Read The Promise of Home (Love Inspired) for Free Online

wet sand.
    “They are.” There it was again. That brief flash of vulnerability Dev had seen in Jenna’s eyes the day before. “Sometimes I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep up with them.”
    “Another reason to wear something more practical on your feet.” Dev couldn’t resist teasing her a little. Call him a glutton for punishment, but he wanted to see that mischievous smile again.
    “I do have another pair of shoes.” Jenna’s chuff of indignation stirred a ribbon of silver-blond hair on her forehead. “I just didn’t think I’d need them. I didn’t plan to be in Mirror Lake for more than a day or two.”
    Dev could relate. He’d arrived at his grandfather’s old fishing cabin for a weekend. Five years ago.
    “So what made you decide to stay?”
    Jenna was silent for so long, Dev didn’t think she was going to answer the question.
    “My sister.”
    It was a little unsettling to discover they had something in common. Jenna had come to Mirror Lake because of her sister and Dev was there because of his brother.
    “This is a good place.” Dev watched a young bald eagle spin a lazy circle over the treetops. “Kids need room to roam.”
    Jenna’s lips compressed, a sign she didn’t agree with him. “That reminds me. I’m sorry that Logan interrupted your day. I guess I need to have a talk with him about boundaries.”
    Dev remembered the look of wonder on Logan’s face when he’d offered him the fishing pole.
    “I didn’t mind. And he can fish off my dock anytime he wants to—”
    Jenna was already shaking her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
    “It’s safe as long as he’s not down here alone. Even at the end of the dock, the water isn’t over his head.”
    “That’s not it. I don’t want Logan or Tori to get too attached to…this place.”
    “I thought Logan said they lived here.” From what the children had said the day before, he assumed their mother had bought it.
    Jenna shook her head. “My sister rented the cabin for the summer. It’s temporary. When she gets home, I’m hoping I can convince her to move closer to me.”
    From the expression on Jenna’s face, that day couldn’t come soon enough.
    Why that bothered him, Dev didn’t know. Especially since he’d dropped a not-so-subtle hint that she wouldn’t last a week.
    Tori skipped up to them and tugged on Jenna’s arm. “I found a spider on a tree over there, Aunt Jenna. Do you want to take its picture, too?”
    Too?
    Dev glanced at Jenna and saw twin patches of color underline the sculpted cheekbones.
    “No thanks, sweetie.”
    Logan joined them. “But it’s bigger than the one you found this morning.”
    Dev had to ask. He just had to. “Did she scream?”
    Logan thought about that. “A little.”
    “It was in the bathtub,” Tori added. “And it was huuuge.”
    “Aunt Jenna took its picture. She said it was so big that we could put a leash on it and take it for a walk around the block—”
    “Why don’t you two go inside and get washed up?” Jenna cut in. “We haven’t had breakfast yet.”
    As far as diversions went, it might not have been subtle but it was effective. The children headed toward the cabin. Dev grabbed hold of Violet’s collar before she included herself in the invitation.
    “So. A spider.” Dev’s lips twitched.
    “I’m sure you’ve seen them before,” Jenna said tartly.
    “Not one that I could put a leash on and take for a walk around the block.”
    Jenna whipped out her phone again and scrolled through the pictures, stopping at the close-up of a spider roughly the size of the designer dog Elaina had carried around in her purse.
    Dev blinked. Okay, it was that big.
    “What did you do? Throw your shoe at it?” He’d been kidding…until he saw the guilty look on Jenna’s face.
    “You threw your shoe at it?”
    “Yes, but I didn’t think I’d actually hit it.”
    “I’m shocked.”
    “So was I.” The husky laugh that followed packed more of a punch