Free Seasons of Love by Elizabeth Goddard Page A

conversation. “Why don’t we go to the kitchen table? I can make us coffee.”
    “What about him?” Zane tilted his head toward Chad.
    “I’ll put him to bed.” Riley carefully peeled Chad away from Zane, tiptoed up the stairs, and placed him in his bed.
    By the time she returned to the kitchen, the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee wafted through the air. “You can’t help yourself, can you?”
    Zane looked up from pouring the brew into a mug. “What? Should I just wait for you to do everything?”
    She warmed at his thoughtfulness. Still, for some reason, it frustrated her. “No, but you could at least let me do something. I read that when they designed instant cake mix they decided to leave in a few steps, like adding eggs and water, so that the homemaker would feel useful.”
    He laughed. “Okay, so I’ll let you make the coffee next time.”
    Next time?
    He handed her the I Love California cup, steaming with black liquid. “I assume this is yours.” He grinned. “Sorry, I don’t know what you take, so you’ll at least have to do that yourself.”
    “Give me that.” She reached for the nondairy creamer and dumped a spoonful in.
    He shook his head. “I can’t do this.” He smirked before continuing. “I can’t let you go on with the wrong impression about me—again. Your grandfather made the coffee while you were cleaning up earlier. Said he liked the instant but that you were ‘dead set on your fancy brew,’ to put it in his exact words. All I had to do was walk in here and push the button to start it.”
    “Well, now, that makes me feel better.” She sipped the hot drink while questions about the man standing in her kitchen reeled in her mind. “So why don’t you tell me about yourself. In only two days, you’ve turned yourself into a necessity at Sanderford Cranberry Farms, but I don’t know a thing about you except that you were John’s business partner.”
    Zane took a long drink of his coffee. Riley wondered how he could swallow it when it was piping hot. “Me? There’s nothing too interesting about me. But maybe you’d like to talk about your brother. I know that you two only learned of each other a couple of years ago. And with you living across the country, you probably didn’t get much time with him or his family.” He moved to the kitchen table. “You would like to talk about him, wouldn’t you?”
    The pain she felt over her brother’s death had become far too familiar. And she hated it. She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat and joined Zane at the table. “Yes. You’re right. I would. So tell me, how did you two meet?”
    “John and I have known each other since grade school. I wouldn’t say we were friends, though, until high school, when I was going through some… things. We became close. He was like a brother to me. We attended different colleges. Public for him, private for me. But we stayed in touch. I knew him to be brilliant, and when I decided to start Cyphorensic, I discussed everything with John. He left a good job with great company benefits to join me.”
    As he spoke, Riley watched his handsome face contort. Lines she hadn’t seen before appeared out of nowhere, making him look older than before.
    He paused and scrutinized the knots in the pine table. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am for your loss. That’s why I want you to believe me when I say that I really want to make your farm a success.”
    His need for her approval took her by surprise. A myriad of emotions swelled inside, creating nervous flutters in her stomach, and she searched for a way to dispel them. “Would you like more coffee?”
    She retrieved the carafe from the counter and set it on the table between her and Zane, like a protective barrier—though she wasn’t quite certain what she needed protection from.
    “No, thanks.” He toyed with his empty cup, waiting for her response.
    “Zane, I believe you. I know this has been quite a blow to you, too, not only in terms