Free Speak Now by Chautona Havig Page B

honest with myself, no. Most people wouldn’t say she was a beautiful woman—at least physically speaking she wasn’t.”
    Cara shook her head uncomprehendingly. “I don’t believe you. It’s really nice of you to—”
    Without a word, Jonathan reached into his back pocket, pulled out a copy of their engagement picture, and passed it to her. Her frown told him she thought he’d handed her the worst picture he could find, so he passed her his entire wallet. “That’s probably the best picture of Lily. She was incredibly photogenic.”
    Jonathan knew she couldn’t mistake his sincerity, but he pulled out a family photo as well. Cara stared at each picture, trying to see what he meant and finally gave up, asking, “What do you mean by photogenic?”
    “She always looked more… something in pictures. In person she was rather plain, if you didn’t know her well, but in pictures she has a sparkle that wasn’t there in real life.”
    Cara glanced at the pictures once more. “I felt inadequate.”
    “I know you did.”
    “I thought,” she flushed as she fumbled for words. “I thought you must be comparing us, and I just knew I’d come up wanting.”
    “I know.”
    “Instead,” Cara added miserably, “at the risk of sounding horribly vain, I can see that I’m—” the words refused to come.
    “You’re a beautiful woman. Lily was to me and to her parents… even to Bryson, but….”
    “But she wasn’t so—”
    Jonathan stopped her. Taking a deep breath, he spoke when he wanted nothing more than silence. To his relief, he saw that she sensed it. “I can’t compare you with her. You are two very different women. I never compared Lily to my mother, and I won’t compare you to her.” He laid his fingers on her lips as Cara tried to speak. “I don’t know where the sudden insecurity came from. It’s not like you. If I hadn’t already seen that, I would have learned it today from your home. You’re usually very comfortable with who you are, but there’s something about your weight or shape or something that bothers you, and when you let it take root, it corrupts your thinking.”
    Cara nodded. “You’re right.”
    He stood, extended his hand, and pulled Cara to her feet. Standing so close, he could read the doubt in her eyes, and under his gaze, he watched her self-confidence slowly return, but a hint of hesitation lingered somewhere in her heart. He could see it.
    Jonathan stepped back across the entry to the gazebo and leaned against the other side. He crossed his arms and stared at her for several minutes, his eyes traveling over her from head to toe and back again, meeting her eyes for many long moments as he did. A slow smile spread over his face and Cara blushed again.
    “You wouldn’ t change anything.” Cara didn’t question; she spoke with confidence and assurance.
    “Not one.”
    As if she couldn’t resist one last reassurance on the biggest difference between herself and the woman Jonathan had loved first, Cara whispered, “Even my height?”
    With two swift steps, Jonathan stood next to her and wrapped an arm around her for a moment, tucking her head into his chest before he released her again. He smiled, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Especially not your height.”

Chapter Six
    At eleven-thirty, a steady stream of personnel disappeared out the door as the office slowly emptied . While the call of lunch tables all over the city drew everyone from the building, Cara smiled and took a deep breath. The office finally emptied. From that moment until the clock clicked one o’clock, she had the place to herself—aside from the occasional ringing phone. The best part of her day. Her cellphone skittled across the desk as it buzzed, announcing a text message. She smiled at Jonathan’s text. HAVING TROUBLE DECIDING WHERE WE SHOULD EAT. HAVE IDEAS?
    Cara flipped through the office take-out notebook. Five minutes and one order later, she sent back a quick text. 43223 WATERBROOK.