His Winter Rose and Apple Blossom Bride Read Online Free Page B

in the breeze.
    “Thank you, kind sir.” She curtsied to Andy, then strode toward Jason. “Good morning, Mayor.”
    “Good morning.”
    He couldn’t help but stare at her bouncy haircut. It had been a long mane of ebony when they’d first met. He’d dreamed about that hair. He couldn’t decide which style he preferred.
    Her ice-blue shirt and matching slacks managed to look both businesslike and chic. The wool jacket added to her polished look, though her eyes weren’t businesslike at all. He swallowed, rejecting the flash of interest that prickled whenever he talked to her.
    “I didn’t realize—that is, er...” He hesitated. “You’ll need a car, Miss Langley. The area is large and our public transportation isn’t up to big-city standards.”
    She frowned, obviously trying to decipher his curt tone.
    “Please call me Piper,” she begged. “I don’t get to sail very often so I thought this would be the perfect way to commute across the lake. I left my car here.” Her gaze brushed over the boat in obvious fondness, then she focused on him and the brown eyes darkened to almost black.
    “I paid for the berth. Yesterday.”
    Andy hadn’t told him. Jason wished he could time-warp back about an hour and do this all over again. Though it was a little late to explain, he gave it his best shot.
    “I wasn’t implying anything. I just wanted to be sure you knew you’d need a car.” Idiot! How old was he that her appearance could knock him for a loop?
    “I don’t know whether or not I explained to you when we talked before, Mr. Franklin, but years ago I lived in Serenity Bay. I’m familiar with the need for wheels around here.”
    She smiled and it was a glorious thing. Her skin glowed, her eyes shone and her curls danced in the breeze. She was more beautiful than he remembered.
    “No, I don’t believe you mentioned that.” Otherwise, I wouldn’t have made an idiot of myself talking about public transportation.
    Her gaze held his. A zap of awareness shot between them.
    “Well, I did. Six summers, actually.”
    “Really?”
    “They were some of the best times of my life.”
    Which meant—what? That she was here to recapture the past? That her life had taken a downturn and she’d returned to start over?
    “That explains your enthusiasm for this place then.” And her knowledge of the economic possibilities in the area.
    “I guess.” She continued to watch him, her scrutiny unflinching.
    “What do you have planned, Miss Langley?”
    “You’re the boss. Shouldn’t you be telling me, Mr. Franklin?” Heavy emphasis on the Mr .
    “Actually I didn’t think you would start till Monday.”
    “Why wait?”
    She stood tall and proud, head tipped back, face impassive as her glance clashed with his. She shifted as if she were eager to get on with things.
    Something was tapping. Jason looked down, noticed that her blue shoes matched the blue of her suit perfectly, and that the toe of one was rapping impatiently against the dock.
    During his Boston years, Jason had known a lot of women. But he’d never met one who couldn’t stand still for even a few minutes. Piper Langley pulsed with leashed energy.
    She cleared her throat. “Mr. Franklin?”
    “I prefer Jason. We’re informal around here. Okay, Piper?” He smiled, showing there were no hard feelings. “Now perhaps—”
    “Wait a minute. Jason. Jason Franklin. Man, I’m slow.” The whispered words slipped through her lips on a breath of recognition.
    He froze.
    “There was a rather well-known Jason Franklin who gained the reputation of finding fantastic recreation property that developers could evolve into spectacular tourism centers. He worked for a company called Expectations in Boston.” She paused, searching his face while she waited for his response.
    “Guilty,” he admitted, heart sinking. “But that was in the past. Now I’m my own boss.” And I like it that way, so don’t ask any more questions .
    “Of course.” She nodded,