Come On Over by Debbi Rawlins Read Free Book Online

mother-in-law’s insistence, Shelby had never done anything to deliberately spite the woman. Shelby really did like trendy shoes and modern art, and a few other things Mrs. Williamson found vulgar. They simply had different tastes.
    And Donald, well, he...
    Shelby swallowed hard, trying to clear the lump in her throat.
    Donald should’ve been on her side. Silly her, she’d misjudged his silence for support when she’d mentioned dusting off her old equipment and stretching her creative boundaries. But she could see the truth now. He’d assumed she’d be too busy designing pricy pieces for his parents’ pretentious stores and inhabiting the role of Mrs. Donald Williamson to be bothered with her “tacky hobby.” Well, screw him.
    Sinking to the edge of the daybed, she traded her boots for well-worn sneakers and thought about making the dreaded call to her mom. Though not today. For one thing, it was the middle of the night in Germany where she was living with her new husband. But mostly, Shelby wasn’t ready to listen to her mom go on and on about how Donald was a successful attorney, wealthy, handsome and a good provider. How Shelby would never have to work another day in her life. In one minute, Gloria Halstead could send feminism back a century.
    Of course she’d call her father, too, but he had his hands full with his teenage stepchildren. He’d barely blink at the news. Just give her a verbal pat on the head and promise she’d find the
right one
soon. Which was completely fine with her. Shelby preferred his laidback approach to life. With her mom there was always so much drama.
    She picked up her bag of groceries and wondered how serious Trent was over the whole dividing the house thing. Maybe he just needed to cool off. In the meantime, she could keep her perishables in the foam cooler she’d bought along the way. She went outside to fetch it from her car and saw Trent fiddling with something on the tractor. His T-shirt, damp with sweat, strained against his muscular frame. When he leaned across the engine, the worn denim of his jeans hugged his butt. Without his hat, his dark wavy hair gleamed in the late afternoon sun.
    A tingle of awareness did something funny to her stomach. It wasn’t difficult to ignore the unwanted reaction. Sure he was attractive, but annoying. And hadn’t she just gotten rid of a pompous, annoying man?
    Thinking of Donald again made her ache. Though not nearly enough considering they’d been dating for three whole years and engaged for ten months of that. This wasn’t the first time she’d worried about not being more upset. Was it shock? When it wore off was she in for a heart-crushing plunge? After all, the wedding was planned for spring. They’d already decided on everything. She should feel devastated, not relieved. Or concerned over her faulty judgment in accepting his proposal.
    Mutt spotted her first. He lifted his head from his shady nook in the grass, then came running toward her, tail wagging. Violet was nowhere in sight.
    Trent’s gaze followed the dog. His mood didn’t seem to have improved. Whether because of the tractor or his comment about someone else robbing him blind, she didn’t know. She figured he’d been referring to his wife, or ex-wife.
    â€œAm I allowed to use the fridge?” she asked, shading her eyes to look at him. “I forgot.”
    â€œThat’s why I used tape. The stove, fridge and sink are all on my side.” He eyed her sneakers, then her messy ponytail before turning back to the engine.
    â€œBasically that means I have no access to water in the house.”
    â€œThat would be correct.”
    God, she hoped he wasn’t serious about the ridiculous setup. But then, what did she expect? She was a stranger, an intruder invading his space without warning... She bit her lip. See? Her judgment was completely messed up.
    If it weren’t for Violet