Burned by a Kiss by Tina Leonard Read Free Book Online
Authors: Tina Leonard
“You’ll sit here and not insult any more of our lifelong friends.”
To Emma’s surprise, Santana sighed and did exactly as his sister demanded.
“We’re not in our best place, mentally,” Sierra said. “Forgive us.”
Santana looked at Emma. “How are the boys?”
“Growing too fast. We’re working on basic commands, now that they’ve settled in a bit.” She looked at Sierra, not able to meet Santana’s gaze any longer. “If you want a job, I always need help at the vet clinic.”
Sierra looked up. “Me? Oh, no, thank you. That’s so sweet of you.” She beamed. “I’m thinking about opening a bridal shop.”
Santana groaned. “We don’t need fairy tales right now, Sierra. We need cold, hard reality.”
“I’m done with reality.” She took a deep breath. “We don’t talk about it, but it destroyed us when Dad died. And maybe it was harder on you than the rest of us because you couldn’t be here for his memorial. You weren’t here the night Captain Martin came to tell us what happened.”
Emma wished she were anywhere but here during this private family moment. She could hear the shattered anguish in Sierra’s voice; nothing had ever torn Emma so much.
“Santana, we lost our home, and those asshole lawyers say we’re not a family. That Dad was some sort of operative who lived a high-risk lifestyle and developed problems later.” She shook her head. “I’m done with that reality. I’m either opening a bridal shop and spending my time around happy people, or I’m joining the fire department.” She pinned her brother with a steely gaze. “Frankly, I’m more suited to the fire department, but I think it would kill you if I did it.”
“No,” Santana said quietly. “No fires.”
“Then support me,” Sierra said. “You’re not the only lost soul around here.”
Emma glanced at Santana, surprised to find his gaze on her. She tried to smile, freezing when Sierra suddenly gasped. “What’s our worst nightmare doing here?”
Emma whipped around to see what a worst nightmare looked like. For one thing, he was really handsome. They weren’t the only ones gawking—strangers came through Star Canyon to visit the artists’ galleries, and for the occasional stroll through a town that time seemed to have forgotten—but they didn’t look like this man.
He was strong and tall. His hair was cut in a classic style, the brown-and-gold sun streaks natural from being outdoors. He looked like he spent a lot of time outside, though his suit said otherwise.
“What’s he doing here?” Sierra demanded again, her tone bitter.
“Coming to see his new house. Remember, he either has to take it over or sell it.” Santana rose. “If you can’t beat them, join them, right?”
“What are you doing?” Sierra hissed at her brother, but it was too late. Santana walked over to the newcomer, greeting him, if not warmly.
Emma was astonished when he brought the man to their table.
“Have a seat,” Santana said. “This is my sister, Sierra.”
“I remember.” He nodded, saying nothing else.
Sierra glared at him.
“And this is Emma Glass, our resident vet. Emma, this is Nick Marshall.”
Emma didn’t know what to do other than put out her hand for him to shake.
“Nice to make your acquaintance, Emma.” He didn’t let the lack of warmth from her or her friend daunt him as he took the seat next to Emma.
Never had a booth felt so small. Emma glanced at Sierra, distressed, but her friend’s gaze was locked on Nick, with no apparent need to hide her feelings.
“This is awkward as hell,” Nick said.
“We’re going to have to work around it.” Santana waved Mary over, and Mary came running with a menu, eager to be included. “Mary, this is Nick Marshall. He’s come out to see our old place.”
“Welcome to Star Canyon, Nick,” Mary said, apparently the only one of them with any real manners, Emma thought.
Nick glanced at Sierra, who was most decidedly not friendly.
To Emma’s surprise, Santana sighed and did exactly as his sister demanded.
“We’re not in our best place, mentally,” Sierra said. “Forgive us.”
Santana looked at Emma. “How are the boys?”
“Growing too fast. We’re working on basic commands, now that they’ve settled in a bit.” She looked at Sierra, not able to meet Santana’s gaze any longer. “If you want a job, I always need help at the vet clinic.”
Sierra looked up. “Me? Oh, no, thank you. That’s so sweet of you.” She beamed. “I’m thinking about opening a bridal shop.”
Santana groaned. “We don’t need fairy tales right now, Sierra. We need cold, hard reality.”
“I’m done with reality.” She took a deep breath. “We don’t talk about it, but it destroyed us when Dad died. And maybe it was harder on you than the rest of us because you couldn’t be here for his memorial. You weren’t here the night Captain Martin came to tell us what happened.”
Emma wished she were anywhere but here during this private family moment. She could hear the shattered anguish in Sierra’s voice; nothing had ever torn Emma so much.
“Santana, we lost our home, and those asshole lawyers say we’re not a family. That Dad was some sort of operative who lived a high-risk lifestyle and developed problems later.” She shook her head. “I’m done with that reality. I’m either opening a bridal shop and spending my time around happy people, or I’m joining the fire department.” She pinned her brother with a steely gaze. “Frankly, I’m more suited to the fire department, but I think it would kill you if I did it.”
“No,” Santana said quietly. “No fires.”
“Then support me,” Sierra said. “You’re not the only lost soul around here.”
Emma glanced at Santana, surprised to find his gaze on her. She tried to smile, freezing when Sierra suddenly gasped. “What’s our worst nightmare doing here?”
Emma whipped around to see what a worst nightmare looked like. For one thing, he was really handsome. They weren’t the only ones gawking—strangers came through Star Canyon to visit the artists’ galleries, and for the occasional stroll through a town that time seemed to have forgotten—but they didn’t look like this man.
He was strong and tall. His hair was cut in a classic style, the brown-and-gold sun streaks natural from being outdoors. He looked like he spent a lot of time outside, though his suit said otherwise.
“What’s he doing here?” Sierra demanded again, her tone bitter.
“Coming to see his new house. Remember, he either has to take it over or sell it.” Santana rose. “If you can’t beat them, join them, right?”
“What are you doing?” Sierra hissed at her brother, but it was too late. Santana walked over to the newcomer, greeting him, if not warmly.
Emma was astonished when he brought the man to their table.
“Have a seat,” Santana said. “This is my sister, Sierra.”
“I remember.” He nodded, saying nothing else.
Sierra glared at him.
“And this is Emma Glass, our resident vet. Emma, this is Nick Marshall.”
Emma didn’t know what to do other than put out her hand for him to shake.
“Nice to make your acquaintance, Emma.” He didn’t let the lack of warmth from her or her friend daunt him as he took the seat next to Emma.
Never had a booth felt so small. Emma glanced at Sierra, distressed, but her friend’s gaze was locked on Nick, with no apparent need to hide her feelings.
“This is awkward as hell,” Nick said.
“We’re going to have to work around it.” Santana waved Mary over, and Mary came running with a menu, eager to be included. “Mary, this is Nick Marshall. He’s come out to see our old place.”
“Welcome to Star Canyon, Nick,” Mary said, apparently the only one of them with any real manners, Emma thought.
Nick glanced at Sierra, who was most decidedly not friendly.