Page 20 of Mine to Keep

Chapter4

Bryn’s heart pounded so fast she could barely catch her breath. In her previous life, she’d had all the comforts money could buy. When she’d first met Timothy, he’d been super charming and showered her in lavish gifts, constantly surprising her with romantic weekend getaways. They would board a private jet and head off to Paris or the Greek islands for three or four days and think nothing of it.

The first year of their relationship seemed unreal. Looking back, there had been signs of what was to come, but she’d completely ignored them. She hadn’t wanted to believe that her perfect future husband wasn’t so perfect.

But she’d found out three days after they returned from their honeymoon exactly what type of man she’d married, and no amount of pretending could change what went on behind closed doors.

She stole a quick glance at Jamison. He had short, dark hair with piercing blue eyes that she found herself swimming in every time she looked into them as if they were a pool.

“Are you okay?” Jamison asked. “You’re being really quiet.”

“As opposed to what? Because you barely know me.” She chuckled as he rolled his Jeep to a stop in front of a red light.

“I guess I’m not used to women who don’t talk a lot. My mom can be quite the chatterbox, and my two sisters-in-law certainly know how to dominate a conversation.”

She studied the street signs and any major landmarks, trying to get her bearings. She’d only been in town for three days, and she hadn’t a clue as to where she was. Of course, she’d spent that entire time in the hospital.

“Now I know where you get it from.”

He laughed.

She shouldn’t have teased him. It could give him the wrong idea, and the last thing she needed was him thinking that she liked him or something.

“I do get picked on at the station occasionally for talking too much. I often turn the television on just because I don’t like silence. I think it’s because I’m the youngest of a bunch of loud-mouthed boys.”

She yawned.

“Am I boring you?”

“I’m sorry. I’m tired and don’t know where I am.”

“I was kidding.”

The Jeep jerked forward when the light turned green.

Jamison turned left on May Circle. That felt vaguely familiar, but she didn’t recognize anything about the street.

“I keep forgetting you only spent about five minutes here before you gave birth to that cutie back there.” He glanced over his shoulder and smiled. “When you’re feeling up to it, why don’t you let me show you around? Lighthouse Cove is small and pretty much everything you need is right within the town limits, but there are some things you might need that are twenty to thirty minutes away, like some of the big-box stores.”

“I can’t let you do that. You’ve done too much for me as it is. I’m sure you’ve got better things to do.” The last thing she needed was to become dependent on Jamison. Or to owe him any more than she already did. “Do you have a girlfriend?”

He did a double-take. “I do not. Why do you ask?”

“I make jewelry. I thought maybe I could give you a few special pieces to pay you back for all you’ve done.”

“My sister-in-law is turning forty this weekend, and I do need to get her a gift. But I would insist on paying for it.”

“Absolutely, not,” Bryn said with some enthusiasm. “I won’t take your money, and it would be an honor for me to make her something.”

“I can’t let you give me something you’re selling.”

“Oh. Yes, you can.” She nodded wildly. This could be her first big break. If Jamison knew people in this town, and that was the impression she got, he could send people in her direction. “Especially when you can tell people about my business. You’d be doing me a favor.”

He turned onto the main drag. Finally, a road she recognized.

“I haven’t gotten my website up and running yet, and I plan on selling on Etsy and some other places. Now that I’m home, I should be able to get something simple done by this weekend. I doubt I’ll be able to get cards with my URL and contact information printed by the party, but I do have a website name. They could google it. I’m sure I’ll have it done by next week, but if you could tell people about my jewelry, and if you find something you like for your sister-in-law, that would be amazing.”

“I’m happy to help spread the word about your business,” he said. “Who’s doing your site?” He pulled into the back driveway and parked behind her vehicle, which he’d parked under the carport. “If you don’t mind me asking.”

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