More Than Friends Read Online Free PDF Page A

the bare walls. No photos or proudly displayed sketches made by a-he did some quick figuring—ten-year-old child. Did she think he’d forgotten?
    She turned off the coffeepot and walked to the doorway. “Ready to go?”
    “Sure.” He followed her down the hall and stairs, to the entrance of the office building. After she’d secured the lock, they moved toward her car. The gravel crunched under their steps. His rented four-wheel truck looked new and large compared with her five-year-old compact.
    Jenny opened the door and tossed her purse onto the front seat. “I hope your dad’s awake enough to talk to you,” she said.
    There was something familiar about the way she leaned against her car and looked up at him. How many nights had been spent like this, wanting to stay, yet having to leave? When they’d been younger, the time had been filled with last-minute whispers, as though the excitement of their conversation couldn’t possibly keep until morning. Later, it had been digs and laughs about boys and girls and dating and school. Those last few months, the precious minutes had consisted of awkward, avoided glances and tender kisses that had flared into a passion so all-encompassing, it frightened them into their goodbyes several minutes before her curfew.
    But only once before had he stood beside Jenny Davidson and felt the cold twist of anger clawing at his gut.
    “That’s it?” he asked, finally. A better man than he would have let it go. But if he had been a better man, he wouldn’t have spent his life disappointing his father.
    “I don’t understand.” Her fingers, pale in the faint light, clutched the frame of her car door. “Do you need something else?”
    “Don’t you think I deserve to know how my kid’s doing?”

Chapter Two
    J enny took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Part of her had hoped Chase wouldn’t bring up the baby, at least not so soon. There were other things she wanted to discuss instead. But, looking at the situation from his point of view, she couldn’t blame him for asking. After all, her father had threatened him with God knows what and practically forced him out of town.
    Still, would a reprieve have been so bad? Memories from those days flashed into her mind. Despite the years that had drifted by, the past still had the power to upset her. She’d only ever really lied to Chase once. It had been one time too many.
    She slammed the door shut, then turned her back to the car. After placing her hands on the cool metal, she pushed until she was sitting on the hood, then wiggled to get comfy. “You might want to join me,” she said, patting the space beside her.
    “I’ll stand.” With that, he folded his arms across his chest.
    Hadn’t someone once said that confession was good for the soul? Jenny had the feeling that instead of feeling better, her admission was going to make her feel like living slime. The urge to walk around the truth was strong, but that wasn’t her style. She’d just say it and let Chase react as he would. Not the whole truth, she conceded to herself. There were some things better left unsaid. Not secrets, just details that were irrelevant now and would only cloud his view of the picture.
    He was already angry; she could feel it threatening them both. More important, he was hurt. For eleven years she’d missed him, longed for him, imagined their joyful reconciliation. He’d spent the same time despising her. Even so, she wouldn’t add to his pain. That would be her gift, however unappreciated.
    “I never told anyone you were the father.”
    “Oh?”
    Chase stood less than three feet away. When he shifted his stance, she heard the crunch of the gravel underfoot. Funny how with all the noise from the mill she could tune in to the little things. Like the sound of his carefully controlled breathing. So much had stayed the same, she thought. The proud tilt of his head, the chin raised defiantly, just as she remembered. The way he balanced his weight