Second Chance Family - Cindy Kirk Page 0,3

he thought she was having second thoughts about raising Charlie. Could he be afraid she was going to bail on the boy?

Margaret leaned forward and rested both hands on the edge of the desk. “Janae and I talked last year about her and Ty’s wishes, should anything happen to them. I’m fully aware she wanted me to—”

The outer office door jingled.

Ryan’s head jerked toward the sound.

Margaret paused and sat back.

Before she could say another word, Ryan leaped from his seat and rounded the desk. “I’ll get it.”

But he didn’t have time to reach the door before it swung open. Turning in her seat to gawk at the new arrival seemed a little gauche, so Margaret waited for the visitor to stroll into view.

“It’s good to see you,” Ryan said.

“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long.”

Margaret froze. The man’s voice sounded all too familiar. She shivered as the sexy voice continued. “DFW got snowed in and all the flights backed up.”

She didn’t need to turn in her chair to know who Ryan had so warmly welcomed. Even after all these years, she recognized his voice. It was the same sexy rumble that had whispered sweet nothings in her ear when she’d been sixteen. The same husky voice that had shook with emotion when he’d pronounced her his sweetheart and given her a silver heart-shaped locket for Valentine’s Day. The same voice that she hadn’t heard again after they’d made love in the backseat of his old Chevy.

She dug her nails into her palms.

“You’re lucky you didn’t make it in yesterday morning. We had a jet go off the runway,” Ryan rattled on. “Typical November weather.”

“Anyone who grew up in this region should know better than to fly in the day of any event, especially at this time of year.” Margaret turned in her seat, unable to sit still a moment longer. “Unless it was your intent all along to miss the funeral.”

She had only a second to brace herself before Cole fixed his brilliant blue eyes on her, and to be startled at the sight of him on crutches.

“You remember Margaret Fisher.” Ryan gestured to her with a broad sweep of a hand. “She went to high school with us.”

It didn’t surprise Margaret that Ryan would feel the need to clarify. After all, it wasn’t as if they’d run in the same social circle back then. Ryan and Cole had been popular, while she’d been studious, shy and completely forgettable. A part of her had wondered if he’d ever mentioned his involvement with her to his friends. Apparently not.

Cole’s expression gave nothing away. “Of course, I remember Meg.”

“Meg?” Ryan lifted a brow. “I don’t know that I’ve ever heard anyone call her that before.”

That’s because no one else ever had, only Cole.

“I meant, Margaret,” Cole returned easily.

Ryan’s eyes held a curious gleam and Margaret got the feeling he knew there was more to the story than a simple verbal faux pas.

“You’re looking well,” Cole said to her when the silence lengthened.

Other than the crutches and the brace on his right knee, she supposed she could say the same about him. His hair was a little longer now, brushing his collar in a stylish cut. The hand-tailored dark suit he wore emphasized broad shoulders and lean hips. Surprisingly, he’d foregone a tie and left his gray shirt unbuttoned at the neck.

While she grudgingly admitted he looked…attractive…she had no use for him or for the words that came so easy to his tongue. Margaret lifted her chin. “Your friend appears to be too much of a gentleman to tell you—but this is a private business meeting.”

She could have cheered when her tone came out cool with just the slightest amount of indifference.

Cole’s brows pulled together and he shot Ryan a puzzled glance. “You told me this was the time you’d set aside to go over Ty and Janae’s will.”

Margaret narrowed her gaze and focused on Cole. “You must really be doing badly if you came all this way just to see if they left you anything.”

For a second she regretted speaking so frankly. Being brash wasn’t her style. Then she recalled how Cole had treated her and she decided she was being too kind.

“I’m doing quite well, not that it’s any of your concern.” Cole’s expression darkened. He turned to Ryan. “What the hell is going on here?”

A look of guilt crossed the attorney’s face and the gaze he shot her was filled with apology.

Margaret had always been intuitive. The unique gift