Sutherland’s Pride by Kathryn Brocato Read Free Book Online

expression he saw now on Pride’s face.
    She no longer cared. She didn’t care anymore about her father and had long ago given up on ever winning his love.
    And she no longer cared about Flynn Sutherland, or about convincing him that he had gotten her pregnant.
    “Flynn? That man is waiting,” Pride said.
    Flynn stared at her and wondered if he were seeing her for the first time. How had he missed the distant attitude she projected, or the aloof expression in her green eyes?
    He felt as if he’d stepped down and discovered too late that there was no step where he expected one to be.
    He got out hastily and came around to open her door and help her down. Her hand felt soft and cool, and it didn’t linger in his one second longer than necessary.
    Flynn hated it.
    Perhaps it was a judgment on him. He’d spent so much time telling himself Pride was trying to trick him into marriage, he had never considered that she might just lose interest.
    He placed his hand at her back in the old way and walked her into the restaurant. Sure enough, Pride moved slightly away, so slightly he wouldn’t have noticed if he hadn’t been expecting it.When he took her arm to escort her to their table, she behaved as if she was unsure of his name.
    Flynn seated her, conscious of an unreasoning desire to jerk her into his arms and force her to care again. One couldn’t behave like a Neanderthal in public, so he pushed the desire aside and sat down across from her. She took up the menu, glanced at it without much interest, and laid it back down.
    “Please order for me,” she said. “I still like all the same things.”
    Except him. Flynn wondered at his own blindness. He’d noted her wariness earlier in his office, but he hadn’t recognized her cousin and the four children as a deliberate distancing tool.
    Pride looked around the restaurant in a pleased way. A few moments ago, Flynn would have cynically assumed it was because he had chosen an expensive French restaurant. Now he realized she thought he wouldn’t get too personal in a place like this.
    “This must be a popular place to eat.” Pride maneuvered her chair to change her position a bit.
    Flynn glanced up and discovered the reason. His parents had a table nearby, and Pride now had her back more fully to them.
    “The food and the service are both first class,” Flynn said. “That’s why I brought you here.”
    Three years ago, Pride had been thankful to dine with him at the nearest pizza parlor. She enjoyed everything they did together. That effervescent joy in his presence had been one of the most powerfully attractive things about her.
    He studied her, debating the best approach to breaking down her reserve. Her eyes, a mysterious blue-green thanks to her dress and the low lighting, held a watchful expression.
    She behaved almost the way he had behaved three years ago, Flynn suddenly realized, when he regarded everything she said as a lie. It was an unpleasant sensation to find the tables turned.
    “Good evening, Flynn. May I present myself to your — Why, Pride Donovan. I almost didn’t recognize you.”
    Flynn’s father, a tall man with greying brown hair and brown eyes like Flynn’s stood beside them and regarded Pride with an expression somewhere between surprise and pleasure. Morgan Sutherland had always claimed Pride was the sort of woman he hoped Flynn would marry.
    Flynn noted Pride’s expression automatically. Although her mouth smiled, she regarded Morgan Sutherland in much the same way she had been regarding him. In fact, Flynn thought there might be more warmth in Pride’s gaze as she faced his father.
    “My dear, I should have realized you’d be in town,” Morgan said. “I’m so sorry about your father’s passing.”
    Pride smiled and said, “Thank you. You’re very kind.”
    “My wife and I would like the opportunity to visit with you further while you’re here. Will you stop by our apartment later for coffee?”
    “Thank you, but I left my