Irene Hannon - Child of Grace

It had been way too long since he’d had a real date.

What else could it be?

He heard her stir behind him. No doubt wondering why he hadn’t responded to her comment.

Say something, Turner.

“Yeah. I’ve been looking forward to my first sunset on the beach.”

He pasted on a smile and forced himself to turn back to her—just as the capricious wind snatched a loose sheet of paper off her lap.

Luke took off after it, snagging it as it somersaulted down the beach. Sandwich still in one hand, he glanced at the neat, precise handwriting and the bullet-point outline Kelsey had been compiling.

A list of PR initiatives for the youth center project.

He scanned it as he retraced his steps. “Looks like you’ve been putting some serious thought into this.”

She took the paper and slipped it into the middle of the tablet on her lap. “I promised you some suggestions tomorrow. I’m teaching a class in the morning, so tonight was my best chance to work on them. Besides, I get my most creative ideas here anyway.”

He surveyed the landscape. “I can see why. And from the quick glimpse I got of your notes, it seems to have been a productive session. So what’s your number-one recommendation?”

“Media interviews. If you’re willing.”

“Me?” His eyebrows rose.

“You have a great personal story to tell that will connect with potential donors and supporters.”

“This is supposed to be about Carlos.”

“It is.” She leaned forward, her expression earnest. “And who better to tell the world about him than the man who worked alongside him on the battlefield? Who saw the transforming effect the youth fellowship had on his life. Who was so moved himself by Carlos’s dream to help other young people benefit from that same program that he took on the task of turning the young medic’s dream into reality, as a tribute to him.”

He stared at her. With her defenses down, her green eyes flashing with enthusiasm and passion, Kelsey Anderson was stunning.

Wow.

The spark of attraction flared again, and Luke took a deep breath. Let it out.

Not part of the agenda, Turner.

“You’re good.” He strove for a businesslike tone. “If I wasn’t already spearheading this campaign, I’d be ready to sign on the dotted line.”

His praise brought a becoming flush to her cheeks, and she leaned back in her chair. “Creating buy-in and shaping public opinion was my job for a long time.”

“And now you make quilts.” Why? Luke didn’t voice that question. But there was a story here. One he wanted to hear.

“And now I make quilts.” She ignored his implied query, her unwavering gaze telling him to back off.

He did. For now. Afraid she’d retreat if he didn’t.

“So what other ideas have you jotted down there?” Again, he gestured to the hidden sheet of paper.

She hesitated, then drew it out. “I’m not ready to talk about this in detail yet, but if you want to pull your chair over, I can give you a few highlights.”

“Sold. I’ll be right back.”

As he retrieved his chair and the rest of his dinner, Luke didn’t waste time analyzing his sudden change of heart about avoiding his neighbor. The reason was obvious. A pretty woman plus a guy who’d gone too long without a date added up to hormones. Nothing more. And there was no harm in enjoying the little flicker of attraction for a few minutes.

She took a sip out of her mug as he set up his chair beside her, and he tipped his head toward it. “More tea?”

“No. I get more than enough of the decaf and herbal versions at the shop. This is milk.” She wrinkled her nose. “And I feel about it the way you feel about tea.”

He didn’t need to ask why she was drinking it.

“When is the baby due?” He lowered himself into his chair and stretched his legs out in front of him, crossing them at the ankles.

Her lips flattened, telling him two things. This wasn’t a subject she wanted to discuss. And her feelings about her pregnancy were mixed, at best.

A reaction that only raised more questions.

“September fifteenth.” She gestured to the tablet. “We’d better talk about this before we lose the light.”

Luke got the clue and did his best to switch gears. “Okay. I’m ready.”

As she laid out her recommendations, he continued eating his sandwich.

In addition to media interviews, she’d come up with a dozen other ideas to garner public support and spread the word about the project, including a fundraising dinner, speaking engagements at local organizations, and a clever way to generate positive publicity for companies who donated goods to the cause, creating a win-win scenario.

When she finished, he shook his head. “All I can say is, you must have been very good at what you did in the corporate world.”

Her cheeks pinkened as she slipped the sheet of paper back into the lined tablet and drained her mug. “It’s not difficult to be successful when your job is your life. But that’s not the healthiest way to live.”

“Is that why you left? To get more balance?”

She bent down and settled the mug in the sand, hiding her face from his view. “Let’s just say circumstances helped me realize I needed to realign my priorities. Spectacular sunset, isn’t it?”

Luke checked out the sky. The sun had dipped to the horizon, edging the clouds with gold and tinting the sky—and the beach—pink. It was spectacular. But he was more interested in the woman beside him.

“Yeah. Fabulous.” Luke leaned back in his chair, out of her line of sight, and studied her. The setting sun continued to cast a warm glow on her profile. But it also highlighted the faint lines at the corners of her eyes that spoke of weariness and worry. Apparently, realigning her priorities hadn’t erased either of those from her life. Why not? And what “circumstances” had made her ditch the fast track in the corporate world and move to her grandmother’s cottage to make quilts? Where did the absent father of her baby fit into the picture?

The more he learned about Kelsey Anderson, the more intrigued he became.

Suddenly, as if sensing his scrutiny, she turned her head.

He transferred his attention to the sky at once. “I’m glad I didn’t miss this.”

“It beats anything on TV.” With one more glance at the sky, she tucked her tablet under her arm and swung her legs to the side of the chair. “I’d stay to the end, but navigating those steps is tricky enough when the sun is shining. It’s downright dangerous in the dark.” Her voice sounded nervous, as if she’d once more wrapped herself in a cloak of caution.

As she struggled to extricate herself from the low-slung chair, Luke rose and held out a hand.

“You may need to switch to a regular lawn chair soon.” He kept his tone light, hoping she’d accept his help. “They’re a lot higher off the ground.”

He waited while she considered his hand—and let out a sigh of relief when she took it. He didn’t relinquish his hold until he was certain she was steady on the shifting sand.

“Thanks.” She sounded a little breathless as she tugged her fingers free and reached down to fold up her chair and snag her jacket off the sand.

As it had the day of the lightbulb incident, her top slid off her shoulder, revealing the jagged scar near her collarbone. She tugged it back into position before he got a good look, but the quick glance she darted his way told him she was afraid he’d seen it. And was worried he might ask more questions.

He had plenty of those. But voicing them wouldn’t be smart. If he wanted to know Kelsey’s secrets, he’d have to give her time to get comfortable with him. To learn she could trust him.

Unfortunately, given her extreme wariness, that could take a whole lot longer than the six weeks he’d be in Michigan.