Coming Home by Marie Force Read Free Book Online

so fast she worried she might pass out or hyperventilate. In a few minutes, she would see Reid. Or at least she hoped so.  
    What if he wasn’t here? What if he was away on vacation or somewhere else?   Maybe he was in Nashville. How funny would that be? She’d come all this way, and he probably wasn’t even here. Why hadn’t she let Buddy tell him she was coming? That way she’d at least know he was definitely here—or not.  
    By the time the driver brought the car to a stop outside a home along a strip of sand dotted with beachfront cottages, Kate was on the verge of a full-scale meltdown.
    “Miss?” The driver had gotten out of the car and was holding Kate’s door open for her. “Are you all right?”
    “Yes.” Kate shook off the panic and forced her legs to carry her out of the car. “Would you mind waiting? I’ll pay extra.”
    “Of course,” he said, eyeing her curiously.  
    “I don’t know how long I’ll be.”
    “I’ll wait right here for you. Take your time.”
    “Thank you so much.”
    “You’re sure you’re all right? Your face is terribly pale.”
    Kate’s hands covered her cheeks. “Is it?”
    The driver nodded.  
    “I’m nervous about seeing the man who lives here.”
    “Ahh, I see.” A smile lit his face. “I like to tell my daughters that any boy they date is lucky to be with them, and they should remember that.” He glanced at the house. “Whoever he is, he’s lucky to have a pretty lady like you nervous about seeing him.”
    “That’s very kind of you to say,” Kate said, returning his friendly smile, “and exactly what I needed to hear right now.”
    “My pleasure. Good luck to you.”
    “Thank you.”
    He closed the door behind her and went around to get back into the driver’s seat.  
    Kate studied the house, which was made of dark wood. It had a thatched roof and a comfortable front porch. Wind chimes hung from the porch roof, tinkling gently in the light afternoon breeze. The only other sound was the waves crashing on the beach and the squawk of seagulls.  
    An aura of peace and serenity surrounded the home, which gave her the courage to step through the gate in the picket fence that surrounded the tiny front yard.
    The gate slapped shut behind her, making her jump from the unexpected noise.  
    As she took the three stairs that led to the porch, her legs felt watery and unsteady, the way they had after her bout with pneumonia. She stood there for a long time, marshaling the fortitude to see this through to whatever finish fate had in mind for them.  
    Kate felt like she was outside herself, watching someone else raise her arm and knock on the open screen door. The inside door was open, so someone was here… She could hear each beat of her heart echoing in her ears as she waited a long moment before footsteps sounded through the house.
    An attractive, dark-haired woman wearing a colorful cotton dress came to the door. Her long hair was piled in a messy bun on the top of her head. She had dark eyes and a wide, welcoming smile. “Hi there. May I help you?”
    The appearance of a woman threw her off-stride. Kate realized in that moment that she hadn’t actually believed he’d have someone else, although she knew she should have. He was a gorgeous, successful, thoughtful man. Why wouldn’t he have someone else after all this time? “I…” She’d come too far now to leave without at least seeing him, so she cleared her throat and forced the words to come. “I’m looking for Reid Matthews. Does he live here?”
    “He sure does. He’s down on the beach working on his boat.” She pushed open the screen door. “Come in. You can get to the stairs from the deck out back.”
    “Thank you.” Kate followed her through a cozy living space that was colorful and comfortable. She wanted to stop and take a look around, but she followed the woman to the deck that overlooked the Atlantic. “What a great place.”
    “We love it.”
    The three small words