Because of the Baby Read Free Page B

much of the kitchen, plus a number of rooms upstairs.
    After the fire, the O’Hallorans had boarded up the place, unable to decide what to do with it. So the lodge had sat vacant and deteriorating for years. None of the brothers was interested in running a tourist business, and repairs would’ve been costly and time-consuming.
    â€œYour room’s at the top of the stairs. The farthest one down on the left-hand side.” He gestured with the shot glass, afraid that if he stood, he might fall over.
    â€œYou’ve been drinking.” Karen moved closer to the fireplace.
    â€œNothing gets past you, does it?” he muttered sarcastically.
    â€œYou hardly ever drink.” The problem was, she knew him too well.
    â€œThat’s true, but sometimes the occasion calls for it.” He raised his glass to her with a sardonic smile and gulped down the last ofthe whiskey. It burned its way down his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut, clenched his teeth and shook his head like a wet dog.
    When he opened his eyes Karen sat on the other end of the sofa. “What’s wrong?” she asked—as if she didn’t know.
    â€œNothing,” he answered cheerfully. “What could possibly be wrong?”
    She didn’t make the obvious reply. “I think I must’ve had a little more to drink than usual myself.” Her eyes seemed unnaturally bright.
    She got up and headed toward the stairs, and Matt realized he didn’t want her to leave. “Do you want to see what I’ve spent the last few months doing?” he asked.
    â€œSure.” Her eager response surprised him.
    He gave her a quick tour of the downstairs area, pointing out the renovations as he did. He was pleased with them and didn’t conceal his pride. “The kitchen should be ready soon,” he explained when he’d finished showing her around. “The stove’s what’s holding me up, but I expect delivery in the next month or so.”
    â€œWho’s going to do the cooking?” she asked.
    â€œRight now, me.” Matt shrugged. “I don’t have the budget to hire anyone else. At least not yet. I need to bring in paying guests first.”
    â€œWell, you’re certainly qualified to cook.”
    She was referring to his stint as a chef. He’d enjoyed cooking school well enough, but had lost interest during his first restaurant job. He’d gone on to commercial fishing shortly after that, abandoning his sketchy plans to open a restaurant of his own.
    â€œI wish you the very best with this venture, Matt.”
    â€œThanks.” He knew he sounded flippant.
    â€œI mean that,” she insisted.
    He’d probably offended her, and he hadn’t meant to. “But you don’t believe it’ll last, do you?”
    â€œNo.” She didn’t so much as hesitate. “You’ll get bored with the lodge just like you did with everything else.”
    â€œMaybe.” He wasn’t going to argue with her. Time would prove her wrong. He’d worked harder on this than anything he’d done in his life. Now, finally, he had something that was entirely his. The business would sink or succeed by his own efforts, no one else’s.
    â€œI’ll show you to your room,” he said without emotion, then led her to the staircase.
    He hadn’t gone more than a few steps when she stopped him. “Matt.” His arm tingled where her fingers touched him. “I apologize—I didn’t mean to discourage you. I can tell you’ve put a lot of thought and effort into this lodge. I hope it succeeds. I really do.”
    He turned to face her. “Do you, Karen?”
    Her eyes had never been more intent. In them he found a reflection of the loneliness he’d felt these past eighteen months. He hadn’t wanted to admit, even to himself, how much he’d missed her. For months he’d worked himself into a state of exhaustion, rather than