Heart's Desire Read Free Page B

from hers. And stilled at the sight of the familiar , small , pink and white flower she held.
    A S weet William. He stared at the serrated-edged petals , and memories bombarded him. Of Callie through the years, teasingly gifting him with the bloom that bore his name. For you, s weet William , she’d say with an impish grin as she tucked the flower behind his ear, her eyes dancing with mirth.
    “I’m not sweet.”
    “On the contrary, in spite of occasionally being stodgy, you are the sweetest boy I know.”
    “The only other boys you know are your brothers.”
    “And they’re wretched. Therefore, you’re the sweetest.”
    “Which apparently isn’t much of a compliment at all.”
    “I never said the competition for the title was fierce.”
    Lost in a trance of memories, he reached for the blossom. Their fingers brushed , and a tremor ran through him. As a young boy , he’d kept every single S weet William she’d ever given him, carefully pressing them between the pages of a bound atlas , then storing them in a small box where he kept his other treasures. His mother’s pearl ring. A Roman coin he’d found during a walk with his father. A trio of bird feathers he’d collected during a picnic with his parents the summer before his mother died. His father’s watch fob, pressed into William’s hand three years ago on his deathbed. Every letter Callie had ever sent him.
    Now he had one more treasure to add to the collection.
    “Not only does the flower describe you perfectly,” she murmured, “but it means ‘childhood memory.’ I’ve so many fond ones, a great many of which include you … sweet William.”
    His throat slammed shut. God help him, she was his childhood, at least nearly everything that was good about it. Indeed , he had few memories that didn’t include her. Her sister Hayley had educated them on the meanings of flowers, lessons he’d never forgotten. In his dreams , he’d given Callie countless bouquets of red roses, which stood for love, although yellow tulips would have been more apropos as they meant hopeless love .
    With the nonchalance he’d perfected over the years , he casually tucked the flower into his pocket and said, “I’ve many happy memories of those days as well. Your family saved me from what would otherwise have been a very lonely time.” He was always careful to say “ your family ” rather than “ you ” when making such comments. Which was certainly true, although just as certainly not entirely truthful.
    Determined to change the subject , he continued, “What are your plans for your stay in London?”
    That same odd expression entered her eyes , and she averted her gaze, something so unlike her normal forthrightness that he again wondered what was troubling her. For something clearly was. “Oh, lots of things. I know Hayley is planning a birthday party for me.”
    The underlying despondency he detected in her tone surprised him. “You’re not happy about that?”
    A tiny frown puckered her brow then quickly disappeared , and she gave him a bright smile. Anyone who didn’t know her well , and even most who did, would have been fooled into thinking it was completely sincere. “Of course I’m happy about it. Now tell me, what treasures were you discovering when I interrupted you?”
    His heart insisted he ask what was bothering her, but his common sense was equally adamant that he keep the conversation in the safer waters to which she’d steered it. “I was about to unpack a crate delivered from Scotland. I’ve no idea what it contains.”
    “How is it that you don’t know what you purchased for the shop?”
    “I didn’t go to Scotland myself. About a year ago , I hired on Adam Graham as an assistant. He made the trip, arranged for the purchases, and shipped them back.”
    “The vicar’s son?” Callie asked.
    William nodded. “He didn’t wish to join the clergy and approached me about employment. He’s proven invaluable and has an excellent eye