Page 1 of My Heart for Yours

Prologue

Cole

There she is. My angel…

For so long I’ve been alone, but then I found her and knew instantly she was the one. It’s true what they say, when you know, you know.

No other woman will ever compare, even though they try. Oh, they give me their coy smiles and downcast eyes and try to distract me from my true love, but it never lasts.

They are teases, all of them, but not my angel. We are destined, and soon we will be together, and nothing else will matter.

Soon I will have everything I ever wanted.

Chapter 1

Shane

“Two midgets walk into a bar…”

“Uh, I don’t think you’re supposed to call them midgets. They’re little people.”

“I know they’re little, because they’re midgets.”

“Right, never mind.”

That’s Dave Sheppard, one of the oldest residents of Marshall Falls, Colorado, known for telling off-color jokes while drinking his beer, and Reid, my new bartender who just moved here a little over a month ago. He’s a good guy, dependable and hardworking, and he definitely makes my life a lot easier since he started working here. It’s late afternoon on a quiet Thursday and this is the riveting conversation I get to listen to while stocking the shelves of my bar. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I’m exactly where I want to be. This is the town I grew up in and these are the people, well Dave at least, who watched me do it. And let’s face it, over the years the Cahill brothers gave them plenty to watch. There are five of us and we’ve been through a lot, but good or bad, these people have always been here, only occasionally judging but always supportive. I love this town, these people, and can’t imagine living anywhere else.

“So, Shane, when was the last time you heard from Luke?” Dave asks while nursing his third beer. He started drinking earlier than usual today. Need to keep an eye on that.

“He emailed last week, couldn’t really say much but he’s alive and doing okay. He won’t be able to make it home for Christmas though.” Luke is my youngest brother and a Marine serving his second tour in Afghanistan. To say that he is one of our town’s favorite sons would be like saying Colorado winters get a little nippy. Anyway, the point is, of all of us Cahills, Luke would probably be considered the hometown hero. Because he is, literally.

The door of the bar swings open and my brother Jay comes swaggering in. If Luke is the golden boy, Jared, or Jay to his family and friends, is the party animal, the fun brother. He’s the high school teacher all the kids love, and he also coaches the school’s football team. A winning team means Jay is welcomed with open arms wherever he goes. Of all my brothers, he and I are the closest and there is nothing we won’t do for each other.

“Hey, bro, how’s it going? Hired a new bartender yet?” I don’t know why he does it. For some reason Jay and Reid have not hit it off which can get awkward considering the amount of time Jay spends here, and it’s starting to work on my last nerve. Add to that this weird feeling that something is about to happen and my sense of humor takes a hike. It’s like when the knee you injured in high school football starts to ache just before a big storm rolls in.

“Man, not today okay?” I catch Reid giving me a nervous look out of the corner of my eye. He’s no longer on probation so there is no reason for him to worry about his job, but something is definitely going on with these two. My hope is that they will start to act like adults at some point and leave the rest of us out of their drama but that remains to be seen.

“You speak to Mom recently?” I try to steer the conversation to safer ground. “She wants to know what your plans are for Christmas this year.” Jay gives me an amused look.

“It’s the same plan as every year. The biggest bird she can find, cooked to perfection, and served with all the trimmings. Everything a growing boy needs,” he smirks at me. I try again.

“I think the actual question is who you’re going to bring. You have brought some interesting guests in the past.” The word guests is placed in air quotes. I get another smirk.

“I haven’t decided yet, but I’ll be sure to keep Mom posted. Will keep you posted too, seeing as you’re so interested.”

“Whatever, man.” Lame, I know but I cannot be bothered to keep the conversation going.

“What about you?” Obviously, Jay doesn’t feel the same way and I sigh out my frustration.

“What about me?” He can’t be asking what I think he’s asking.

“Are you bringing anyone?”

Yep, he went there. I honestly can’t help the blank stare that takes over my face. There hasn’t been anyone to bring in two years. Not since Layla. And he knows that. Hell, everyone knows that.

“You know damn well I’m not.” Again, my last nerve. Jay sighs, like I’m making him tired and he’s trying to figure out whether he should keep nagging me or just give up.

“I hear Cara Davenforth is back in town. You should look her up. She was always into you. I bet she learned some fun things during her many travels.” Nagging it is then. But I’m not interested in Cara. We grew up together, were part of the same circle of friends all through school, but then Layla moved to town our senior year and they immediately became best friends; each other’s shadow. Layla and I didn’t get together until a few years later, at which point Cara distanced herself from me altogether. I didn’t think much of it at the time though. And then, after Layla and Derick … Cara disappeared altogether. Officially she was working for her father, again with the air quotes, but considering she didn’t finish college and Daddy dearest indulged her every whim, who knew what she was actually doing. Fun things if Jay was to be believed.

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