Love Lifted Me Read Online Free

these electronic things do not work for me. I need sticky notes. Why fix what’s not broke?”
    â€œI’ll buy you a case of them.”
    Definitely not Lillabeth’s voice. Jade looked up, bobbling her iPad. “Max.” He stood in the golden circle of sun falling through the shop’s main window.
    â€œHey, Jade.”
    â€œY-you’re here.” His presence stole her breath. Forever handsome, Max stood before her lean and tan, poured into a pair of jeans. Leather boots replaced his leather loafers. The breadth of his chest filled the white oxford and tapered to his trim waist.
    Locks of his silky dark hair curved down his neck, into his collar, and a light brown beard barely dusted his cheeks.
    â€œYou look good, Jade.” He dropped his duffel to the floor, the sound covering the timidity in his voice.
    â€œSo do you.” Jade cradled her iPad against her chest. “Did you just get here?
    I didn’t realize—”
    â€œI came straight from the airport.” Max motioned the bag by his foot. “I wanted to see you. If you’re busy, we can catch up later.” He bent for his duffel.
    â€œNo, no, I’m not busy. Just trying to remember when Southern Life will be here.”
    â€œThe sixteenth? Didn’t you mention it on our last call?”
    â€œRight, I did. The sixteenth.” She scanned her iPad calendar. Sure enough.
    â€œRight in front of me.”
    â€œMax!” Lillabeth breezed in from the storeroom. “You’re back.” She embraced him freely, openly. The way Jade wanted to but couldn’t because her wounded heart refused to yield. “Great hair. You look like a real cowboy.”
    Great hair, great face, gorgeous cowboy. But liar and betrayer. Don’t forget those, Lillabeth . Jade had trusted before. She’d believed Daddy when he said he’d be there for her.
    â€œJade, you called?” Lillabeth said.
    â€œI—what? Oh yeah, right.” Her heart beat so fast. “I couldn’t find the date of the Southern Life shoot.” Why was the shop so hot ? Perspiration sprinkled the back of Jade’s neck.
    â€œJuly sixteenth?”
    â€œYep.” Jade held up her iPad. “Max remembered.”
    Lillabeth slapped him a high five. “And he wasn’t even here when you set it up. Keep him around, Jade. Aaron never remembers dates or details.”
    â€œWell, he is fighting a war.” Lillabeth’s husband flew F-18s and was deployed to the Middle East.
    The bells on the shop door clanged as a customer entered. Lillabeth moved to assist. “Glad you’re back, Max. We missed you around here,” she said softly.
    â€œShe knows more about this place than I do,” Jade said, eyes on Lillabeth who spoke with two twentysomethings, instantly identifying, directing them to a display of ’70s tops.
    Max angled toward Jade. “I really missed you.” His eyes searched hers.
    â€œMax—” Jade hugged the iPad to her chest, trembling. She felt exposed and raw under his clarion gaze. He’d changed. Not just his hair or his form, but— could it be true?—his heart.
    He stepped back. “I think we were less awkward on our first date.”
    They met right here in this shop. The beginning of beginnings. In a way, they were there again. Starting over—with an honest marriage or an honest divorce.
    â€œWe didn’t know then what we know now,” she said.
    â€œNo, but this time the truth is on the table. No secrets. Right?” He dipped his head to see her face. “Is there anything you need to tell me? Any hometown, Prairie City, Iowa, lovers capture your heart?”
    â€œNo,” Jade said rapid and low. The customers passed behind her, barely skirting the edge of this private conversation.
    â€œI guess we can talk later.”
    Yes, later. About so many things. About truth and lies. Secrets. Forget her ex-husband in Iowa. Jade