Heartsong Read Free Page B

little likelihood she would ever see him again. She couldn’t understand why this restless feeling persisted.
    Skye welcomed three thirty and the dismissal of her kindergartners. Her students had picked up on her mood as well. It didn’t help that there were only a few days left before spring break. Anticipating the vacation, the five-year-olds were antsy and hyperactive.
    It was after four when she finally left the school for home. Her apartment, a rare find in the Marina district, had large bay windows that presented a sweeping panorama of the water. Healthy, abundant plants hung in the window, flourishing under her tender care and in the warmth of the sun. It was a homey apartment, decorated with cushioned bamboo furniture, and possessed the appeal of simplicity.
    The lock on her front door clicked loudly as she turned the key; then she paused momentarily to replace the key inside her purse.
    “Howdy, neighbor.” The apartment door across the hall opened at the sound.
    “Hello, John.” She gave him a deliberate, casual smile. “Nice day, isn’t it?” She didn’t wait for his reply before pushing open her door.
    “No need to rush away. I’ve been wanting to talk to you. We’re neighbors; we should get to know each other better.”
    “Not today,” Skye offered, apologetically but firmly. The last thing she wanted was to become trapped in John Dirkson’s apartment for the rest of the afternoon. Strikingly handsome and charming, John didn’t lack female companionship, but Skye found his sleek good looks and huge ego unattractive. Unfortunately, he refused to accept her rebuffs as sincere; her refusal to become involved made her a novelty.
    “It’s not going to work, you know,” John said, affecting disinterest.
    “What’s not going to work?”
    He hooked his thumb lazily in the belt loop of his designer jeans and leanedagainst the open door frame. “This playing hard to get.”
    “I’m so pleased to hear it.” She adopted a lighthearted, bright smile. “I was worried for a minute.”
    “I’ll get you yet,” he added confidently, not in the least discouraged by her attitude.
    “No, you won’t,” she said quickly, then stepped inside her apartment and firmly closed the door.
    She placed her purse and mail on the entryway table and hung her hooded raincoat in the closet. After slipping off her shoes, she walked barefooted into the tiny kitchen to put on water to boil for tea. Obeying habit, she flipped the switch on the radio in her bedroom while changing clothes. The air was crisp and chilly, and she chose a winter outfit that had been a birthday gift from her brother. The red plaid pants slipped easily over her slim hips, and the matching turtleneck sweater made a striking contrast to her golden hair.
    A slow and soothing romantic ballad filled the room. Unbidden, the music conjured up a mental image of Jordan’s taunting smile, and Skye bit into her lower lip, nibbling on it unconsciously.
    “Go away,” she said aloud, and irritably turned off the radio.
    A few minutes later she stood before the bathroom mirror, pulling the pins from her hair.
    “Rapunzel … Rapunzel … let down your hair.” She laughed, and wondered at her strange mood. The thick curls shimmered down like liquid gold upon her shoulders and back. Its length was a nuisance; a shorter style would have been far more practical, but she couldn’t summon the courage to have it cut. Glen had always loved her long, thick hair, and in a way its length was a symbolic memory of his love. She brushed the curls vigorously until they crackled with electricity. On impulse she left her hair down, the length curving attractively about her shoulders. In reality she was much too tall to be wearing it up all the time, but she had long ago quit worrying about her height. Accustomed to seeing her hair away from her face, she did an automatic double take, surprised at how good she looked, when she happened to glance in the mirror on her