Free Someone to Trust by Lesa Henderson Page A

sees me lying here and my humiliation is complete?”
    Lee nodded, stretching out his hands for her to grab as he pulled her to her feet. She winced the moment weight was put on her ankle.
    “You are hurt.” This time it was a statement.
    “Not really, only my pride is broken. I think I may have twisted my ankle, but it’ll work itself out in a bit. Really, I’ll be fine,” she assured him, wiping the tears from her cheeks and straightening her clothes.
    “I feel like such a fool,” she muttered more to herself than to him.
    Lee stood gazing down at Megan’s tear streaked face. Even disheveled, she was more than lovely. A couple strands of chestnut hair had escaped the clasp and were framing her perfect, oval face. Her warm amber eyes glistened from fresh tears, some of which clung wetly to her long lashes like a couple of diamonds. Her creamy skin reminded him of a porcelain doll. As Lee examined her face more closely for scratches, he thought he saw a smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose, which he found adorable. His eyes were drawn to her mouth where she was chewing nervously on her lower lip. Lips that were—
    “Lee?” Her husky voice brought him to attention.
    “Yeah?”
    “I followed you out here because there is something I need to say to you.” She had his complete attention.
    “Okay, I’m listening.”
    “I needed to say…what I mean is…I wanted to apologize.” She held up her hand to silence him when he started to interrupt her.
    “Please, let me finish. I’m afraid I’m not very good at this. I need to apologize for my behavior the other day when…when you asked me out.” She cleared her throat and continued. “I’m not excusing my actions but I reacted the way I did because I thought you were married.”
    “Married? Where did you get that idea?” Then a light went on for him. “Wait a minute, that night at the church fellowship after the macaroni salad episode, you mentioned my wife. I was on the phone with an emergency when you rushed off. I didn’t have time to explain to you that I don’t have one.”
    Megan nodded. “Yes and then when you asked me to dinner I was furious. I assumed another man…I assumed a married man was asking me out.”
    “Megan, I realize you don’t know me well enough to know this, but I would never ask a woman out on a date if I were married, or committed in any way. It goes against everything I stand for.”
    “I’m sorry. For believing the worst about you and for judging you without knowing you.”
    Lee waved his hand. “Let’s put it behind us, shall we?”
    Megan nodded her agreement. “I would like that.”
    “Why don’t we start from scratch? On the right foot, so to speak?”
    “What do you have in mind?”
    In answer, he extended his hand. “Hi. I’m Lee Grainger, bachelor, animal doctor extraordinaire, and all around good guy. I am currently looking for a friend.”
    With a giggle, Megan took his hand, clasping it for a firm handshake and finding herself rather tongue-tied.
    “And you are?” he prodded with feigned ignorance.
    “Oh.” Megan chuckled again. “I’m Megan McCormick, copywriter, and Laurel Ridge’s local klutz.”
    “You don’t say?” he asked in mock surprise at her admittance of being a bit accident-prone.
    “It’s true,” she countered. “Anyway, pleased to meet you, Dr. Grainger.”
    Lee shook his head. “Oh no, if we’re going to become friends, Miss McCormick, you must call me Lee and I’ll call you Megan, if you’ll permit.”
    Megan laughed. “Very well then.”
    “I have another idea,” Lee interposed. “What do you say we skip the formalities all together and have lunch? I know a great little—”
    Megan extracted her hand and backed away one step. Lee saw the look of confusion on her face. She was as skittish as a new colt and he had no desire to scare her away.
    “As friends,” he reiterated. “Let’s go to lunch together—as friends. Look, I may spend most of my