Love Inspired Suspense September 2015 #1 Read Online Free PDF Page B

her hand into her jean pocket and pulled out a key. “Bree had the locks changed and gave a key to me and Kate. Alex went grocery shopping for me, so I won’t have to do that right away. My friends have been so helpful, especially with Kate. Reconnecting with Bree and Alex when I came back to Anchorage has made my return home easier.” Lydia opened her front door and entered.
    Jesse followed, scanning the house. He was glad he’d taken Brutus home so he could run and play in his large fenced backyard. These past days, his K-9 had worked long hours and needed the break.
    Lydia dropped the small bag of clothes Bree had brought her in the hospital on a chair in the spacious living room and walked through the dining room toward the kitchen. “I’m fixing myself a good cup of tea. What they had at the hospital isn’t what I call tea. Do you want some?”
    â€œI’m a coffee drinker. No, thanks.”
    As he strolled through the house, snatches of his time spent here continued to bombard him. Lydia always had to come right home from school to babysit her little sister who stayed with a neighbor until Lydia arrived. Her dad didn’t get off work until six and sometimes didn’t come home right away. Lydia hated being alone and usually their friends would gather at her place.
    Jesse caught sight of a recent photo of Lydia with her younger sister. Picking up the framed picture, he realized he hadn’t seen much of Kate since those early years. She looked a lot like Lydia at the same age. Quickly he returned the photograph to the end table.
    Why had he agreed to stay until Kate got home? He didn’t want to be pulled into Lydia’s world again, and yet he had allowed himself to be persuaded to wait an hour.
    â€œI have some...” Lydia opened the refrigerator “...I guess only water. Kate likes soft drinks, but there are none in here.”
    â€œWater is fine.” He remained in the entrance of the dining room until the memory of sharing Thanksgiving dinner with Lydia and her family a few weeks before they broke up their senior year faded. He stood at the bay window that overlooked the unfenced backyard with woods a hundred yards from the house.
    â€œDo you still get moose around here?”
    â€œYes, also caribous and occasionally a bear. That’s why I keep the garbage cans in the garage except on pickup day.”
    â€œHave you had any trouble with them?” He could do a generic conversation with Lydia. Nothing too personal.
    â€œKate’s an animal lover and takes photos of all our visitors. Once she was at the window in her bedroom, snapping a picture when the bear came over and tried to get inside. He tore the screen, and we had to replace it. The way she screamed, I thought the bear was inside. I ran and got my dad’s gun, then went to rescue her.” She appeared behind him.
    Jesse pivoted from the window, and the familiar scent of apple floated to him. She held out the glass of water, and he took it.
    But she remained where she was—too close. When she looked up at him, for a few seconds the years apart fell away, and he was a teenager again and in love for the first time.
    Then she smiled, and no one else existed for that moment. It was as if fifteen years vanished along with all the hurts and words exchanged between them.
    The shrill whistle of the kettle pierced the air. Lydia gasped as though she’d been transfixed as much as he had.
    When she crossed to the stove to make her tea, he sat in a chair and took deep sips of his iced water, relishing the cold liquid. “What happened with the bear?”
    â€œI closed the blackout curtains and hoped he would forget that we were inside. He hit the screen a couple more times, then left. We both collapsed on the bed, laughing.”
    â€œLaughing?”
    â€œIn relief that we were still alive. I’d been checking out the bedroom door and wondering if that would stop a bear if