The Homecoming by Chris Keniston

Author:Chris Keniston
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance
Publisher: Indie House Publishing
Published: 2013-06-25T16:00:00+00:00

“Do you think it means anything?” Stephanie looked up at Daniel, unexpectedly aware of his warm breath gently fanning her neck. They'd been working all morning in the old archives. Until now she'd frequently reminded herself to ignore the musty dampness that filled the room. Now the only thing she felt was the slow burn of his chest pressing against her back. This was no time for distractions. If he would just step back, even a little, she would be able to concentrate on the picture in front of her.

“There must be more.” Daniel reached over her, flipping a couple of pages before he straightened up, his hand resting on her shoulder. "This was in July. He’d have only been home for another month or so. Is Eduardo in any of the pictures?”

“I...I don’t see him.” Stephanie forced herself to look at the yellowed newspaper and silently chastised herself for overreacting. Daniel wasn't the first man to hover over her shoulder or the first man to breathe down her neck. He wasn't making a move on her. This wasn't a movie theater, and he wasn't some hormonal teenager trying to cop a casual feel. Hell, most of the time he made it perfectly clear he didn't even like her, so she might as well get a grip and get down to business—newspaper business.

When Daniel walked away and returned to the other side of the table, Stephanie felt her lungs fill with air. Relieved, she needed the distance but couldn't stop herself from watching him resume the search through his own stack of records. The ridges of someone lost deep in thought were etched between his brows.

“Maybe he was sick or something, and Guido was just doing him a favor and escorting your mom,” he said.

“Hm? Oh, that would be some friend.” Hoping he hadn't noticed her distraction, she swung her gaze to the photos in front of her, torn between sorrow at the loss of his touch and thankfulness that her ability to think clearly was slowly returning.

“Don’t jump to conclusions. My mother had me married off to Mari Gutierrez because Rosario saw us having dinner.”

“Nothing serious?” She smiled but didn't look up.

“Better not be, or her fiancé, my best friend, might feel he had good reason to rearrange my face.”

“Point taken.” She glanced up and nodded. “Don’t jump to conclusions, but at least it proves Andres told me the truth. Once upon a time, they were friends. At least Guido and my mother were.” She turned back to the paper, her head still slowly shaking in surprise at the smiling faces staring back at her. “Unbelievable.”

"Once upon a time. Makes it sound like a fairytale, and honey, if there's one thing this isn’t - it's a fairy tale." Daniel slammed the book of faded print shut. The furrows in his brow grew surprisingly deeper. The harshness in his tone doused the fluster of heat she'd been struggling to control.

"No,” she heard herself say. “I don't think you have to worry about anyone ever confusing our lives with a fairy tale.

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