Free A Gift from the Past by Carla Cassidy Page A

I’m in touch with people at DreamQuest every day.”
    â€œBut communicating through e-mail and actually being there are two different things,” she replied.
    â€œActually, I’ve been thinking about opening a branch office of the business here in Mayfield.”
    She stumbled in her tracks and looked at him in surprise. “You’re kidding?” Did that mean he would remain full-time in Mayfield? It had been difficult enough seeing him and spending time with him over the past week. How would she ever survive seeing him every day for the rest of her life?
    â€œI haven’t made up my mind yet, but it’s something I’m kicking around in my head. Mayfieldcould certainly use the revenue that a new business would bring in.”
    While that was certainly true, Claire didn’t even want to contemplate Joshua living here full-time. While she was certain the two of them could have no future together, she couldn’t imagine being a witness to him dating, falling in love, marrying and beginning a family with another woman. And there was no doubt in her mind that eventually that would happen.
    From the moment she and Joshua had begun to date, she had known how important family was to him, since he had grown up with none of his own. When he’d started seeing Claire he’d quickly adopted Sarge, then planned a life with at least four children with her. In fact, they had been planning for their second child when Sammy had passed away.
    â€œI would think that Mayfield was a little too small-town for you after your years on the West Coast,” she said as they turned onto the walk that led up to their house.
    â€œI’ve always been a small-town boy at heart, and so many of the happiest memories of my life are here.” They stopped on the porch and for a moment she thought he was going to reach for her again, pull her against his big, strong chest.
    â€œYou can’t live with just your memories,” she said softly, appalled to realize she half wished he would reach out for her. “Memories are nothingmore than ashes of the past, and the past is dead and gone forever.”
    â€œYou can’t really believe that,” he replied softly. He reached out and stroked his fingers through the strands of her hair, his hand coming precariously close to her breast. “What about the idea of reincarnation, or the fact that the past can sometimes be a pathway to the future?”
    His eyes radiated a softness that frightened her because for just a moment she wanted to fall into that softness, fall into the sweet memories that resided there.
    I’ll love you forever. The words ached in her heart, but she knew they weren’t Joshua’s words to her. They were Daniel’s words for Sarah, words from a vision that had nothing to do with her and Joshua.
    She stepped away from him, her pulse racing from his touch. “That sounds like a bunch of crazy New Age nonsense to me,” she replied, then frowned thoughtfully.
    â€œOn second thought, maybe you’re right. But if the past is a pathway to the future, then it would be wise to understand the mistakes you made in the past and never repeat them again.” A hard knot formed in her chest as she continued. “We were a mistake, Joshua. You were a mistake I have no intention of repeating.”
    She opened the front door and went inside, leaving him standing on the front porch alone.

Chapter Six
    J oshua wondered what in the heck he was doing as he hung the new porch swing he’d ordered and had delivered from the lumberyard.
    Claire was at City Hall researching Sarah and Daniel Walker and Sarge was in his bedroom napping. The first thing Joshua’d done when they’d gotten back from Hazel’s place was crank up the air conditioner in the house, and the rooms were now comfortably cool.
    So, what was he doing out in the midday heat hanging a swing she probably wouldn’t want? Why was he even