Dare to Love: A Sweet Contemporary Romance (Finding Love Book 4) Read online

  In the days and weeks following her discovery of the trick he played on her, he tried to contact her. He didn’t expect her to understand, but he wanted to apologize and make some attempt to explain. His efforts to do so weren’t helped by the fact that his surgery and subsequent recovery kept him at home in Augusta instead of back on campus in Young Harris. Separated from her by hundreds of miles, he could only call and text. Sabrina ignored both. She cut him out of her life as if he never existed, thus denying him the opportunity to remove at least some of the guilt he carried.

  After a while, he stopped wondering if he’d ever run into her again, but he couldn’t escape what he’d done. Every night when he closed his eyes, he saw Sabrina’s stunned, white face. For the first time in his life, he was forced to face the consequences of his actions and to acknowledge the kind of person he’d become. He couldn’t change the past, but he could change himself.

  Movement outside the window drew his attention. Sabrina was walking to her car, seemingly oblivious to the light rain falling from the gray sky. He’d only vaguely registered her wet hair and clothes; what he had noticed was how inadequately his memories recorded her image. Or was it that with age and experience, a man better recognizes and appreciates the qualities that define real beauty. Either way, she was a beautiful woman.

  Time may have given him a better appreciation of her, but it hadn’t lessened her dislike of him. The next few months weren’t going to be pleasant providing Sabrina actually stuck it out that long. Every time he saw her, he’d remember how badly he treated someone who loved him. Had loved him, he should say. There hadn’t been any love visible in her expressive eyes today. Contempt and disgust, yes; but nothing close to what he used to see. Like what he saw in her face the first time he kissed her.

  In his mind’s eye, the four walls of his office slowly faded.

  He was walking through the swinging doors of the chemistry lab. It was empty except for Sabrina. There was nothing surprising in that; she was always the first one there.

  He stepped behind her to peer over her shoulder. The floral scent that lingered on her skin filled his nostrils. In the sterile silence of the lab, he could have sworn he heard her heart beating. The test tube in her hand wavered slightly before she put it down on the table. Those subtle but unmistakable signs so much in variance with her natural reserve drew him like a magnet. She was a puzzle he wanted to solve.

  His hands left his sides and slid around her waist. When she turned her head in surprise, he couldn’t ignore the proximity of her lips. They’d teased him long enough. He’d wanted to find out what they felt like for weeks now. A few seconds later he knew two things: her lips were deliciously soft, and he definitely wanted to kiss her again.

  A short laugh escaped him. Trent had kissed her again – many times – but she’d made him work for every single one. Sabrina wasn’t like the other girls who flocked around him. She had strict ideas about what a relationship should be. Casual kissing and touching weren’t on her list. To a twenty-year-old guy, nothing is more attractive than when it’s forbidden. The more she held out against him, the more he wanted to wear her down. He’d never been able to resist a test of wills. Sadly, he didn’t understand that when the motivation for earning affection is self-gratification rather than a means to get closer to the other person, no one wins and someone gets hurt.

  As he watched her car pull out of the parking lot, he knew that no words of apology could make up for what he did to her. The best he could hope for was that during their short time working together she would realize he wasn’t that selfish, arrogant person anymore.

  * * * * *

  Sabrina didn’t immediately return home. The relief of finally having a job was overshadowed by the horror of who she’d be working for. She couldn’t face Madeline with her emotions raw and her defenses stripped bare. Her sister knew her too well to be deceived, and she wasn’t ready to divulge a secret she’d already kept from her family so long.

  Passing by the entrance to her street, she headed to the florist where she picked out an assortment of mums. Then she drove to the cemetery and placed them on her grandmother’s grave. It had been almost a year since the woman who raised her and Madeline passed away peacefully after a long battle with heart disease. Sabrina still felt the loss acutely.

