Liam's Bride: BBW Werebear Romance (Clan Conroy Brides Book 1) by Emma Alisyn Read Free Book Online Page A

thinned, an expression she frequently saw in her own mirror. "No, I don't. What I did was inexcusable. I regret it every day of my life."
    "You shot a man."
    "It was an accident." He held up a hand. "An accident I caused. But I didn’t go there intending on hurting that man. Roughing him up a little- but not hurting him."
    "Killing him, you mean. Leaving his family without a husband and father." Her voice cracked. Leaving Liam without a father.
    "I can’t take that back. But I've paid my price. I lost my family, the best years of my life."
    She shook her head. "I can’t deal with this right now." A blanket of calm layered settled over confusion and the grim echoes of her childhood, of her automatic… wariness of him. Of his stress induced temper and dislike of anything Bear. Meredith glanced around for her purse, grabbing it off the hook where she'd hung it last night. "I’m going out. When I get back we can talk and figure out what you're going to do." After all, that’s what she did. Help people straighten up their lives.
    Harvey said nothing. She left the apartment, starting up her car and driving aimlessly, roads she’d traveled her whole life. Traffic this time of day was low- most people were at church. Guilt pinged her- just a little. She probably needed to go to church. Lord knew she had sins to make up for, first of all being the catalyst of her father's horrible actions that day.
    Because if it hadn't been for her, he never would have confronted Conroy that day.
     
     
     
    The only place she ever went when she needed peace was the garden. The earth calmed her nerves, familiar tasks requiring just enough attention that she could think peacefully, or let her thoughts go and be silent.
    "Hey, teach."
    Meredith glanced up and smiled. Well, she wasn’t the only one who retreated to the gardens when her thoughts were troubled.
    "Shouldn’t you be in Sunday school?" she asked Brick, arching an eyebrow. The teenager snorted, knowing she was teasing.
    "I’ll go when you go." Brick sat on a nearby bench. Meredith noticed a wide book in the girl’s hands.
    "What's that?"
    "Library book. I wanted to read up on winter gardens. I thought we could try to build greenhouses this year. They aren’t expensive. Some pipe and plastic."
    Meredith nodded. "You read my mind. I had plans to talk to you guys about it this week. If we decide to grow winter greens, we need to start our seeds."
    Brick read, leafing through pages and making occasional comments while Meredith worked. The sun continued to rise, heating up the air past pleasant warm and back into uncomfortable hot.
    "I need something to drink," Meredith said, swiping a hand across her forehead. Sweaty. Ugh.
    "My timing is perfect, then."
    She would have jumped, but Brick's quick glance over Meredith’s shoulder provided a few seconds warning. She rose, wiping hands on her thighs, and turned.
    Liam held two tumblers of what looked like homemade lemonade. It wasn’t a commercial bright yellow, and real slices of lemon floated in the bottom.
    "Bless you," she said, forgetting her nervousness, forgetting her reservations, and nearly lunging for the glass. He handed the second tumbler to Brick, who nodded her thanks. "Oh, this is good. Ginger and cayenne?"
    He smiled. "Good buds. I have to kick it up a notch."
    Meredith laughed. "This isn't Grandma's lemonade, that's for sure. What brings you out on a Sunday?"
    Her smile faded as she remembered the reason she was out on a Sunday.
    "Hey," he said, watching her. "What's wrong? You were just smiling."
    She looked at the pile of tools at her feet, shaking her head. "Nothing. Just my own issues."
    Liam slung an arm around her shoulders, turning her towards the bench. Brick scooted over, eyes narrowed.
    "You want to talk about it?" he asked.
    "No."
    "Then talk to me about the class. As a matter of fact why don't we go back to my place and have lunch. You, too," he said to Brick. "I could use a student's perspective as