Free The Bride Wore Blue by Cindy Gerard Page B

stared into the fire and hoped he’d consider the subject closed.
    “I’d heard that the Snyders passed on.” The gentle hesitance of his tone filled a silence that had expanded, rivaling the darkness for space in the cabin. “I’m sorry. It must have been hard for you to lose your grandparents.”
    She nodded and, feeling safer with the warm memories and tender sentiments that thoughts of the Snydersprompted, let go of a little bit of herself. “Yes, it was hard. As hard as if they’d really been a family.
    “They were my foster grandparents,” she clarified, answering the question in his eyes. “And they were two of the most special people I’ve ever known.”
    She stared into the fire. The memories brought a sudden mist to her eyes and clutched at the deepest center of her heart as she thought of the Snyders and the gift of love they’d given her.
    When the news of their death had reached her two years ago, she’d felt like the only tie she’d had with security, however distant, had been broken. She’d only spent one summer with them. One magical, memorable summer with those two special people who had volunteered for the foster grandparents program and taken her into their home and their hearts.
    She’d known her bond with them had been true, but she hadn’t known how true until she’d grieved for them at their funeral, then wondered at their generous bequest.
    In the same quiet way they had gone about making her feel she had worth and value, they had arranged for the cabin to be hers when they were gone.
    Because you blossomed there, the simple note they’d left her said. Because you were loved there.
    She’d mourned for the Snyders in secret. Just as she’d kept their bequest a secret along with her plans to escape to the cabin in the woods. Even in death, they had provided her with a safe haven.
    No one could find her here. No one knew she was here. No one but Blue Hazzard.
    Her gaze snapped back to his as a belated panic suddenly outdistanced her melancholy mood.
    “I’d appreciate it,” she began, choosing her words carefully, “if when you leave tomorrow that you don’t tell anyone about me being here. If…if the press got wind of the cabin, I’d never be able to use it as a getaway again.They’d be hanging in the trees trying to get shots of everything from my dirty dishes to my garbage.”
    Loss of privacy wasn’t her only threat from the press. If they found her, Rolfe would, too. He’d come after her before she was strong enough to face him.
    The dark look that came over Blue’s face had her mentally kicking herself. Her explanation of why she wanted to avoid the press had been unnecessary. She was trying too hard and he knew it. He’d read more than annoyance in her eyes when she talked about invasion of privacy. He’d picked up on her fear. His frown told her he was wondering what caused it.
    “You will keep my little secret, won’t you, Blue?” she pressed on anyway, determined to extract a promise from this man who had already proven to her that if he made a promise, he kept it. Even if it was as fanciful as keeping a promise to himself that he would kiss her after all these years.
    A long moment passed as their eyes met and held. “A lady’s secret is always safe with me,” he assured her with a soft smile that did little to hide his curiosity and concern. “Especially if the lady happens to be you, Stretch. Remember that,” he added with an edgy emphasis he proceeded to drive home. “You can count on me. Anytime. For anything…anything you would ever need.”
    The relief she felt was like dead weight lifted from her chest. She drew a deep breath, thanking him with her eyes because she didn’t think she was capable of speaking. She hadn’t thought she was capable of moving either until he set his mug aside and leaned toward her.
    “I’m your man, Maggie.” He touched his hand to her face. “Whatever the need. Whatever the reason.”
    His eyes had turned a