Trinity Falls (Finding Home 1)

“Oh, my God.” Megan wrenched her hand free. She spun on her heel and marched to the coat closet near the front door.

Ean followed her. “Megan, nothing happened.”

“Oh, I’m sure.” Megan closed her eyes and shook her head to rid her brain of the image of that bit-of-nothing black bra. “My cousin came to your townhome, took off her clothes in front of you, re-dressed, then left—without anything happening. But somehow she left her bra behind, right next to your sofa.” She yanked open the closet door, shrugged into her coat and snatched her purse. “That sort of thing happens to everyone. All the time.”

Ean pressed the heel of his right hand against his front door seconds before Megan tugged on its doorknob. “I’m telling you the truth.”

Megan stared at his large hand pressing against the door above her head. If only Ramona had kept her clothes on, Ean’s hand could have been on her, instead. It still could, a voice whispered in her ear.

“Let me out.”

A beat of silence passed before Ean dropped his hand. Megan pulled the door open, then shut it quietly behind her. She glanced down at herself to make sure her clothes were in order. That’s when she realized she still clutched her cousin’s bra. Megan jammed the underwear into her black handbag.

She strode to her Honda Accord, parked in front of Ean’s town house. Megan strapped herself into the driver’s seat and pulled away from Ean’s home. She knew someone who was missing the bra’s support. But she would wait until she’d calmed down before returning the lingerie to its rightful owner.

CHAPTER 19

Bright and early Saturday morning, Megan pounded on the front door of Ramona’s condo, then leaned on the doorbell. She kept up the racket for a good seven minutes before her cousin finally answered her summons.

Ramona stood in the doorway, her right hand braced on the knob, the other pressed against the threshold. An ice pink silk robe wrapped her figure, baring her from midthigh. “What the hell is the matter with you?”

Megan plucked the flimsy black garment from her purse. She shook it out and waved it. “You left this behind.”

Ramona gaped. She dragged Megan across the threshold with one hand and slammed

the door shut with the other. “Have you lost your mind?” She snatched the bra from Megan and stuffed it into the pocket of her robe.

“No, but you’ve lost yours.”

Ramona narrowed her eyes. “Well, listen to the little mouse roar.”

Megan ignored the taunt. “Why did you take off your clothes for a man who has no interest in you?”

Ramona planted her fists on her hips. “Of course he’s interested in me.”

“Then why did he tell you to leave?”

Ramona’s lips were tight with temper. “Aren’t you full of questions? I have one. Where did you spend last night?”

“Alone in my bed, wondering why I was allowing you to hijack my happiness again.” Megan shed her winter coat. Ramona had a penchant for keeping her thermostat at desert climes.

Ramona snorted. “Hijack your happiness? That’s rich. The town may be buzzing about how much time he’s spending with you, but Ean’s not yours.” She strutted barefoot across the white carpet and into the living room. “He may have returned to Trinity Falls, claiming that he’s here to stay, but that doesn’t mean you have what it takes to satisfy him any more today than you did when you were fourteen.”

Ramona’s words delivered a sucker punch to her self-confidence. Megan ignored it.

She slipped off her walking shoes and followed her cousin, still in attack mode. “Did you ever care for Ean? Or did you chase after him only because you knew I had a crush on him?”

Ramona spared Megan a disdainful look over her shoulder. “I’ve never chased after anyone. I’ve never had to.”

“Did you ever care about him?”

“He was exciting, if you know what I mean.” Ramona’s grin was wicked. She settled onto her overstuffed white armchair and crossed her legs.

Megan did know what Ramona meant, and that enraged her. “You went after him because you knew I liked him. The same way you stole my toys and my clothes. Why?”

“Poor little orphan Megan. Our grandparents’ favorite.”

Ramona’s words confused Megan. “Our grandparents didn’t have favorites.”