keep it.

Gabby jutted her chin. “Uh-oh. Looks like Helena is getting worked up. You know she’s this close to banning Candy from checking out any more books.”

Bella grinned. “Good. More business for me.” She looked over her shoulder and blew out a breath. “Yikes. I see what you mean. Okay, we’ll start early tonight.”

Brooke was happy when Bella asked everyone to take their seats. She took a chair near the back, hoping to slip out as soon as the discussion ended. She needed a good night’s sleep because she had a feeling that until her next five meet-ups with Kyle were over and done with, she wouldn’t be finding much rest at all.

*

Brooke stepped out onto the sidewalk, feeling the first few drops of rain land on her head. She looked up at the sky; it was overcast, the sidewalks empty, the only light coming from the warmly lit windows of the small inns that lined Main Street and the lampposts that glowed high above.

She knew enough about the weather patterns to quicken her step as the rain began to fall stronger. Her apartment wasn’t far, and she shivered in her sweater as the rain soaked her skin. A hot cup of tea and some warm pajamas were moments away. She just had to hop over that puddle, and—

“Those aren’t the most weather appropriate shoes, are they?” A deep voice cut through her thoughts.

Brooke turned to see Kyle grinning back at her, under the comfortable shield of a large umbrella.

Brooke didn’t need to look at her feet to know what he was referring to, but she did it anyway, as an excuse to break his stare. The butterflies remained in her stomach even still, fluttering away as she considered her next words.

Was this so easy for him, or was he…

No. She shook that thought away immediately. There was no way that Kyle Harrison was flirting with her. If he still had feelings for her, he’d had a long time to make them known.

To her dismay, her cognac leather wedges were getting soaked, and she cursed herself for not checking the weather forecast earlier.

“I should hurry,” she said, seizing the opportunity.

But she was too late. Kyle had closed the distance between them, and now his umbrella was over her head, his arm pressing against her back in an overly familiar way. Under the shield of the fabric, she could feel the heat of his body, smell the musk of his skin and the faint scent of spice from his cologne. The same one he always wore. How many nights had she curled next to him in bed, her head on his chest, breathing in this smell, lulled by the beating of his heart?

The rain was falling harder now, making it impossible to break away. Damn it.

“I’m happy I ran into you,” he said, and she could hear the grin in his voice, even though she refused to look up at him. It was bad enough that he practically had his arm around her as they walked toward her shop. “I didn’t like the way we left things.”

“Me either,” she admitted after a pause. Feeling the need to explain, she pressed, “I don’t want us to hurt anymore. I don’t want to be upset by the past. I…just want to move on.”

He nodded, kept walking, slowly. Too slowly. He was setting the pace.

“I’m surprised you aren’t at the pub,” she said, trying to steer the conversation away from their relationship.

He didn’t say anything for a beat, and they approached the corner, checked for cars. As luck would have it, a few were approaching, their headlights strong, making it impossible to gauge their distance or speed, because if she had it her way, she’d make a run for it. Anything to get away from Kyle, his arm, his body…

“Is Ryan planning to stay on?” She hadn’t considered such a thing before, but who was she to assume otherwise? People changed. Relationships did too. She should know.

“Ryan moved back because he had a break-up, and I think he needs to sort some stuff out, personally. Unfortunately, that means he has time on his hands and he’s decided to stick his nose into my business. Well, the family business. Ryan and I…Well, you know.”

Yes. She did. They’d always been opposites. One creative, one analytical. Both stubborn to a fault, not that she’d be saying that. She wasn’t in the mood to argue tonight and talking about the past stirred up feelings she’d rather forget.

Still, a part of her softened as they finally made their way across the intersection. “I’m sure your father would be pleased to see both his sons working together at the family business.”

This time, she felt his body stiffen behind her, and she wondered if she’d hit a nerve. She looked up to see his jaw locked, his eyes focused straight ahead, and she realized that she had.

“I know your feelings about the pub if that’s what you’re getting at,” he said.

“I didn’t mean it that way,” she said honestly. “I meant…I know how much that pub meant to your father. And I know how much you did, too.”

She held her breath, waiting for a defensive retort, wondering why she was even bothering to bring up