Sheltering Hearts Read Online Free PDF

received your message loud and clear.”
    She was flooded with disappointment and relief.
    “Besides,” he said. “You’re too busy to date.”
    “I am,” she said. “I have my job, plus overtime when I can get it, and I volunteer for this nonprofit organization that helps single moms.” She shrugged. “I have a vested interest there, obviously. Listen, I can’t repay you for all your help.”
    “No one cares,” he said.
    She sighed heavily. She cleared her throat. “So you don’t think I should drive my car?”
    “It could be fine for a while longer, or maybe not. It doesn’t make much sense to drive it if you suspect the transmission is failing. Would you drive it if the brakes weren’t working so well?”
    “How do you know it’s the transmission?” she asked.
    “It sounds like the transmission—it’s running rough. It’s having trouble with a gear.” He shrugged. “I could be wrong—but it’s a mechanic’s call. Till then, my car will sit at the firehouse for twenty-four hours. You might as well use it. You’ll have to pick me up tomorrow morning when I get off, but if you can’t, let me know and I’ll hitch a ride. You can return my car when you get home.”
    “What if you have to run an errand?”
    “Not a problem—I have a whole crew with cars and trucks to borrow. I wouldn’t have offered if it was inconvenient. Really, I haven’t been trying to trick you. I was just trying to be a nice guy. The way I was raised, being nice is considered a positive thing.”
    She felt like crawling under the car. She was seeing a negative side to her determination to blaze her own trail, be in charge of her own life. “Clay, I’m sorry. Not just about the car, but about everything. I just want to be independent. I’m afraid of giving my will to anyone.”
    “Apology accepted. I don’t want to take your will away. I wouldn’t want to spend time with a woman who didn’t want to willfully spend time with me anyway.” He picked up his small duffel. “What’s it gonna be?”
    “Clay, may I borrow your car?” she asked, purposely not saying please. She’d have said please to any woman offering a favor, but she feared giving her power to any man, even the nicest man in the world.
    “Yes, you may.”
    “What will happen to my car?”
    “I’ll have my buddy drive out to look at it, and, if need be, he’ll take it in to his shop. Whatever happens next, it’s going to happen with a mechanic, not me.” He swung an arm wide toward his big SUV. “After you.”
    “Come on, kids,” she said. “We’re going to school in Clay’s truck.”
    Sophie and Austin smiled, shouted hooray and dashed for the SUV. Dory removed the booster seats from the Pathfinder and followed them.
    At her back she heard Clay say, “But you can’t make me think of you as a sister.”
     
    C LAY WAS WORKING OUT in the weight room at the firehouse, straining against the weights. Staying fit and strong was part of his job, but today he’d been at it a little longer than necessary. He was doing biceps curls, concentrating on his breathing, grunting with the effort, pleased by the burn, because he was in a mood.
    Then Charlie, one of his work buddies, sauntered over, sat on a bench and propped his feet up on the weight shelf. He sucked his big cola down past the ice, making that loud, annoying slurping noise, so as not to be ignored.
    Clay let the barbell fall with a crash. “Do you mind? I can’t concentrate with that going on!”
    Charlie lifted his brows and said, “Girl trouble?”
    “What? No!” He bent to lift the weights again.
    “The little honey next door turn you down again?” Charlie asked casually.
    Clay dropped the weights again and got in Charlie’s face. “Do not call her that! It would be a bad idea to call her that!”
    “Whoa, Kennedy, get a grip, buddy. I don’t think she heard me.”
    Clay backed off immediately, feeling stupid for almost losing his temper. He didn’t have a temper! He