My Deadly Valentine - By Valerie Hansen & Lynette Eason Page 0,50

him, “Are you ready to get your ear talked off?”

No, she wouldn’t tell him anything. Elva Sharp had thrown them together for this afternoon. But in a couple of hours, they would go their separate ways and she wouldn’t have anything more to do with Eli and his heartbreaking actions.

Eli raised a brow. “What do you mean?”

She kept her voice neutral, polite. “Mrs. Sharp. She’s a widow who lives alone, but has been so good to Mom. She’s always bringing over food or just stopping by to talk.”

“Ah, yes. She taught me Sunday school about a hundred years ago. I hadn’t realized Mr. Sharp had died.”

“About a year ago. I try to go see her every couple of weeks or so. She’s got a real sweet tooth so I take a box of chocolates with me when I go.” She held up the box she’d snitched from the store yesterday and couldn’t help the smile that tilted her lips. “Don’t worry, she’ll share.” His soft look made her heart stutter. “What?”

“You really have the proverbial heart of gold, don’t you?”

Embarrassed at that pronouncement, she gave a halting chuckle and a small smile. “Well, I don’t know about that, I just know I like the woman and enjoy doing something nice for her.”

A glance in the mirror showed an empty road behind her. No one followed. Relaxing a little, she wasn’t prepared for his next question.

“I really messed up, didn’t I?”

He was serious. Her smile faded and she shot him a grim look. “I sure thought so at the time.” Then she shrugged and sighed. “But who knows, Eli? Maybe you had to travel the path you took in order for you to find God. Or at least be willing to meet Him when you noticed Him.”

He blinked. Then turned to watch the passing scenery. Quiet echoed in the truck cab, then he pulled in a deep breath. “I never thought of that.”

She smiled, compassion—and maybe a little bit of leftover love?—tugged at her. Oh, no, did she want to go down that road? Her heart mocked her. You still have feelings for him, it insisted. With a sinking swoop in her stomach, she realized she did. She could easily allow herself to fall for him again. Zipping her lips into a straight line, she vowed to say nothing else on a personal level.

His quiet sigh told her that he sensed her withdrawal.

Holly pulled into Mrs. Sharp’s driveway. The smooth concrete felt good under the tires and she vowed to call someone soon to come out to her home and pave the drive. She almost had enough saved. Maybe next month.

Mrs. Sharp met them at the door of her small well-tended mountain bungalow. A whiff of apple pie followed her out the door. Holly knew what she’d be having for dessert tonight. She looked at the man next to her wishing she dared offer to share. Oh, how she’d missed him.

But her brain sounded alarm signals to her heart.

You don’t know that he’s here to stay. You’ve already let him burn you twice, you won’t survive a third time.

Taking heed of her internal warning, she placed a smile on her lips and greeted the small woman with a gentle hug. The scent of apple pie, cinnamon and mothballs greeted her. Holly pulled in a long breath and said, “We made it.”

“Well, come along. My granddaughter came to visit last month and she helped me do some serious cleaning. I can’t believe all the stuff I had tucked away. My goodness, the things a body doesn’t need and can live without, why…”

She went on and Holly couldn’t help the amusement she knew she had stamped on her face. Eli shot her a grin, her heart did that flip-flop thing, and together they went about loading Holly’s truck. The hard work kept them warm in the frigid air.

An hour later, armed with antiques and to-go cups of sweet tea, she and Eli climbed back into the truck.

“Go to the waterfall,” he said suddenly.

“What?” She just looked at him.

“I want to go see the waterfall.”

“Why?”

Frustration flashed briefly. “Just humor me, will you?”

After a moment, she nodded. “Sure, okay.” She put the truck in gear and took the long way, wondering why he wanted to go to the waterfall.

Their waterfall.

The place where they’d shared their first kiss. Her heart thudded, and her lips actually tingled at the memory.

“Do you remember bringing me up here?” he murmured.

Cheeks flushed, embarrassment rolled over her. How immature she must