Lost and Found by Jennifer Bryan Yarbrough Read Free Book Online Page A

man, who had to lean over to pick her up.
    "Claudia! I haven't seen you since we graduated from O State. How have you been?" He is twirling her around and then I look at him, I mean really LOOK at him, and I have never seen bluer eyes in my life. They were the color of sapphires, they were so blue, and his smile with the dimples on each side of his cheek spread all the way up his high cheekbones to his eyes. Was this an old lover of Claudia's? She sure never mentioned a gorgeous ex named Cash from college and we tell each other everything.
    "Cash, how have you been? I think of you quite often. Did you get my card and flowers when Vanessa, well, passed away? How are the kids? How old are they now?" I wonder who Vanessa is, because he got a really sad look on his face.
    "Whoa there. One thing at a time." He put Claudia down softly, like she weighed as little as a feather and was smiling, but this time it was a really sad smile.
    Mr. POS clasped Cash on the shoulder and then shook his hand. "Cash, long time no see my man. I see you know my lawyer. Too bad she's not into guys, huh? What a shame for such a beautiful girl. It's a waste, if you ask me." POS shakes his head and has a chagrined look on his face. I look at Cash and he has a confused look on his face and was silently asking Claudia what was going on.
    "Cash and I go all the way back to college, Paul. He knows everything about me, no need to get all dramatic. How do you two know each other?” She was looking between the both of them, trying to figure out what exactly they have in common.
    "Paul and I tend to do business together occasionally." Cash kept looking behind Claudia at me and it was starting to make me nervous, the way he was staring. His eyes! I just can't get over how beautiful they are.
    "Speaking of business, are you ready for dinner? Ladies, you ought to join us for dinner. It would give me something pretty to look at, instead of this ugly mug." He started chuckling and I was inwardly thinking that there's nothing ugly about Mr. Cash. Paul's cell phone started ringing and he looked at the caller ID. "Excuse me, this is Marissa, I better take this." He walked off, so he could have some privacy.
    "I guess I should introduce you to my sister-in-law, Cash. This is Olivia Porter. Olivia, Cash Kingston." Cash looked at me and smiled and extended his hand out and introduced himself. I shook his hand and certainly didn't feel the same sickness in my belly I felt when I shook POS's hand. He had a firm handshake and his eyes never left mine and I felt a magnetic pull in that one handshake. Oh my goodness. The thoughts that were going through my mind had me wishing that I could stare at him forever. I should be ashamed of myself. What would Derek think about the way I'm looking at him? I instantly look down in shame. I felt like I have done something wrong and all I did was shake his hand and look into his, his absolutely gorgeous eyes.
    "It’s very nice to meet you, Olivia. So, you're Claud's sister- in-law? So that would mean that you're..." He immediately looked at my left hand and I know he noticed my wedding ring that I still wear and will never take off.
    "Cash, she was married to my brother. He died a year and a half ago and she moved out here to live with me."  Thanks Claudia. Way to make me feel even more uncomfortable. This had me looking down at my feet. The last thing I wanted was him looking at me in a sympathetic way, like he knows how I feel.
    "Very nice to meet you and I'm sorry for your loss, you too Claudia. If I had known, I would have sent my respects." He looks at Claudia and then back to me. I see in his eyes that he is genuine with his words. "I lost my wife 5 years ago and there's not a day that goes by that I don't miss her very much." So that's where the sad look came from, when Claudia mentioned Vanessa. Vanessa must have been his wife. Uh oh, Paul is, I mean POS is back!!
    "Cash, it looks like we are going to have to take a rain check on