The Widower's Second Chance by Jessica Keller

Author:Jessica Keller [Keller, Jessica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2014-08-22T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Caleb glanced at Paige as he turned into a gated residential community. He’d never actually been to the area, so when Paige had told him she lived in Chicago, he’d pictured a row of small brick bungalow homes situated close enough to reach out a window and touch the neighbor’s siding. Alleys that weren’t well plowed in winter, that sort of city living. She’d failed to mention that her parents lived in the wealthy section of the suburbs.

Behemoth homes, bigger than two of Maggie’s old Victorian inns put together, loomed on either side of the quiet street. People had their own tennis courts and private, fenced-in basketball courts in their backyards. Garages here housed four cars.

Caleb rubbed the grease stain on his jeans. Why hadn’t he changed before they left? What sort of impression would beat-up work boots, a rolled-up flannel shirt and stained jeans make on the Windoms? Maybe he should stay in the truck when they got there. Although, that would mean her lifting all the boxes herself, which he’d never let happen.

“Turn down Lavender Avenue and it’s the second house on the left,” Paige directed him.

The Windoms’ home fit in perfectly with the neighborhood. The white house boasted four two-story pillars, and he guessed it had room for six or more bedrooms upstairs. A large sculpture in the middle of a fountain in the front yard spewed water. People had stuff like that in their yards?

The tires of his truck had no more than hit the curb when an older woman and a younger man stepped out the front door and started walking toward them.

The man stopped before continuing down the driveway. He pulled his phone from his back pocket, turned his back to them and talked to someone.

Paige stiffened. One of her hands locked around the edge of her seat, the other around the strap of her purse. “Why is he here? I can’t do this.”

Caleb’s senses went on alert. He popped the truck into Park and then reached over and placed his hand on top of hers. “What’s wrong?”

“Him.” Her lip trembled and she started that rapid-fire blink thing he remembered from the first time they met.

Realization surged through his heart. “Does he have something to do with the wedding dress?”

Paige nodded once, sharply.

“Do you want me to tell him to go?”

She gently tugged her hand out from under his and drew in a long breath. “No one tells Bryan to leave. It doesn’t work like that.”

All the glow that normally filled her features drained from her face.

“Could you start loading the boxes? They’re stacked in the garage.” She pointed to the last open door. “I’d like to get out of here as fast as possible.”

He nodded and climbed out of the truck. What else could he do? Paige needed someone to stand beside her to help fight her dragons, but evidently, she didn’t want that man to be him.

* * *

Willing her hands to stop shaking, she slipped out of the truck.

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