Free A Summer in Paradise by Tianna Xander Page B

storage, didn’t I? Did you think I was talking about a ten
speed?”
    “ No you just said you’d left
it in town.” He narrowed his eyes as she pulled her pack up on her
back.
    “ Yeah, well, the town was
Jackson.” She glanced away from him, unable to ignore his
glare.
    “ You hoofed it all the way
here from Jackson? Do you have any idea how dangerous that
is?”
    “ Not as dangerous as
hitch-hiking and I did that too.” What was it with this town and
its men thinking they could just boss around any woman they
pleased?
    David shook his head. “I
thought you were smarter than that. I won’t even hitch-hike.”
    Maybe he wouldn’t, but he wasn’t
desperate like she had been, either. Pearl gave him the brightest
smile she could manage. “Thanks for the ride, Davie!” Leaning
forward she kissed him on the cheek. “For the record, you were my
favorite too.”
    David blushed and bowed his head. “You
didn’t have to say that.”
    “ Yes, Davie, I did.”
Straightening, Pearl turned and looked up at the hotel and sighed.
“I guess I’d better get in there, huh?”
    David revved the motorcycle then patted
her on the shoulder. “It’ll be okay. Gemma misses you. Just go on
in and say hi.” He pushed off, gunned the engine and the next thing
she knew she was alone.
    “ Well, Pearl, you’d better
get used to it. You’re going to be alone for a long, long time
after this.”

Chapter Sixteen
     
     
    With no little sense of trepidation,
Pearl climbed the steps of the front porch and entered the lobby.
Her eyes widened at the changes. The great room was larger, at
least it looked larger.
    The fireplace still sat in the middle
of the room with chair situated around all four sides. One side of
the room still had paneling eight feet up the walls, with two feet
of drywall before it reached the cathedral ceiling.
    She wondered if Gemma still put the
Christmas tree there like the previous owners. She gave a shrug. It
didn’t matter one way or another. It wasn’t as though she would be
around to see it.
    A woman stood behind the counter. She
had her long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail and an apron
wrapped around her waist made large by a very obvious pregnancy. A
man walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist. He
kissed the side of her neck, his big hands splayed over her bulging
middle. She looked up at him and smiled.
    Tears filled Pearls eyes at the sight
of her sister looking so happy. It didn’t matter that such a
relationship wasn’t in the cards for her. All that mattered was
that her sisters had a good life.
    Pearl stood and watched the couple for
a minute until Gemma looked her way and blushed. “I’m sorry. Can I
help you?”
    Tilting her head, her brows drew
together as she stared at Pearl. “I know you.” She bit her lip. “I
know you, don’t I?”
    “ Yes, Gemma. You should know
me well.” Pearl’s throat almost closed on the words as she made her
way to her sister. Unsure of her welcome, she moved slowly. What if
Gemma didn’t want to see her? What if she resented the fact that
Pearl and Crystal left and she stayed here? It had been her choice,
but heartbreak wasn’t always sensible.
    Gemma stared at her for another minute
before she covered her mouth with her hands. “Pearl? Is that you?
Is it really you?”
    Pearl couldn’t have been more surprised
when Gemma dropped the dust cloth she’d been holding, ran to her
and drew her into her arms.
    Tears ran down Pearls face at her
sister’s welcome. She’d hoped Gemma wasn’t mad at her. She hadn’t
sounded that way in her letters, but that didn’t mean a thing. Lots
of people sent correspondence that said one thing when they felt
another.
    Still, it was good to be back home in
Paradise and standing, once again, in her sister’s loving
embrace.
    “ God, I’ve missed you. Where
have you been? Is Crystal okay? Tell me she’s in college. If not,”
she paused to look at the man who had kissed her and another