The Secret She Kept Read Online Free Page A

doing well to afford dinner out one night a week. She’d always been prone to doing stupid things when Jake was around. Why did she lose all semblance of sense in his presence? Besides, what did it matter if Allie thought he was nicer? Of course she would. He didn’t have to discipline her or tell her no.
    “When are you leaving Lone Oak?” she asked him abruptly.
    “Another week or so.”
    “Don’t you have to get back to your job?”
    “Believe me, I would’ve been happier not leaving my job at all. But it’s good to see my grandma and sister.”
    “What about the rest of your family? Your dad? Is he still living?”
    “For another couple weeks, or so the doctor says.”
    Savannah looked at Jake sharply to make certain she’d understood right. “He’s dying?”
    Jake checked to see if the kids were paying attention, but Allie was drawing again and Logan was pushing a French fry around on his plate and making race car noises.
    “Cancer. That’s the real reason I’m back.” His jaw locked tight and he frowned, but she got the sense it wasn’t out of sadness.
    “I’m sorry,” she said, and meant it. She remembered he and his father hadn’t been very close, but she didn’t wish losing a parent on anyone. She’d been through that when she was fourteen, and understood what hell it could be.
    Jake didn’t respond and she didn’t know what else to say, although his unspoken emotions were pulling at her, making her want to find out more.
    “So you build log cabins in Montana.”
    “Homes. Big custom jobs. I just got the biggest break of my life, and here I am back in Podunkville to make up with the old man, who couldn’t care less about seeing me.”
    “What kind of break?”
    “You familiar with Tony Clayton?”
    “Familiar?” He was only one of the biggest names in Hollywood right now. “Just a bit.”
    “I’m building a house for him.”
    “Wow. That’s great. A big break, like you said.”
    “If I make him happy, he’s got friends. A bunch of overpaid friends who love to buy second and third homes out in the middle of nowhere.”
    “So you’re hoping this will get you all that business.”
    “That’s what I’ve dreamed of ever since I started. I’ve worked toward it for years, and now I’m so close I can taste it.”
    “Your dad’s timing isn’t the greatest, huh?”
    “Nope.” Jake frowned again and admitted, “I haven’t spoken to him since the day I left town.”
    The huskiness in his voice made her wonder at all the things he must be going through. She damned herself for caring, but couldn’t seem to help it.
    Logan shoved his last fry into his mouth and that was all Savannah needed to excuse them. “We have to go.”
    Jake glanced over at his grandmother. “And I better return to the hen party. Nice to meet you, Logan and Allie.” He held his right hand up for a high-five from Logan, and shared a brief smile with Allie before standing.
    Savannah watched him walk away, reminding herself distance was exactly what she required. Especially since she apparently couldn’t help herself from caring, no matter how dangerous that was.

CHAPTER THREE
    S AVANNAH SWORE as she walked down Main Street toward her office. The double mocha latte she’d just bought overflowed the lid of the cup and burned her wrist. She slurped up the spill before it could run down her arm, but didn’t take time to reposition her load. She’d taken the kids to the office after school, as she usually did, then left to buy them a snack. Zach was there somewhere—his truck was out front—but he hadn’t been in the main office when she and the children had arrived from school ten minutes ago. Judging by the closed conference room door, she’d guessed he was with a potential client.
    Logan and Allie were generally well-behaved kids, but too many things could happen in the blink of an eye, especially with a rambunctious eight-year-old boy unsupervised. She never wanted Zach to regret letting her