Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 68033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Kerris glanced around, doing a double take when she spotted Walsh, filling the doorway with his broad shoulders and imposing height. He wore a white Walsh Foundation T-shirt, stark against his tanned skin, and his standard-issue cargo pants. He surveyed the shop, and his eyes stopped as soon they met hers. His wide, warm smile and the heat in his eyes melted Kerris like the sun on an ice cap. He walked into the shop, ignoring the curiosity of the customers tracking his every step. Yes, he was handsome, but he was also Walsh Bennett. His family was like royalty in this town, and these people followed his moves in the tabloids and on blogs. Kerris actually saw one woman aim her phone his way and snap a picture.
He grabbed her hand as soon as he was close enough, pulling her to his side and dropping a quick kiss into her hair. Kerris stiffened under everyone’s inspection. They all knew who she was. Who Walsh was. Who Cam was. How had she fooled herself into believing she didn’t care what they thought? In that moment, as much as she had missed Walsh and wanted nothing more than to leap into his arms, legs wrapped around waist à la Whitney-loves-Bobby-Brown-fresh-from-jail, she couldn’t. She put a step between them, gently tugging her hand free.
“Hi, Walsh.” She offered a careful smile, her eyes pleading with him to follow her lead. “What a nice surprise. We weren’t expecting you.”
Walsh tilted his head and raised one dark brow.
“I tried to stay away,” Walsh said, voice deliberately loud. “But I missed you too much.”
Self-consciousness forced her to meet one curious set of eyes after another around the shop. These women had thrown her a baby shower. Kerris had helped them find dresses for special occasions and gifts for the people they loved. They had brought casseroles, magazines, and trashy novels to her home when she was confined to a wheelchair for months. In many ways, they were extended family, and though Kerris knew she would choose Walsh no matter what, a part of her wanted them to approve.
“Well, I think the two of you make the sweetest couple,” Mrs. Peterson said into the waiting quiet.
Kerris looked from the scarf she still held to the compassion in the other woman’s eyes.
“Thank you, Mrs. Peterson,” Kerris managed to say.
“It’s obvious you two belong together,” Mrs. Peterson said, extending her hand to Walsh. “Dorthea Peterson, I’ve been coming to the shop since it opened. I knew your mother, God rest her soul. She was an amazing woman. We all miss her.”
Walsh nodded and offered Mrs. Peterson a genuine smile. He didn’t look at Kerris, but the tight jaw and clenched fist he slid into his pocket signaled that he wasn’t altogether pleased with her.
“Thank you. I miss her, too.”
“I heard your father is holding a big shindig in her honor up there in New York.” Another customer, the one with the camera phone, said from across the room.
Walsh turned in the woman’s direction, another smile on his face.
“Yes, ma’am. It’s for an endowment in my mother’s name Bennett Enterprises has created.”
“In two weeks, right?”
“Yes.” Walsh lifted impressed eyebrows. “You’re well informed.”
The customer looked a little sheepish.
“We all keep up with your family. You’ve done a lot for this community.”
Another smile from Walsh and then his eyes drifted back to Kerris. She hated to see the smile he’d held on to for everyone else wither and die when his eyes landed on her. He didn’t speak, but just let the quiet build between them like a brick wall. Just as she was about to say something, probably the wrong thing, Meredith joined them.
“Walsh, good to see you.” Meredith slapped Walsh on the arm and brought him in for a hug, giving Kerris WTF eyes around his shoulder.
Kerris was asking herself WTF. She’d been mooning over this man all day, waiting for a phone call, and he shows up in the beautiful flesh and she messes it up this badly?
“You look great, Mer.” Walsh tweaked the hair spiking around her gamine face. “I like the pink.”
“You know me. Always trying something new.” Meredith turned to Kerris. “I’ve got things handled out here, Ker.”
“Oh, um. Okay.” Kerris turned to Walsh, her face a silent question he refused to answer. “Would you like to…we could…if you want…”
Walsh didn’t acknowledge the word salad Kerris couldn’t stop tossing. He walked past her and toward the back office. Meredith slammed her palm against her forehead and shooed Kerris after him.
“Go fix that,” Meredith whisper-shouted.
Kerris wasn’t sure how to fix whatever she had broken. Once in the office, she leaned against the door, unsure what to do with her hands. If she hadn’t botched things up so badly, she’d already be in Walsh’s arms. Against a wall getting the sense kissed out of her. This was not the reunion she had envisioned.