Free And I Love You by Marie Force Page B

something?”
    “Nope,” Nina said with a smirk. “I speak Megan.”
    Megan suddenly felt very sorry for herself. “Who’s going to speak Megan when you’re in France?”
    Nina crossed her arms and sat back against the booth, a satisfied smile on her face. “Perhaps the oh-so-sexy and oh-so-interested Hunter Abbott?”
    The thought of that sent a lightning rod of heat through Megan, making all the most important parts of her tingle with anticipation. “I shouldn’t even go out with him if he’s that interested in me.”
    “Ahhh,”
Nina said, her smile wide and knowing. “If the pink in your cheeks is any indication, you like the idea of him being that interested in you.”
    “It’s flattering. I won’t deny that. Like you said, he’s a really nice guy, but he deserves someone who can give him what he needs. He’s a ‘forever’ kind of guy, and that’s so not me.”
    “And easy on the eyes.”
    “Did you hear anything I just said?”
    “I heard it, and I hate that you have yourself convinced that it’s not going to work out before you even have your first date with him. I want you to give him a
real
, honest chance, Megan. I want you to put aside all the fears about what
might
happen and go for it. Let him in. He obviously cares for you very much, and you’d be safe with him.”
    “Does the thought of me being with him make it easier for you to leave?”
    “Hell yes it does. I almost talked Brett out of taking the job because I was so afraid to leave you alone. But he reminded me that you’re going to be twenty-eight soon, and eventually we’ll have to cut the cord. I really am sorry to do this to you so suddenly. That wasn’t the plan at all. It just happened that way.”
    “I know, and Brett’s right. It is time. As long as I could hide behind you and Will and everything that was keeping me safe, I wasn’t under any pressure to take chances.” She forced herself to meet her sister’s gaze. “I miss them every day.”
    “Oh, honey, so do I. Every single day. We’ll always miss them. But I want you to have what they had, what I have with Brett. I don’t want you to be so afraid of losing someone again that you don’t give your heart to anyone.”
    “What if I take this big risk you’re advocating with Hunter, and then something happens to him, too?”
    “That’s always a possibility. What is it that Elmer likes to say? ‘Life is a fatal illness.’”
    Megan smiled at that. Elmer Stillman was a font of wisdom and corny sayings, and Megan adored him.
    “But Hunter is a young guy,” Nina continued, “with most of his life still ahead of him. You can either take a chance that it’s all going to be fine or continue to hide out. I’ll support you no matter what you do, but you should know I’m rooting for Hunter.”
    “Hey! That’s not fair. You’re
my
sister!”
    Nina shrugged, her smile smug and satisfied. “And I’m on Team Hunter all the way.”
    “Traitor.”
    “Not at all. How much you want to bet you’ll be thanking me some day for taking his side?”
    “I’ve learned not to challenge you on these things. It always costs me money.”
    “Ha!” Nina laughed. “That’s why I’m the much older and wiser sister.”
    “Whatever.”
    Nina propped her chin on her upturned fist. “So where’s he taking you? I bet it’s somewhere amazing and classy with white tablecloths and candles.”
    The thought of that pushed Megan into panic mode. “I have nothing to wear to a place like that!”
    “Then let’s go shopping.”
    “You don’t have time.”
    “For this, I’ll make time. Let’s go.”
    Megan allowed Nina to take her by the hand and march her out of the diner. If nothing else came of this outing, at least she’d be prepared for her big date—and she’d get to spend some precious time with her beloved sister.
    Hunter was completely useless for the rest of the day. With financial statements for the month of August due at the end of the week, he needed to