Forever In Love by Bella Andre, Lucy Kevin Read Free Book Online Page B

Charlotte running all over the place, and the phone ringing, the place had been a zoo. Grams had taken it all in stride, as usual, but Emily had felt a little frazzled. More than a little frazzled, actually, although she knew it wasn’t just because of all the noise and chaos in the house.
    No, it was the noise and chaos inside her head—and her heart—in the wake of Michael’s declaration that had her feeling so off-kilter.
    Day two after the wedding, however, was different. The silence was so absolute, in fact, that it had woken Emily up even though she’d been planning to stay in bed on the first official day of spring break. Then again, since she’d never been able to sleep in before, she supposed today wasn’t likely to be any different.
    A few minutes later she was standing in the kitchen in her robe and old, but extremely comfortable, slippers, sipping coffee. And all she could think was that the quietness of the old house was almost deafening.
    There was no one here, for once, which almost never happened. Or certainly not for more than an hour or two, anyway. Yes, there might be times when Grams and Paige were both at the dance studio, but nine times out of ten, one of her sisters or a friend would choose that moment to drop by. And that was if Emily was even at home. Sometimes, the line of students wanting to talk with her after hours seemed infinite.
    Today, though, there was just silence. Morgan and Brian had left last night on their honeymoon to Rio de Janeiro. Their father was halfway to Italy for the school trip. Rachel, Nicholas, and Charlotte were off filming their adventure TV show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Grams, Hanna, and Joel had taken a ferry to Seattle for another round of press interviews about their documentary.
    “Even Paige has gone,” Emily said to the empty house. “How did that happen?”
    But Emily knew perfectly well how it had happened. Paige had fallen deliriously in love with a Hollywood star who loved her back just as much. They had left the island last night to get back to Los Angeles to attend a glitzy Hollywood event that Emily had once assumed Paige would always hate. But things like that didn’t bother her anymore, as long as Christian was by her side.
    Emily didn’t begrudge Paige a moment of that happiness. She was glad her sister had found someone she loved that much and who obviously cared just as much about her. It was just…
    Well, she thought with a sigh, it was just that she was so used to Paige always being around that she’d half-expected it would always be that way. The two of them rattling around the old Walker house under Grams’ watchful gaze. Paige coming in late from the dance studio, or trying to talk them into watching one of her favorite dance musicals.
    Just like she did every morning, Emily started pulling out ingredients. Pancakes sounded good today. There was nothing like a nice, big pancake breakfast to—
    Emily stopped herself short, her hand still gripping the bag of flour. She’d set out enough flour, milk, butter, and eggs to produce pancakes for at least four people. More, actually, because she was used to people dropping in for breakfast without warning, and Paige always needed plenty of fuel for her dancing. But all the ingredients served to do today was remind her of just how empty the house was.
    The sound of the kitchen door opening was so loud that Emily practically jumped out of her skin. Who could it be? Who was actually left on the island?
    But she knew, didn’t she? Knew that it had to be the one person she’d been waiting for all along.
    Michael.
    He looked good, just like he always did, even when he was simply wearing a casual shirt and jeans with his work boots. She, on the other hand, knew without a doubt that her robe and old slippers weren’t cutting it. Worse, though, was the fact that she couldn’t help wishing she’d actually brushed her hair and put on something nicer before coming downstairs, if only so that Michael