A Gift from the Past by Carla Cassidy Read Free Book Online Page B

managed to get through the days without the air-conditioning, but it wouldn’t be long before they would need to turn it on and that meant higher electric bills.
    She thought of all the checks Joshua had sent her over the years. Whenever she’d received one, she’d instantly ripped it into tiny shreds and placed it in her ‘confetti box,’ an empty tissue box that held the tiny tatters of both checks and letters he’d sent to her.
    She’d thought the checks were guilt money from him and that somehow in cashing them, she would be helping him assuage his guilt over leaving her.
    Maybe she’d been selfish in not cashing themand using the money to make things easier for Sarge, but hurt and bitterness had tainted any decisions she had made where Joshua McCane had been concerned. Now, with a droplet of sweat scooting down her back beneath her cotton T-shirt, she wished she hadn’t been so stubborn where that money had been concerned.
    I just need to find that treasure, she told herself. That money, although certainly not a fortune, would make everything okay.
    As she entered the house, the first sound she heard was laughter coming from the kitchen. She paused on the threshold of the front door, for a moment savoring the sound that had been almost nonexistent in the house for the past five years.
    Joshua had always been good at evoking laughter. Even though he had the good looks of a matinee idol, he had the heart and soul of a witty comedian.
    She leaned against the door, for a moment remembering when he’d entertain her with fanciful stories of make-believe creatures and crazy worlds.
    She hated to admit it, but she’d missed his stories and his laughter. And if she looked deep within her heart, she’d find that she’d missed him, too. But that didn’t mean she ever intended to invite him back into her heart or her life again.
    Steeling herself for the onslaught of seeing him again, she squared her shoulders and walked intothe kitchen. For the first time since walking through the front door she became aware of the odor of fresh garlic, minced onion and spicy tomato sauce.
    Joshua stood at the stove and Sarge was at the table as she walked into the kitchen. “Something smells marvelous.”
    Joshua smiled and moved a large pot off the stove burner. “My world-famous tomato sauce.”
    â€œI didn’t know you had a world-famous tomato sauce,” she said as she sank down at the table.
    â€œThis is my first time trying it out,” he replied.
    â€œWe’re guinea pigs, Cookie,” Sarge exclaimed with more spirit than he’d shown in months. “We’re either going to have a great meal or we’ll all be sick with ptomaine poisoning.”
    Joshua laughed. “I don’t think I’m in danger of poisoning anyone, but as much garlic as I used we won’t have to worry about vampires.”
    His light tone set the mood for the meal, which consisted of spaghetti, salad and garlic bread. As they ate, Joshua told them about the latest game he was working on, an educational one based on opposites.
    Despite her desire to remain immune from his charm, she found herself studying him as he talked about his work, noting how his features became animated with excitement. She found herself laughing as he spoke of some of his most populargames, with creatures apparently as colorful as their silly names.
    â€œNo blood or guts in DreamQuest games,” he explained. “And good always triumphs over evil and love always wins the day.”
    Maybe in his games, she thought. But not in real life. Sometimes love died, or wasn’t as strong as one thought, or couldn’t survive beneath the weight of life and loss and grief.
    She was grateful when Sarge indicated he was ready for bed early, as she was exhausted and more than ready not only to call it a day, but to escape Joshua’s company.
    She got Sarge into bed for the night, then went