Heart's Surrender Read Online Free PDF

suspicious of all things going on inside the Jennings’ home.
    Gillian picked up her freshly brewed cup of coffee and entered the four-season room. She opened the sliding doors to the garden and let the scent of flowers and earth wash over her. A huge lavender bush towered beside the doors. Butterflies and bumblebees swarmed around it as if the plant was some kind of insect drive-through. Smiling, she settled down in her favorite armchair and took a sip of the dark brew. The children would soon be back from their grandparents. Enough time to think and drive yourself crazy. Hooray. She let her head fall back and closed her eyes. What am I going to do? As nice as these nights in the city were, reality hit hard the next day. She was still no closer to finding out what she wanted to do with her life. Without a husband, she had a lot of options. But there were the kids to consider. And the neighbors. And the parents-in-law. You know that you’re a lesbian. You know that some day you’d like to be in a relationship with a woman. And that the kids will be part of the package. But how? And where am I going to meet Ms. Right?
    Gillian sighed. Maybe moving away would be a good first step. But the children would miss their familiar surroundings, wouldn’t they? These kinds of questions had been driving her crazy for months. I guess I just have to do it, to take a first step. If only she had an idea of what the correct first step was.
    “Did you have a nice night?”
    Gillian groaned, opened her eyes, and found Tilde standing in the doorway. “Thanks, yes. Nice night. Not much sleep. Feel like crap now.”
    “Sounds like a lot of fun.”
    Gillian grinned. “Yes, it was fun. Sit down.”
    “I’ll get myself a coffee. Be back in a moment.”
    With her long black hair and brown eyes, Tilde didn’t look like an au pair from Sweden but she really had been one of the nicest surprises in the past year. She was loyal and funny, and the children loved her. Having another grownup in the house was a wonderful thing. Even more so because Tilde was the most nonjudgmental person Gillian had ever met.
    Seconds later, she was back with a cup of coffee.
    “So, you’re ready for the invasion?” Gillian stuck out her tongue.
    “No. Are you?”
    Gillian shook her head. “No. But with a bit of luck Margret will have a migraine, and the chauffeur will bring the children.”
    “Wouldn’t that be nice?”
    They smiled at each other. They shared a distaste for Gillian’s mother-in-law, a snobbish matriarch, whose world was simply black and white. One mistake Gillian would never repeat again was to fall in love with someone without getting to know her future parents-in-law. “I’m thinking about selling the house and moving.” Gillian held her breath. It was the first time she had voiced her thoughts. This was only Tilde, but still...
    Tilde leaned back in her chair. “Where to?”
    And wasn’t that the question? She couldn’t imagine living in the city, without a garden. Would moving to another suburb change anything? Wouldn’t there be the same kind of snoopy people and uptight neighbors? “I’m not sure. But I’ll start making appointments with real estate agents. I need to start somewhere.”
    Tilde grinned. “All right. But Mrs. Storm will be devastated.”
    “Ain’t that the truth.” Gillian couldn’t help laughing. “I’m sure she will camp outside the house to make certain that nothing escapes her eagle eyes.”
    The ringing of the phone cut through their laughter.
    “Want me to get it?” Tilde set her coffee aside.
    “No, that’s fine.” Gillian got up. “Let’s order pizza tonight and watch a movie with the kids, shall we?”
    “Great idea.”
    Gillian picked up the phone in the kitchen. “Hello?”
    “Gillian. You have to come over.” Margret’s voice screeched through the receiver like a hot water kettle about to explode.
    “Why? What happened?”
    “You won’t believe what your daughter did! I expect