Belonging to the Steer Brothers Read Online Free PDF Page B

dialogue. After ten minutes, Anna was laughing so hard she was begging him to stop. “And here we’ve got the library where the books are. I don’t know if they’re vetted anymore, but last time I checked there were only tame romances allowed to the female populace.”
    “The town wouldn’t want us to learn how short-changed we are on the male species,” she said. “Wow. Nothing has changed. I wonder how long I’ll be saying wow for.”
    “Come on. Let’s grab your clothes and get some breakfast. I want a greasy breakfast with bacon, eggs, sausages and all the works.” He pulled up at a parking bay. Anna joined him at the boot as he unlocked it. She grabbed the bag and waited for him to lock up. They walked down the street together.
    Several people stopped them on the way to the second-hand store.
    “Looking forward to the party,” one said.
    “Great plan to celebrate your birthday and your return,” another said.
    After the sixth or seventh person stopped them Anna was getting tired of it. “Next time, don’t bother throwing me a party.”
    “I’m actually thinking of agreeing with you. I don’t know half of these people, and already they’re annoying me.” He opened the door to the second-hand shop.
    “Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. Little Anna Myers. Come here girl,” Amy Grant said.
    In no time she had Anna in a hug and was squeezing the life out of her.
    “I need to breathe.” Amy had been friends with Anna during high-school. They’d lost touch when Amy married the school nerd, not for any reason other than Amy was starting a family. And all the while Anna had been trying to get the Steer brothers to see her as a woman.
    “Sorry. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you. About five years.”
    “Yeah. How’s....erm....” Shit . She couldn’t remember the name of her husband.
    “Steven?”
    “Yes. Your husband?”
    Silence met her answer.
    “Steven is no longer in the picture. Would you like to look around, or are you dropping things off?” The change in the other woman was instantaneous.
    “I’m dropping off. I didn’t mean to upset you,” Anna said.
    “You didn’t. It just made me realise how different our lives turn out.” Amy took the clothes and put them in the back.
    Anna didn’t know what to do. She glanced at David and saw he was uncomfortable.
    “Erm...Amy. I’m supposed to be having a party tonight....”
    She didn’t get chance to finish. “I know. I got an invite, but I can’t leave the kids. I’m pleased to see your safe back home.”
    They left the shop as Amy started dealing with a customer. “What was that all about?”
    “Don’t. I’ll tell you over breakfast.” David took her hand and led her to the diner. Considering it was still early in the morning, the place was heaving with customers. David got both of them a seat in the back. People stopped her and wished her well as she passed. Anna didn’t like the attention. She’d been happy to pass through most of her life being invisible. A waitress took their order, served coffee and left.
    “Wow, the customer service has gone downhill since the last time I was here,” she said.
    David reached across the table and took her hand.
    “I’m really glad you’re back, Anna.”
    She smiled. Being with him while trying to forget about the past made her realise how much she wanted to be home.
    “I’m happy to be back.” She meant every single word.
    ****
    His heart lifted. Seeing her smile meant everything to him. David held her hand, his thumb stroking her fingers. Touching her felt like a dream. The pleasure from simply being closer to her affected him far more than it ever had in the past.
    What had changed in the last three years besides him getting older? Where Paul was nine years older than Anna, making Paul thirty-two, David was only twenty-nine. The age difference was smaller.
    “What are you thinking?” she asked.
    “Nothing. I don’t want to get all sappy over you.” He