Pinky Promise (Riverbend Romance 2) Read Online Free PDF

her lack. Both his hands rubbed her upper arms.
    Kelly pulled away. Not in the middle of her street, where any of her neighbors might be peering out from behind their curtains — and probably were. Like Mrs. Consuelo across the street. Yep, her drapery shifted a little when Kelly glanced over.
    Awkward.
    If Kelly hadn’t planned to stay on the straight-and-narrow before, the realization that every single neighbor would know exactly when Ian came and when he left would keep her there.

    ~*~

    Ian followed Kelly into the backyard where both girls, squealing with glee, already played on a swing set reminiscent of his own childhood. The lawn, still brown with a few lumps of snow in shaded areas, looked well tended. A flowerbed along the patio was thick with green shoots and the fuzzy heads of developing crocuses. Looked like Kelly worked in the right department with the town.
    “Want coffee or tea?” Kelly clicked the gate behind her. She headed down a set of steps that descended from the patio to a blue door.
    “Sure. Whichever you’re having.” Should he follow her or not? The patio contained a small round table with two chairs. Maybe that’s where he should wait, where he could keep an eye on the girls.
    She paused with a key in the door, glancing up at him. “It’s okay to have an opinion.”
    He grinned. “Is it equally okay not to have one?”
    “Men.” She rolled her eyes. “Tea it is. Just for that, I should serve yours in an antique porcelain teacup.” She opened the door before seeming to realize he hadn’t followed her. “You’re welcome to come in, if you like. The girls will be fine. Elena knows not to open the gate without asking.”
    A quick glance was hardly needed, as both girls were singing Jesus Loves Me at the top of their voices, not quite in time to the creaking swings.  
    Ian hoped that old set was well anchored, but he couldn’t see any of the six legs lifting off the ground, so he had to assume someone had installed it well. He followed Kelly down the stairs and into her home.
    The walls were covered with 60s-style wood paneling sheets, but someone — maybe Kelly? — had painted them a pale blue. The entry immediately opened up into a kitchen with the living room beyond. A vintage table and vinyl-covered chairs separated the area. Although nothing was new, the space seemed incredibly welcoming, and even homey with a stack of magazines and a child-size easel. Nothing like his bare space.
    Kelly pulled an electric kettle from a lower cupboard, filled it with water, and plugged it in. Then, leaning against the sink cabinet, she turned to look at him.
    “This is a great apartment you have here. Did you paint the walls?”
    She nodded, still seeming wary. “It was beyond dingy when we moved in two years ago. I could barely stand it.”
    “Then why choose this place?” He probably shouldn’t have asked.
    “Limited budget.” She shrugged. “The owner is a friend of my grandmother’s, and she’s given me a good deal. And location, like I said.”
    “Makes sense. It sure isn’t dingy now. It has a lot of personality.” Kelly’s, no doubt. A personality that exhibited itself all across the space, from the robin’s egg painted cupboards with crisp white trim to the white TV stand and bookshelf combo running the length of one living room wall. No, it wasn’t as tidy as his place, but maybe he shouldn’t have aspired to sterile.
    “Thanks. I love fixing up old stuff. Paint is my best friend.”
    He quirked a grin. “Not Vanessa?”
    Her face flushed. “Not so much, no. She’s a fine person to work with, but we don’t hang out after hours.” She glanced at him then away. “There’s not a lot in common besides landscaping.”
    “Where do you find your projects? Kijiji? The antiques mall?”
    “More like garage sales or people emptying basements.” She opened an upper cupboard, revealing a jumble of boxes and tins. “What kind of tea? Black? Green? Herbal?”
    “Uh...”