Free Flipped! (Spinning Hills Romance 1) by Inés Saint

sneezed. Right into his hand.
    “Ella!” Ruby scolded.
    “It was an accident,” he said.
    Ruby didn’t look convinced. “Well, we do think she’s getting the flu. We’re coming back from the doctor’s office.”
    “You look a lot like your mom,” Dan said, attempting to show the little girl he wasn’t a monster. “Except her hair is black and her eyes are brighter.”
    Ella un-scrunched her face, but didn’t lose her squint. “You’re mean, even if you think my mommy is pretty. I think she’s pretty, too.”
    “I . . .” What the hell was he supposed to say to that? If he denied it, he’d look like an even bigger jerk. “I’m very sorry about the other day, Ella. I know you won’t believe me, but I really am.” He looked at Ruby. “I’m guessing you’ve heard?”
    Ruby patted Ella’s back. “Run on over to the backyard and play a bit, before you’re too unwell to be outside. I’ll be there in a moment.” Ella sneezed again and half-walked, half-skipped toward the back. Ruby looked up at him. “I heard. And I know you didn’t know about Crystal. You have two brothers, after all, and men don’t communicate the way women do.”
    “And you’re not mad about . . . the other things I said?” He raised an eyebrow.
    “I’m not happy or pleased with you by any means, but I’m not angry.” Ruby studied him a long moment before gracing him with a knowing smile. “I know you, Dan. And I know what you’re about. But you have a thing or two coming to you. Mark my words.”
    Dan grinned. “Hey, I thought I’d be banned from the bakery for life. I’ll take the thing or two coming my way over that any day.” Ruby had always been kind to him. He’d been thinking of Holly as the nut who’d given him the scar above his eyebrow, not Ruby’s granddaughter. Or Leo’s cousin. He really would have to make things right with Holly.
    “You still like fruitcake?” Ruby asked. Dan nodded. “When are you coming by? Rosa and Sherry want to see you, too.”
    Dan smiled. “Tell them I’ll stop by soon.”
    Ruby hesitated. “Speaking of people you haven’t seen . . .”
    He stiffened. There were lots of people he hadn’t visited, but only one who would make Ruby hesitate before speaking.
    “Marianne’s been saying that you haven’t been by to see her at all.”
    “We’ll run into each other sooner or later and we’ll chat then. It’s no big deal.”
    Ruby put her hand on his arm and didn’t speak again until he looked at her. “I haven’t seen you in years, Dan, and I know it’s not my place to say anything personal to you, but it’s me, and I have to.” She paused, looked back to make sure Ella was okay, and continued. “I don’t think you should visit Marianne to appease her or anyone else. I think you need to calmly and directly tell her why you don’t feel you owe it to her. She won’t listen, but it’ll do you a world of good and it will do your brothers no harm.” She let him go. “But that’s all I’ll say to you on the subject. I promise. So stop by the bakery and make three old women who love you happy.”
     
    It was late, but Dan didn’t want to go back to his brother’s place. Johnny wasn’t speaking to him and a non-speaking Johnny was enough to drive a man mad. He also couldn’t figure out how he’d make it up to Holly. And as much as he’d thought Marianne no longer had any influence on his mood, the thought of her going around town and complaining about him, again, made him angry.
    Dan took a sledgehammer to the wall between the master bedroom and a small, useless bedroom on the second floor. He began hammering and tearing away, the force of it sating him. An hour later he was spent and somewhat at peace. He was about to take out the studs when he noticed something jammed in a small, perfect nook. He dug it out and was excited to see it was a brittle, yellowed envelope. The front side read, To Miranda McDowell . The back wasn’t sealed. A thrill ran down his