Rewind & Go: A Blue-Collar Billionaire Romance (Sander's Valley Book 1) by Nancy Corrigan Read Free Book Online

life.
    “I didn’t mean to piss you off, Ronnie.”
    “You didn’t. I was just thinking.” She reached behind the seat, retrieved her cell phone, and opened a web search. She needed a taxi. “To answer your question, I didn’t major in art. I can paint, but I’m not anywhere near as good as my dad had been. I opted for the practical side of the art world. I ended up graduating with have dual degrees in marketing and business. I run the auctions and deal with the financial part of the gallery. Mom had acted as a liaison for the artists and buyers.”
    She shook her head. “I’m going to need to start looking for someone to replace her. I’ve been trying to handle her duties on top of mine, but I never realized how much ass-kissing and game playing she did. Artists are not easy people to deal with, and I’ve learned the hard way it’s not something I’m good at.”
    “Aw, fuck, doll.” He pulled over and threw the truck into park. “I’m a goddamn asshole.”
    He reached across the seat, unbuckled her, and pulled her close, burying her head against his bare chest. His scent seeped into her lungs, so familiar and strong. She dragged in a breath and held it, needing it inside her.
    “You told me she was murdered, and I didn’t even say I’m sorry.” He ran his hands over her back. “I am. Dear God, I’m so sorry.”
    She swallowed hard. “It’s okay. You never even met her.” Because Mom had hated the valley and refused to step foot into it.
    He pressed his lips to her temple. “Doesn’t matter. She created you.”
    She squeezed her eyelids shut. Moisture seeped out anyway. Kyle hit all her triggers and made her act like a fool. Crying didn’t do any good. “Thank you.”
    “I’m also sorry for not being there for you.” He wrapped his arms tighter around her. “Hell, I’m sorry about a lot of things.”
    “Me too.” Her voice cracked, and she hated the weakness. Damn if she could stop it.
    She’d been on an emotional roller coaster with nobody to lean on. Kyle’s arms around her promised to protect her and make everything better. He couldn’t. She knew that. It didn’t stop her from linking her hands around his neck and wishing that life had turned out differently.
    “Why did you come back?”
    She pushed from of his embrace and looked out the rear window at the trunk sitting in the truck bed. “You know my mom was an artist too, right?”
    She’d rarely talked about her mom growing up. It had always put a sad look on her dad’s face, so she’d made a point of telling stories about her tutors and friends instead. Kyle had never really asked too many details either.
    “Yeah and that her work hangs in some major galleries.”
    “She made things for my dad all the time. As part of her will, she asked me to take a collection of things to him.”
    The loss of her entire family hurt. She dropped her head against the back of the seat and tried to breathe through the pain.
    “She wrote the will before he was diagnosed with cancer?”
    Kyle’s steady voice pulled her back from the edge. She glanced at him. He watched her intently, sympathy softening his expression.
    “Yes, and I didn’t want her artwork to just sit in storage, so I figured I’d hang them in his cabin.”
    He turned her face toward him and kissed her cheeks then her eyes. She hadn’t realized her tears had spilled over. “I think he’d like that.”
    “I’m not so sure. They never really got along, but I have to honor my mom’s wishes. I did so for my dad when he died.”
    “What did he ask you to do?”
    “To give my mom a package. I did. She never opened it.”
    He sighed. “I’ll help you hang them tomorrow, okay?”
    “No, I’m not going up there. I can’t deal with it. I thought I could, but look at me.” She motioned to her face. “I’m getting teary-eyed just talking about it. I shouldn’t be breaking down in front of you.”
    He cracked his jaw. His body tensed.
    She’d hurt him again. Or