A Wedding Worth Waiting For by Katie Meyer Read Free Book Online Page B

my family when I want to. And when I get free time, which isn’t very often, I admit, I can surf or just walk on the beach. Boston’s a great place, but I’m a Florida boy at heart.”
    So not just good-looking, but smart. Smart enough to get into Harvard, and confident enough to turn down what were undoubtedly better-paying and more impressive jobs in order to have the lifestyle he preferred. She wanted to understand more about how he’d ended up following such an unconventional path, but if he didn’t want to talk about it she wouldn’t pry. Having her own off-limits subjects, she knew that simple questions could sometimes lead to painful answers.
    Instead, she leaned back in her chair and steered the conversation to a more mundane topic. “You said your parents live nearby—does that mean you’re a Florida native?”
    He gave a slow, easy smile and her heart thumped a bit harder. “Yes, ma’am. My parents have a cattle ranch over on the mainland in unincorporated Palmetto County. My brother and sister both still live there, and help run the place.”
    â€œAnd you didn’t want to stay and be part of the family business?”
    â€œNo, but it took me a while to figure that out. I majored in Agricultural Science at UF, but the closer I got to graduating, the more I wanted to do something else. I didn’t tell my parents I was applying to grad school until after I got accepted. I figured they couldn’t argue with a scholarship to Harvard.”
    So not only did he get into Harvard, he’d gotten a scholarship. Wow. “So your version of rebellion was to go get a business degree at an Ivy League school?”
    He chuckled. “If you put it that way, I guess so. Not much of a rebellion, huh?”
    â€œHey, going against the expectations of your family is hard, no matter what.”
    â€œIs that how you ended up as a wildlife officer, because your father expected it?”
    Sam sputtered, nearly choking on a sip of tea. “No, definitely not. He thought I should be a librarian or an English teacher. Joining the Fish and Wildlife Commission was the last thing he wanted for me. He thinks law enforcement isn’t a suitable career for a woman. Or at least, not for his daughter. Camping out, hiking—those are fine if they’re just a hobby. But chasing poachers in the back country, carrying a gun—that’s way too dangerous. “
    A slow, sexy smile spread over Dylan’s face. “Well, then, I guess that makes us a pair of rebels, doesn’t it?”
    * * *
    Dylan watched her shrug off his question. “I guess so, although rebelling really wasn’t the goal. And I do like books, so he wasn’t too far off with the librarian idea.”
    â€œBut...?” There was obviously more, something she wasn’t saying.
    â€œBut I wanted something that we could share, something to bring us together. And I wanted to make a difference, the way that he did.”
    And she wanted to make him proud.
    Something inside his chest ached at the thought of this gutsy woman trying so hard to earn her own father’s approval. No wonder she was determined to make things work for her in Paradise. She wasn’t just trying to impress her boss or renew old friendships; she was trying to win her father’s love.
    â€œIs everyone all done?” Sally was back, ready to clear their plates.
    Sam nodded. “I’m finished. How about you, Dylan?”
    â€œYes, thank you, Sally. And could you bring out two slices of the key lime pie, please?” He looked back to Sam. “Unless you’d prefer something else.”
    â€œKey lime pie sounds perfect.”
    Sally took their plates and smiled her approval. “Y’all sit tight. I’ll be back with that pie in just a minute.”
    True to her word, she returned with the sweet, creamy dessert in record time, and he still hadn’t figured out a way to ask