Free A Man to Believe In by Deborah Harmse

she’ll need a husband who can share that responsibility.
That’s
the kind of man she should be dating.”
    “Maybe,” she conceded, realizing there was a certain truth to what he’d said. “But the fact remains, she’s old enough to make those decisions for herself, and who she chooses to go out with really isn’t any of your business.”
    “The hell it isn’t.” Jake threw down his napkin and stood up. Without saying another word he left the room.
    Her mouth half open, Cori watched his stiff-backed exit in silence, then pulled her lips together into a thin line. In a matter of seconds he’d gone beyondserious to flat-out angry. Somewhere along the line she’d managed to get just as worked up about the subject as he was, probably because her own struggle for independence was still remarkably fresh in her mind.
    She’d been young—a junior in college when she’d dated graduate student Alan Phillips—but plenty old enough to make her own decisions, and steadfastly determined to do so. As if it were yesterday she remembered the arguments they’d had when she refused to accept his edicts where she was concerned, the frustrations she’d felt each time he’d proclaimed he knew what was best for her. Yes, she knew exactly what Susie was going through trying to convince Jake she was qualified to make her own decisions and be in control of her own life.
    Cori found herself sympathizing with Robert as well. The grand opening of her bookstore was just around the corner because in spite of the numerous obstacles she’d encountered over the years, she never gave up on her dream of owning her own business. Sure, it had been a struggle, working overtime at the library, taking second jobs to earn extra money. Convincing the bank to make her a loan was no easy task either. But she’d done it because she’d been determined to achieve her goal. Naturally she would jump to the defense of anyone who was willing to keep trying no matter what the odds for success might be.
    But no matter how well she related to Susie’s struggle for independence or Robert’s need to hold on to a dream, it wasn’t her business to tell Jake howto handle his relationship with his sister, she admitted. In fact, the way she’d been throwing her opinions around wasn’t all that different from the way Jake had been trying to tell Susie what to do.
    Smiling grimly, she stood up and drew in a deep breath. No doubt about it, she owed Jake an apology. She might as well get it over with.
    She found him in his study. He was sitting at one end of a cordovan leather couch, his long legs stretched out before him and resting on a scarred oak coffee table, a magazine in his hands. A deep-toned Persian rug covered a good portion of the hardwood floor, and built-in bookcases, overflowing with books, magazines, and trophies of all shapes and sizes, lined one entire wall. The room, with its dark oak paneling and plantation shutters, was like the man—distinctly masculine. Still standing at the threshold of his domain, she found herself feeling particularly feminine.
    “If you’re still speaking to me, I’d like to apologize,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
    Jake glanced up, then leaned forward and dropped the magazine on the table. “For what?”
    “I said some things I shouldn’t have.” She smiled, hoping to lighten the mood. “I guess I deserve a good swift kick in the fanny, huh?”
    He pulled his feet from the table and planted them on the floor, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. Clasping his hands together, he allowed himself a nice long, head-to-toe once-over of the woman standing in the doorway to his study.
    Her cheeks were flushed, probably from havingconsumed a little too much wine, or maybe because of the way she’d worked herself into a lather arguing with him. Her hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders and down the front of her pink sweatshirt, the ends barely covering the gentle swell of her breasts.