The Prodigal Brother Returns by Susan Lute

Author:Susan Lute
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
ISBN: 9781964418858
Publisher: Tule Publishing Group, LLC
Published: 2024-05-29T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

If Blake thought one more time about how amazing Malorie and her twins were, he’d have to find some other way to distract himself than diving into the work that had to be done to refresh the ranch. He was getting a little too starstruck. And though he was considering finding a work around Nathan so that he and Timmy could make their home on the Triple L, it was unlikely the Harpers would still be on the ranch.

He and Malorie were ships passing in the night. So he focused on exploring Strawberry Ridge while the kids stayed ahead of the adults. Every time he checked on them, Andee and Reece were including Timmy and making sure he was keeping up as they peered through the windows of the stores.

He and Malorie caught up with them on the corner of Second and Rawling. Their faces were pressed to the glass, hands blocking the sun from their eyes. “Look! It’s a bookstore. And a lady is reading to a bunch of kids,” Andee exclaimed, then turned to her mom. “Can we go inside and listen to the story?”

Malorie laughed, the sweet sound taking Blake right back to, not that she was amazing, which she was, but closer to here was a woman he could spend more than a little time with. If he were looking for someone to share his life with. He wasn’t! Was he?

“Of course you can go in. We’ll be right behind you.” Shooing the kids in with a wave of her hand, she turned to him with a curious look that made Blake a little nervous.

Andee and Reece pulled Timmy into The Book Lovers Hideaway, while Malorie slowly followed. She stopped just before going in, stepping to the side where they had a good view through the window of all three kids taking a seat on a rug with the other kids.

He was taller than she was, so she had to look up to lock gazes with him. Her dark hair bobbed around her shoulders. His pulse picked up.

“I want to ask you something,” she said. “The problem is, it’s none of my business. But I think if I understand what’s going on between you and your brothers, I can help Nathan with his healing process.”

Was that the only reason she wanted to know about the worst thing he’d ever done? Suddenly, his interest in the woman watching him with a calm, clear expression that lacked any judgment on her part took off for the mountains surrounding Strawberry Ridge.

He shoved his hands in his pockets. He wanted to show Malorie there was more to him than the stories she may have heard from Nathan, but was telling her the story of his past necessary? “What do you want to know?”

“What happened between you and Nathan?” she asked without hesitation.

She was brave to intrude where he didn’t normally let folks go. On the other hand, for some reason he couldn’t explain, he wanted her to know he’d grown up since he was that hardheaded, out-of-control teenager.

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