Still the One Read Free Page B

her fist.
    “They’re full of bull.”
    “No.” Katie drew in a ragged breath. “It’s true.”
    He just kept looking at her with that same warm, nonjudgmental gaze. “So? Your mom’s not you. None of us get to pick our relatives.”
     His mouth curved in a wry smile. “If we did, I’d sure ask for another set.”
    “Yeah?”
    “Yeah. Mine parked me here for the summer because neither one wanted me around.”
    The frankness of the remark disarmed her. “Where are you from?”
    “Chicago.” He’d grinned at her, and his smile had worked its magic.
    She wiped her face with the back of her hand. “Are you really the mayor’s nephew?”
    He’d given a rueful nod. “He’s married to my mom’s sister, sad to say. He’s another relative I’d disown if I could.”
    She’d given a tremulous grin, and his smile had widened. In the heat of it, she’d forgotten how to breathe.
    She had to remind herself to take a breath now.
    Rachel’s gaze darted from Zack to Katie, then back to Zack. “Have you and Katie stayed in touch all this time?”
    “No.” Zack turned his blue eyes on her, and a flame of heat licked her neck. “We have some catching up to do.”
    Yeah,
thought Katie.
Maybe you’d care to explain why you left town without a word, phone number, or forwarding address the day after we first
     made love.
Katie’s spine stiffened against the old hurt.
    “Well, you two run along—and take your time.” Bev flapped her wrist at them. “After Eula, I’m free for the rest of the afternoon,
     so I can take your next appointment. You’re going out to the retirement home later anyway, right?”
    “Um… right.” Katie felt an irrational urge to dash out the back door.
    “Ready?” Zack asked.
    No.
But if he was moving here, she’d have to talk to him sooner or later. Might as well get it over with.
    Besides, he could no longer hurt her. Everything between them had happened nearly two decades ago. She’d handled things then,
     and she could certainly handle them now.
    Couldn’t she?
    She forced herself to smile. “Sure.” Grabbing her purse and umbrella, she followed Zack to the door.

C HAPTER TWO

    The lunch rush was over, but the quaint Main Street café painted in the town’s namesake color was still half full as Katie
     stepped through the door with Zack. The three men in coveralls perched at the yellowish-green Formica counter looked up, as
     did most of the other patrons seated at the green tables in the gumbo-and-fried-seafood-scented restaurant. Katie wondered
     how long it would take before her mother-in-law, Annette Charmaine, heard that she’d come here with an unfamiliar man.
    Not long at all, Katie thought with chagrin as she spotted Nellie from the drugstore at the front table. Oh, and wouldn’t
     you know it—the long-nosed, horse-faced woman was seated with three elderly ladies who lived at the Sunnyside Assisted-Living
     Villa, where Annette was staying while recovering from knee surgery and multiple fractures after a bad fall.
Great, just great
, Katie thought, giving the women a feeble wave and a feebler smile.
    The waitress, a busty blonde named Cindy, looked Zack over with frank curiosity, then raised an eyebrow at Katie. “Hi, Katie.
     Who’s your friend?”
    “This is Zack Ferguson. Zack, this is Cindy.”
    “Pleased to meet you.” Zack’s dimple flashed.
    Like all women, the waitress seemed to melt under his smile. “Not from these parts, are you?”
    “Not until now,” Zack replied.
    Cindy’s painted-on eyebrows rose higher.
    “Zack just bought the old Ashton house,” Katie felt compelled to explain.
    “Oh, my! We all wondered who was moving into that place.” Cindy set the pitcher of water in her hand down on the counter and
     sank down on a barstool, as if she were settling in for a long chat. “So what brings you to Chartreuse?”
    Katie cut in, not wanting to risk him giving the same response he’d given at the salon. “Actually, Cindy, Zack and I