LITMIR.BIZ

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on her emotions.

      Moving her gaze to the rear of the crowd, she spied an unanticipated and unwelcome spectator. Despite the icy nip in the air, a layer of cold sweat suddenly covered Shayna’s skin.

      Dark glasses protected his eyes, but his sun-bleached hair and blatantly expensive wool trench coat gave him away. The nerve of that man. What part of “not interested” did Kyle Anderson not understand?

      With an effort, she pulled her attention back to the mayor as he offered his own words of praise. She listened with half an ear, her stomach pitching as Kyle wove his way through the crowd. She felt the pressure of his regard like a high-beamed spotlight and knew the locals wouldn’t fail to notice a dashing, big-city stranger hanging around.

      If asked—and in Land’s Cross, being asked about your business was a sure bet—would he share his reasons for being in town? Would he blab about her unfortunate tie to Steven Walker?

      Feigning calm, she smiled and clapped as Mayor Evans drew the celebration to a close. Shayna’s inner wuss begged her to run as fast and far away as possible from the threat of Kyle’s presence. But her pride shushed her fear, giving her the strength to march calmly and confidently in his direction.

      Between them, the throng of well-wishers formed a gauntlet she had to kiss and hug her way through. By the time she stood face-to-face with Kyle, the community’s love and support had steadied her backbone. Land’s Cross was her turf. She had home field advantage. Let him take his best shot.

      She accepted his outstretched hand, her smile so brittle she feared her cheeks would crack. “Kyle Anderson. What an unexpected surprise.” She kept her voice as cordial as possible, hoping folks would assume he was as harmless as everyone else.

      “This was too important for me not to come.” He tugged her a few steps outside the crush before dropping her hand and leaning in to whisper, “Patty wanted to come, too, but I convinced her to give me one more chance before she traveled all this way.”

      Nausea boiled in her stomach at the mere idea of her bleach-blond bimbo mother invading Land’s Cross—her home, her sanctuary. Anger surged through her system, demanding action, but pure stubbornness kept her from bolting. “That sounds an awful lot like blackmail, Mr. Anderson.”

      “I prefer to think of it as smart negotiating, Ms. Miller. I gave you the opportunity to set a convenient, private time and place to discuss matters, but you’ve forced my hand.”

      The fact that he had a valid point fueled Shayna’s churning temper. Her stubborn refusal to return his calls had backfired. Big-time.

      Hyperaware of the curious looks shooting their way, she shifted her body farther from Kyle’s and nodded and waved at the nearest clutch of people.

      “Mr. Anderson, I admit that not taking your calls was cowardly, and I give you my word that I will rectify the mistake. But only if you promise to keep Patty away from me and my home.” She did her best to keep her face blank as she met Kyle’s stare. Displaying her panic would sink her cause.

      “Agreed.” He pointed to Dixie’s Diner across the street. “How about we get out of the cold and discuss Dr. Walker’s proposal over a hot cup of coffee?”

      “No. Not in public. We’ve given the gossips enough to chew on already. Besides, I’m busy right now.” Maintaining a forcefully civil expression, she nodded goodbye and started to turn back to the crowd.

      His hand snagged her wrist and stopped her escape. “Tomorrow then?”

      “Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving, and I’ll be busy then, too. You’ll have to wait till Friday.” She tugged her arm free and took a step backward. The heel of her shoe caught on a clump of dirt, and she started to stumble.

      Kyle reacted quickly, catching her around the waist and steadying her. Her chin grazed his broad chest. He smelled like fresh air and sun-warmed leather. For a split second, she entertained the fantasy of melting into him, of huddling into the heat that radiated from him, but his words instantly counteracted her body’s momentary weakness.

      “Don’t abuse my generosity, Ms. Miller. If I have to track you down again, I won’t be so understanding. Or subtle.”

      Alarmed by her own weakness as much as his audacity, she tipped her chin up and glared at him. “Turn me loose,” she ordered briskly.

      “If you insist.” He relaxed his hold immediately, and she scurried back a step.

      “Shayna? Everything okay over here?” Travis’s voice sounded deeper and meaner than usual. Grateful for the interruption, she turned to find Lindy and Travis shooting visual bullets over her shoulder.

      “You bet.” She hoped her big, goofy grin would help sell the lie. “Mr. Anderson was just leaving.”

      “Anderson?” Lindy’s brows rose. “From California?”

      “Yes ma’am.” Kyle flashed Lindy the same warm smile he’d shown the elderly couple back in Los Angeles, but here in Land’s Cross it missed its mark. Lindy’s expression didn’t soften one bit.

      Dropping the smile, he extended his hand to Travis and introduced himself. “Kyle Anderson.”

      Travis, a dyed-in-the-wool problem solver, accepted Kyle’s hand, but his gaze remained pinned on Shayna. She knew he’d see her nerves plain as day and do what he could to set things right. But this was one problem she had to solve herself.

      She spoke up quickly, before Travis could intervene. “Mr. Anderson, as I’ve explained, now is not a good time for me. Please call me later to discuss this matter.”

      “Certainly, Ms. Miller. I have your number.” A flash of something Shayna chose to interpret as respect lit Kyle’s sparkling blue eyes. “Until then.”

      Deliberately taunting her, he extended his hand for a goodbye shake. Refusing to be intimidated, she closed the gap and slipped her hand into his. Rather than immediately releasing it, he tugged her closer and lowered his voice.

      “The clock is ticking, Shayna. We will talk.” He leaned a smidge closer and added, “Soon.”

      His warm breath wafted against her cold ear. She couldn’t contain the shudder that danced down her spine, but privately, she insisted it was just the weather.

      As she watched, he climbed into a clean but wimpy gray rental car and drove off. Relief nearly buckled her knees.

      “Oooh, you were so right about the pretty boy thing.” Lindy’s excited voice recaptured Shayna’s attention.

      “Shayna, who was that guy? Are you sure everything’s okay?”

      Touched by Travis’s unwavering concern, she reached up and lovingly patted his cheek. “I’m fine, Papa Bear.” For now, at least. “I’ll explain everything tomorrow, okay? For now, I just want to go home and recharge.” She gave them both a quick hug and a kiss then dashed to the safety of her sturdy old hatchback. She cranked the engine and waited for the heater to warm up.

      Wishing for the hundredth time she’d never opened that stupid letter from her mother, Shayna forced her sticky transmission into gear and headed home. Mind spinning, she drove out of town and up the mountain to the cabin that had been in the Miller family for generations.

      Kyle’s dogged determination had her mind reeling. What in the world could Walker possibly want with her? He hadn’t shown her one iota of interest in twenty-five years. He darned sure hadn’t been interested all those nights Patty had passed out, leaving a very young Shayna essentially alone. And what about the times her mother had been arrested and Shayna had been shuffled into and around the overcrowded foster care system?

      No, the only person who’d cared for her then had been James Miller, the kindhearted schoolteacher who’d lived next door. He’d cared enough to petition the courts for temporary custody. A single man with no biological or legal ties. Talk about an uphill battle.

      And now, all these years

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