  Going down on her knees, she pulled the weeds mixed in with the grass surrounding the small granite tombstone. “Well, Granny, the good news is I got a job. The bad news is I have to work with a man I detest. I know, I know. Beggars can’t be choosers. I’ll do what I must; just like you always did. But I’ll be civil and no more; and when Debby comes back from maternity leave, I’ll tell that hypocrite exactly what he can do with his obviously insincere apology.”

  Her hands slowed as she imagined the scene in her head and then she laughed. “Now there’s something to look forward to; the silver lining to the dark cloud I’m heading into. Every time I’m forced to speak to him, I’ll remind myself what he’s got coming.”

  She worked in silence for a few minutes, uncaring of the grass stains on her skirt and the dirt on her fingers. In a way she couldn’t explain, the activity was calming. It reminded her of the hours spent with her grandmother in the flower garden located outside the kitchen window. Sabrina’s favorites had always been the row of sunflowers at the back because they were tall like her. Satisfied that she’d removed all the weeds, she sat back again.

  “This all sounds good in theory, but I’m not sure what I hope to gain. It won’t make any difference to Trent. He didn’t care about my feelings then; he has even less reason to care now. He used me, and I was only too willing to be used. I don’t even have the excuse of not knowing what kind of person he was. His reputation preceded him, and as we all know, leopards don’t change their spots. I was the one who was delusional enough to believe that a guy who had only to crook his finger in any direction to have females running to his side would actually fall in love with me: a bookworm with no sense of style, pale skin that won’t tan no matter how hard I try, and a figure with too many curves.”

  A sudden gust of cool wind blew through the trees, bringing with it some leaves already wearing their fall colors and making Sabrina aware of her still-damp garments. Her glance went to the sky. More rain was coming. If she didn’t want to get soaked again, she needed to leave. Rising slowly to her feet, she brushed away the angry tears forming in her eyes with the backs of her hands. “I’ll get through this even if it kills me, and maybe in the process, I’ll get the chance to teach the man who broke my heart a lesson or two.”

  When Sabrina arrived at the duplex she shared with her sister, she collected the mail from the box on the wall. Bills, bills and more bills. They were the only reason she was willing to work for that…that cheat. As she got closer to the front door, she caught a whiff of something delicious wafting through the open windows. Stepping inside, she called out, “Is that lasagna?”

  An attractive woman wearing a chef’s coat appeared in the arched doorway between the living room and the kitchen. Younger than Sabrina by five years, Madeline had the same dark hair and blue eyes, but was slimmer and several inches shorter.

  “It sure is.” Her face puckered into a frown. “What happened to your hair? Don’t tell me you left without taking your umbrella.”

  Getting wet had been the least of her problems. Sabrina sank down wearily on the couch. “Okay, I won’t tell you. Is James joining us for dinner? If I remember right, lasagna is his favorite.”

  Madeline flicked a nonexistent piece of fluff from her coat. “I’m a little upset with James.”

  “What did he do now? Did he only send one dozen roses instead of two? Or did he forget to wash and wax your car again?”

  A smile chased the scowl from Madeline’s face. “He asked me to marry him. This is like the third time in the last month. When is he going to get it through his thick head that I can’t get married right now? I’m in culinary school.”

  “The nerve of that m
an! How dare he fall in love with you?”

  “You’re supposed to be on my side.”

  “I’m on no one’s side. What you and James decide to do is your business.”

  “Any luck with the temp job?”

  “I start on Monday.”

  “Is it going to be awful, Sabrina?”

  The work wouldn’t be bad, but dealing with Trent would more than make up for it. The sick feeling in her stomach was getting stronger by the second. “Not at all.”

  “I feel so guilty. If you hadn’t spent all your savings paying for Granny’s funeral and my tuition, we wouldn’t be so strapped for money.”

  “Don’t worry, Maddie. We’ll be fine.”

  “That’s what you always say.”

  “Because it’s true. I need to get out of this wet suit.” If only forgetting those harrowing moments in Trent’s office was as easy as changing her clothes.

  Sabrina picked up her purse and the pile of bills. She didn’t want Madeline to see how bad things really were. No need for both of them to lose sleep. Besides, she’d promised Granny that she’d make sure Madeline stayed in school. That was one promise she intended to keep no matter what it cost her.

