Promises, Pumpkins and Prince Charming by Karen Rose Smith

Author:Karen Rose Smith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 1998-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

Meredith’s apartment in Lancaster suited her perfectly, with its cream walls, peach-and-spruce furnishings, and the wide view of farmland and sky from the picture window in her dining room. All of the rooms were spacious. The complex offered not only an Olympic-size pool, but a gym and security guards on watch twenty-four hours a day.

When her doorbell rang, Meredith checked the cherry mantel clock. It could only be Paula at 9 p.m. She was always up until all hours. Meredith’s volunteer work in pediatrics at the hospital started early and she was usually in bed by eleven.

Checking the peephole, she saw her sister and opened the door. Paula was frowning.

“What’s wrong?” She reknotted the belt on her blue satin robe and headed for the sofa.

Paula paced. “I’ve been driving and thinking.”

“About?”

“Becca and Luke Hobart. I think it’s getting serious.”

“Maybe it’s none of our business.”

“Maybe. And maybe we shouldn’t stand by and watch her get hurt this time as we did with David.”

Meredith wished her father had been a different kind of man—one who could have given Becca as well as his daughters the nurturing they needed so they’d know what to look for in a man. With her and Paula, he used gifts to show affection, to make up for time he didn’t spend with them. And with Becca…he’d always kept his distance. Maybe that’s how all men would feel about a child who wasn’t biologically theirs. Her ex-husband had seen adoption as their only option for children after her second miscarriage and had wanted no part of it.

Shoving her own hurts back into a closed corner of her heart, she concentrated on Becca. “I tried to tell her about David, but she ignored his pattern. She’d thought she’d found true love.”

Paula finally perched on the chair across from the sofa. “I didn’t even try to tell her. You know, we haven’t been very good sisters. Just because she had her grandmother didn’t mean she didn’t need us. I think I was jealous I didn’t have someone like Gran. You’ve got to admit our stepmother is not a warm person.”

Meredith had hoped with all her heart that her own marriage would make up for the close family she’d always wanted and never had. Growing up, the three-year difference between her and Paula had kept them from confiding in each other. At least as they’d gotten older, they’d talked more and become closer. Even so, Paula didn’t know the whole story behind Meredith’s divorce. No one did.

“Why do you think Becca and Luke Hobart are getting serious?” she asked.

“There was some kind of accident today and Luke got hurt. According to Gran, Becca’s staying with him tonight to make sure he’s okay.”

“Staying with him?”

Paula shrugged. “That’s why I’m worried.”

“If Becca wants to start something with him or vice versa, why should anyone interfere?” Paula might feel guilty because they hadn’t warned Becca strongly enough in the past, but their stepsister was older now and this situation was different.

“Something’s off, Sis. I’m not sure Luke Hobart is what he seems.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.