A Brother's Honor (Grangers) - By Brenda Jackson Page 0,69

women who’d made some good decisions in their lives. Granted, neither was close to settling down and giving him the grandkids he looked forward to spoiling one day, but he was satisfied that in due time they would both meet a couple of nice guys.

Every once in a while, he wondered whether they were too strong-willed and independent. But then he knew he wouldn’t change them even if he could and was convinced there were men out there just as strong who would complement his daughters perfectly.

Bringing the car to a stop in the circular driveway, he opened the door and got out. Glancing around, he could see in the distance a part of the university, the Rotunda. He drew in a deep breath, remembering how he had spent four years of his life there. He had fallen in love with a beautiful young woman named Sharon Sweet there.

He’d also played football, had been a valiant Cavalier with dreams of going pro. But a knee injury had ended those dreams. Still, his college days had been good ones, and he’d had fun. Those times had been good and he cherished the memories.

Now here he was, forty-some years later and falling in love all over again. And he was convinced he was falling in love. When it came to choosing the women to share his life with, he didn’t make things complicated. He was blessed with an inner sense of knowing just who was meant for him. He had known when he’d met Sharon, and he’d known when he met Mona. Now he had to convince Mona that their futures were entwined. This pizza date was a start.

He was well aware that she was leery of a serious involvement after what her husband had done to her, and then there was the issue of her blindness. To him, it wasn’t an issue. Since knowing her, he had a newfound respect for someone with a disability who was making the best of it. And she was. He’d watched how she got around the grocery store without help. Mona was a beautiful woman, a confident woman, a woman who had captured the eye and the heart of Ben Bradford. Unknowingly and without intent, she had done her job, and now it was time to do his. Operation Mona Underwood was now underway.

His heart didn’t miss a beat as he headed for her front door.

* * *

Gloria McCabe stared across the table at Shana as they both sipped on their glasses of wine. They had taken in a movie and had returned to Shana’s home. She studied her friend and wondered at her mood. “Is there a reason you’re down in the dumps tonight, Shana? I was telling you about the couple I caught on the plane locked in the bathroom, determined to join the Mile High Club. I didn’t get a reaction from you about it,” she said.

Shana glanced up and met Gloria’s inquiring gaze. She hadn’t been able to comment about a couple who hadn’t been able to control their urges over thirty thousand feet in the air, because she had been caught in a similar situation herself recently right here on terra firma. She wondered what her friend would say if she knew that Shana had been taken on her desk last night, and had loved every moment.

“Shana?”

Shana sighed. “Sorry, I guess I’m not very talkative tonight.”

Gloria laughed as she fluffed out her blond hair around her shoulders. “What’s wrong with you? You’ve been quiet all evening. What gives?”

Shana broke eye contact with Gloria and stared into her glass of wine. She and Gloria had shared a lot, and Shana considered her a BFF. They had become friends before becoming neighbors. When Shana’s father had moved here, Gloria had been the attendant on the flights Shana would take twice a month from Boston to visit her father and sister.

It was Gloria who’d jokingly suggested that maybe Shana should save her money and just move to Virginia. Less than a year later, Shana had done just that. And it had been Gloria who’d told her about the condo that was for sale right next door to hers.

A friendship had been born, and since then, it had been nourished into the trusting relationship it was now. She knew all about Gloria’s abusive ex-husband and her current affair with a pilot, although the airline she worked for had a no-fraternizing policy.

She glanced back at Gloria and smiled. “I’m fine. I just have a lot