  Chapter Two

  Trent poured himself another cup of coffee, a smile forming on his lips at the sound of the childish voice filtering down from the second floor. His four-year-old niece was up and about. The same couldn’t be said for Kiley, his girlfriend of the moment. She’d told him to ‘get lost’ when he knocked on her door at seven. She’d also told him while they were dancing at his sister’s wedding reception last night that she was thinking of going back to her ex-boyfriend. Some people had no sense of timing. Couldn’t that have waited until they were back in Alpharetta?

  He’d known from the start that he was a rebound boyfriend. He hadn’t minded because Kiley was good company when she wasn’t talking about Cole, the aforementioned ex. She didn’t complain about Trent’s long working hours or expect him to spend every free moment with her. She also played a mean game of golf. He hadn’t been able to beat her yet.

  In any case, her decision to move on wasn’t getting her out of helping him today. She could catch up on her beauty sleep tomorrow. Whether she liked it or not, she was going to be up by nine because he’d agreed to take Olivia to something called Brasstown Bald so Landris and his new wife Faith could have a few hours alone.

  After he removed the bacon from the pan and covered it with foil, he strolled over to the window. The view made him wish he’d brought his camera. In his mind, nothing could rival the beauty of autumn in the mountains when the leaves on the trees changed from green to dark orange, garnet and sunshine yellow. The last time he’d been at his cabin near Hiawassee there’d been snow on the ground.

  Eight months was too long between trips. What had he been doing during the spring and summer that was so important that he couldn’t get up here for a weekend? The sad thing was he couldn’t think of anything. With the addition of Jared to his business, he didn’t have the excuse of needing to work sixty hour weeks. He had the time and money to travel and see all those places he’d dreamed of visiting. What he didn’t have was a soulmate to take with him. The sigh that slipped from his lips was cut off by the arrival of Olivia.

  “Uncle Trent, do you have waffles?”

  “Of course, cupcake. How many do you want?”

  “One, please.”

  He crouched down in front of her. “Before I get started, I need a good morning kiss. It’s probably the only one I’m going to get today.”

  Olivia giggled as she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Daddy kissed Mommy already.”

  Trent rolled his eyes as he reached into the freezer for the box of waffles. “Your daddy is always kissing your mommy. It’s kind of sickening if you ask me.”

  “Where’s that lady who was with you last night?”

  “She’s still sleeping. Her name is Kiley.”

  “Are you going to marry her?”

  After putting two waffles in the toaster, he swung around to face her. “No, I’m not.”

  “Why? Doesn’t she like you?”

  Trent lifted Olivia onto one of the bar stools. “Yes, but you need to love the person you marry.”

  She nodded as if she understood the difference between like and love. “My mommy loves my daddy. She tells him all the time.”

  “Your daddy is a lucky man. What do you want on your waffles? Syrup or jelly?”

  “Syrup, please.”

  He was warming it in the microwave when his sister-in-law strolled into the kitchen.

  “Good morning, Trent. Thanks for fixing Olivia’s breakfast.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Faith rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “It’s cooler than I thought.” She turned to Olivia. “We’ll have to make sure you take a jacket with you this morning. It’s going to be cold when you reach the top of the lookout point.”

  Trent handed her a cup of coffee. “What exactly is Brasstown Bald?”

  Faith laughed as she sat down next to Olivia. “You don’t know?”

  “I’m sure Landris told me, but I forgot. I was lucky to remember the name.”

  “It’s the highest point in Georgia.”

  “Really? That sounds interesting.” He put one of the waffles on a plate and set it in front of Olivia. “Tell me ‘when’, cupcake,” he said, holding the measuring cup of warm syrup over the waffle.

  Faith waited until the syrup-pouring operation was completed. “There’s a ramp if you want to walk or if you’re feeling lazy, there’s a bus that will take you to the top.”

  “What should we do, Olivia? Walk or ride the bus?”

