Sharing Sunrise Read Online Free PDF

night, maybe he’d felt it, too.
    That hope, along with her mother’s failing health, had gone a long way toward her decision to come back to Victoria shortly after the wedding. But, though she’d been home for over a year, and for the past six of those fourteen months, lived right next door to Rolph, he’d shown no signs that he shared her feelings. Oh, he was friendly enough whenever their families got together, which was often, but he certainly didn’t seem to care for her any differently than did Max.
    It wasn’t supposed to be like this, was it? One person knowing, yearning, aching, the other completely oblivious?
    Dammit, as much as she hated to admit it, Jeanie had been right that day about her response to Rolph’s reception of the idea that she go to work for him. She’d been mad, certainly but she had to face it—she was hurt, too, because some small, stupid part of her had really believed that if she went to him, offered to work with him in building his business, some of the closeness they’d shared when she was a little girl would be regained. In rejecting her business offer, he was unwittingly rejecting her other, unspoken offer. Maybe she should come straight out and tell him how she felt.
    She contemplated that for a moment, then shuddered at the idea. Because if he really were incapable of feeling that way about her, it would mean the end of their valued friendship as well and she knew she was going to need that friendship and strength in the months to come. Besides, she had experienced masculine rejection once and though it had been a long time ago, the memory of it continued to make her cautious. That kind of hurt lingers on.
    Not only that, she didn’t think she could put into words what she felt. Was it merely sexual attraction or did it go deeper than that? What she truly wanted was an opportunity to find out. Just when she thought she might have that opportunity, living next door to him, Rolph had done the unexpected, moved out of the huge house he’d long shared with his parents and brother and more recently, his brother’s wife and son. Though he’d had his own private apartment in the McKenzie home, he’d built the place down at his marina, using half as his business offices, the other half as his home. From that point onward, she knew she’d never see him, not unless she found another way.
    Marian drew her gaze back to her own desk and the listings waiting there to be categorized.
    “What are you looking for?”
    Crouched by the filing cabinets, Marian glanced up at Rolph. “The specs on Windrider and Neo Cleo .”
    Rolph leaned back in his chair. “What do you want them for?”
    “So I can discuss them knowledgeably, of course.”
    He looked startled, then puzzled. “Why do you want to?”
    She got to her feet as she blew an exasperated breath outward. He was content to let her research the listings for boats that would meet the needs of certain clients. He liked the way she wrote up reports of those boats, and had complimented her on her ability to find exactly the right points that would sell a certain person on a certain ship. He had taught her much in the weeks she’d been here, and every day there was more. He commented often on how quickly she picked things up, yet he still resisted letting her get out there to deal with individual clients on a one to one basis.
    “Rolph, why do you want me at your meeting with the Mastersons tomorrow night?”
    “I … you said you wanted to go to Estevan’s. And there’s a good dance floor, a fine band. My … our guests might like to dance and it’s easier if there’s four.”
    “I see. And what am I going to do while you’re discussing the boats with them? Sit there and look decorative? And did you plan to introduce me as your assistant—a business associate—or as your date?”
    His guilty look was her answer, but he managed to say, “I’ll introduce you as my assistant.”
    “But you won’t treat me as that,” she