A Time To Love (A Mill Creek Crossing Romance) Read Free

Tennessee.”
     
    “Lovely,” Gracie sneered.
     
    “I invested some of the money into a business with a friend. Long story short, I got swindled. Before I knew it, my apartment was foreclosed, and my car was repossessed. I am broke, Gracie. I have nowhere to live, and that’s a rental car sitting in your driveway.” Although it felt good to get it all off her chest, Eva knew the onslaught was coming.
     
    Gracie stood up and walked to a picture of her mother from her younger years that she had on a corner table. Picking it up, she shook her head and turned to Eva.
     
    “So, let me get this straight. Our mother left you three hundred thousand dollars, and you went through all of it and lost it? It’s completely gone?”
     
    “Yes.”
     
    “I cannot believe you!” Gracie said as she put the picture back on the table and started pacing the room. “Do you realize how much good could have been done with that money?”
     
    “I know. I made some mistakes,” Eva said.
     
    “Mistakes? Seriously? You bought an apartment, a car, took vacations…”
     
    “You don’t have to make me feel worse, Gracie. I already know I screwed up! Plus, there’s one more thing I didn’t tell you.”
     
    Gracie steeled herself for whatever Eva had up her sleeve.
     
    “What?”
     
    “I was married.”
     
    “Excuse me?”
     
    “I got married three years ago. I met him on a crazy trip to Vegas with some former girlfriends of mine. We were only married for nine months, and he ran off with some of my money.”
     
    “Good Lord…”
     
    “I know, I know. I make bad decisions. I always have,” she said putting her face in her hands.
     
    “Who was this guy?”
     
    “I met him at a casino. His name was Nick, and he was sexy and cool and… sexy…”
     
    “Is that all you cared about? Sex?”
     
    “Of course not! He made me feel good about myself.”
     
    “Oh, well that’s a great reason to get married. What do you want from me, Eva?” Grace finally asked.
     
    “You’re my only family, Gracie. I need a place to start over.”
     
    “You’ve got to be kidding me! You want to stay here? With me and my husband?”
     
    “Yes. Please. I know it’s an inconvenience…”
     
    “An inconvenience? It’s way more than that! I haven’t seen or heard from you in years. You didn’t even come to our wedding, for goodness sakes!”
     
    “I know, and I felt terrible about that. I really did…”
     
    “Where is Jack?” Gracie asked referring to Eva’s father.
     
    “He passed away last year, Gracie. Heart attack. I was devastated,” Eva said, her eyes welling with tears.
     
    “I’m sorry for your loss,” Gracie said without looking at her.
     
    “Thank you. So can I stay?”
     
    “Look, Eva, this isn’t going to work. You’re going to have to make other arrangements.” Gracie stood up and walked to her kitchen to make a cup of coffee, hoping that her sister would walk out the front door and right out of her life.
     
    “Gracie, I have nowhere to go. I have no money!” Eva said following her. “You’re my sister. We’re supposed to be there for each other!”
     
    If looks could kill, Eva would have been dead. Gracie’s eyes were squinted as she leaned across her counter and stared at Eva.
     
    “Sisters? You gave up the right to be my sister when you took our mother’s money and left me high and dry. You gave up your right to be my sister when you didn’t even show up for my wedding. You’re nothing to me now.”
     
    The silence was deafening as Eva’s face became stained with tears. Without saying a word, she picked up her purse and walked out the front door.
     
    ***
     
    As Gracie got ready for work the next morning, she thought back to Eva’s short visit. Was she too harsh? Maybe. Was she too nice? Probably not!
     
    Randy had expressed some sympathy for Eva saying she seemed to be a lost soul who’d never experienced the right kind of love. Maybe that was true, but Gracie had