  “You might want to wait until you see the ramp before you make your decision,” Faith advised as she lifted the foil and removed a piece of bacon.

  They were starting on the second round of waffles when Landris made his appearance. “Are there any left for me?” he asked as he leaned down to kiss first Olivia and then Faith.

  “It depends on how many you want,” Trent told him. The look exchanged between Landris and Faith caught at his heart. That’s what he wanted: a love so strong and deep it couldn’t be hidden.

  “Actually, I’d rather have oatmeal.” Landris rummaged around in the pantry. “Where’s Kiley?”

  “She’s not a morning person; but don’t worry, I’ll have my crew up and out of here by ten as promised.”

  Landris sent his wife a teasing glance. “I appreciate that.”

  Trent laughed as Faith’s cheeks turned pink. “I expect you to return the favor one day.”

  “That sounds dangerously close to an admission that you want to get married.”

  “I never said I didn’t want to get married. I said I wasn’t ready, but lately I can’t seem to escape all you fantastically happy newlyweds. First there was Jared and Connie, then you and Faith, and now Taryn and Clint. I’m beginning to feel as if life is passing me by.”

  “Are you trying to tell us that you and Kiley…”

  Trent shook his head. “No, not Kiley or anyone else right now.”

  “I see. You’re starting to feel a little pressure. That’s not a bad thing.”

  “Not pressure. Just an inkling that the grass might be greener on the other side.”

  “I never thought I’d hear you say that.”

  Faith looked up from wiping the milk mustache off Olivia’s mouth. “Ignore your brother, Trent. You’ll find the right girl. Who knows? You might have already met her.”

  For no reason at all, Trent thought of Sabrina. He laughed inwardly. He better hope he didn’t fall in love with her. It would be utterly hopeless. He’d put a chasm so wide between her and him, there wasn’t a bridge big enough to bring them together.

  * * * * *

  After keying the last column of numbers into her computer, Sabrina saved the file and leaned back in the padded office chair. Her first day on the job hadn’t been bad at all. The commute from her
house was only ten minutes. Her office was nicely furnished and comfortable. Jared was friendly and didn’t mind answering her silly questions. The work she’d been given was varied and interesting. If she could just arrange things so she never had to interact with Trent, everything would be perfect.

  Jared let fall the information that the reason for Trent’s absence was a family wedding. She wondered who it was. Sabrina had met his sister Taryn on her one and only visit to see him in the hospital. His brother hadn’t been able to make it; he’d been somewhere playing professional baseball. That had been Trent’s dream as well. Had his accident ended those plans?

  She felt a twinge of sympathy that she quickly suppressed. Why should she feel sorry for him? He wasn’t the only person to have something important taken away and be forced to make adjustments. He was obviously healthy and from where she was standing, he was doing fine career wise.

  After making sure there was nothing else Jared needed, she gathered her things and walked to her car. Although the day had gone smoothly, she wished she hadn’t agreed to meet Madeline and James for dinner. A hot bath, a cup of tea, and a book would have been preferable to several hours of making conversation and having to stay in her work clothes; but like always, she couldn’t say no to her sister. Sabrina smiled as she started the car and located her sunglasses. Madeline’s irritation with her marriage-happy boyfriend never lasted very long. It would be lonely at the duplex when she eventually got around to saying yes.

  Losing their parents at a young age had forged a strong bond between the two sisters. Sabrina slipped easily into the role of surrogate mother. Having someone else to worry about and take care of made it easier to adjust to the sudden changes in her life. The roomy four-bedroom house with the huge yard in Canton had been sold, and the two girls sent to live with their grandmother in Roswell. When Sabrina was in high school, the three of them moved into an apartment closer to town.

  It wasn’t until after her grandmother died that Sabrina learned the real reason behind that sudden relocation: the proceeds from the sale of the house in Roswell paid for her to go to college. Knowing what her grandmother sacrificed made her all the more determined to see that her sister completed her degree. What Esther Melton had done for her, she would do for Madeline.