For Joy's Sake by Tara Taylor Quinn

Author:Tara Taylor Quinn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin Superromance
Published: 2017-09-05T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

HUNTER RAFFERTY OBVIOUSLY didn’t think highly of himself. Sitting outside in her backyard, in an atmosphere meant for entertaining—and one in which she hadn’t entertained since high school—Julie sipped wine.

And took it all in. Without discomfort.

In fact, she was enjoying herself.

Not because her companion didn’t see his worth, or even that she did, but because he was...genuine. Charming, yes. But genuine. At least, at this moment.

Unless...

She waited for the doubts. They didn’t come.

Hunter really didn’t have a high opinion of his ability to handle emotional crises.

She’d known many charming men. In polite, moneyed society they were bountiful. She’d fallen in love with one. And found that beneath the charm lay selfishness. Rotten eggs on a heart of ice.

But Hunter... She kept picturing him with his hands in his pockets walking around a tree and humming. And felt herself smiling from the inside out.

For the first time in a very long time.

They talked some more about Joy. A little about Edward and Lila. About his fund-raiser that evening. And then Joy again.

“She needs to have fun at the beach,” Hunter said, after Julie expressed disappointment that she’d been unable to get the girl to speak again once they came down from the tree.

“At the beach?” she echoed.

“Edward’s talk about his house being on the beach didn’t make her happy.”

She’d noticed, of course. Had suspected that he had, as well, based on his pancake art and food-stealing.

She’d been hesitant to believe that he’d really discerned Joy’s discomfort. She was always hesitant to believe. That came with having trust issues as high as the Empire State Building.

It felt good to know she’d been right in her first assessment. Hunter had played with his food to help Joy.

“Her father was a surfer,” she reminded him. He was close enough that she could smell a hint of musk. And yet, she didn’t feel threatened.

A moment to savor.

To give her hope.

He nodded. Watched her in a way that was personal. But she was okay. No need for her studio right now. It would come. The need. Her studio would be there waiting for her. And she’d go. For now, though...

“I surf.” Why did it seem as if there was so much more to those words? His expression wasn’t smiling. Or charming. It was...serious. About surfing.

“You’ve mentioned that before.”

“The feeling you get, when you catch a wave just right. If she knew that feeling...”

He stopped and Julie straightened. “What?”

He shook his head. “I’m not good at this.”

“At what?”

“The emotional drama. I’m the guy who checks out.”

“I don’t see you that way.”

“You don’t know me well enough. Trust me. Or ask my father. Or my mother, for that matter. They’ll tell you. The going gets tough, I go surfing.”

He was touching something deep inside her. Nudging the heart she kept so carefully protected. Just as Joy had.

Because of Joy? Was she at risk with Hunter because her heart had to be open to help Joy? Was she entering a minefield she’d promised herself she’d never get close to again?

He walked around a tree and hummed.

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