Twins Under the Tree--A Clean Romance by Leigh Riker

Author:Leigh Riker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2019-07-09T20:29:19+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

HADLEY BELIEVED IN keeping his distance from people, because most of the time he was already planning to be somewhere else. No use making friends he would have to lose—or couldn’t get in the first place. No sense falling for someone as he had, too fast, for Amy, and living to regret that.

He wasn’t one to pry into other people’s lives. But the next time he was alone with Jenna, he couldn’t help but ask for more details about her life. The words popped out before he could stop them. “So, what happened?” he asked. “I know about your father, the farm that Finn now owns, your growing up without much...” In that last they were the same.

After taking that loan of the twins’ money, he didn’t like feeling obligated to her, but the offer had proved too tempting to ignore. Had she manipulated him? How much did she really trust him? He guessed instead of charging interest she had new power over him instead. Jenna would be watching him even more closely, making sure he didn’t take off some night and default on the loan.

Yet ever since they’d first talked about their backgrounds, he’d been wondering about Jenna’s early life. She’d already heard about his.

“You mean after I grew up and didn’t have to stay on that farm?”

They were seated on the top step of the stairs in Clara’s house, their voices softly echoing in the space above the front entryway. Jenna had eaten dinner with them tonight, making conversation with everyone at the table, including Cory, who’d shown up at the exact moment Clara served the meal. He never missed one now.

After Clara’s peach cobbler, Cory had gone back to the foreman’s bungalow, and Clara had decided to visit a friend down the road for the evening, leaving Hadley with Jenna.

“I know your father could be harsh, but what about your husband?”

“Out of the frying pan into the fire,” she admitted. “David was far better educated than Daddy or me, and way more successful. I didn’t even have a job until recently—he said I didn’t need one, which put him in full control. I always figured I’d ‘married up,’ as they say.”

“I doubt that.”

Jenna twisted her fingers together. “He’s living in Salt Lake City now, and I’m in Barren, where I intend to stay. Try to make something of myself.”

“Stop,” he said. Hadley had endured enough foster homes where bitter words and hurtful actions had eaten away at his own sense of himself. “Don’t put yourself down.” Jenna’s shoulder rested against his, though she didn’t seem to notice the contact. “I’ve had my share of trouble. Still do, but I learned this way back. Don’t let anyone else define you.”

“But you do, Hadley. You buy into that ‘bad boy’ image. You shouldn’t care what other people think.”

He blinked. “Maybe so,” he said, “but I don’t care what your ex thought his reasons were for locking you in a cage—”

“A beautiful cage,” she said with a faint smile.

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