Read Online A McKaslin Homecoming (The McKaslin Clan) by Jillian Hart - Free Book Online
Authors: Jillian Hart
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feeling about this man, when the sound of tires on the gravel driveway caught her attention. A beige sedan was pulling up to the far side of the garage, to one of the outbuildings.
“Looks like you get to test out my theory.” Caleb gestured toward that beige car. “That’s one of your sisters now.”
Chapter Five
H er sister. Lauren looked at the slender blond woman climbing out of the car, a woman who had the same shade of blond hair, the same blue eyes and face shape. Her sister. Lauren’s heart stalled. As she stumbled forward, somehow her wobbly knees worked and she got through the gate Caleb was opening for her.
“C’mon.” His baritone was a comforting rumble against her ear. “I’ll introduce you to Aubrey.”
Aubrey. Her mind groped through a sudden haze. Why was Caleb’s nod of encouragement all she noticed? “Aubrey’s one of the twins?”
“That’s right.”
The woman—her sister—was hurrying her way. She’d left her car door open and it was dinging away; she must have left the keys in the ignition.
“You’re Lauren. You have to be. Right?”
Suddenly there was no distance between them and Aubrey had thrown her arms around her in a warm, welcoming embrace. Welcoming. There was no question, no judgment, nothing but honest acceptance. Lauren stepped back, swiping her eyes, her vision blurred. Her mother’s prediction and her own fears vanished, just like that.
Thank you Father .
“I can’t believe this.” Aubrey held tight to Lauren’s hand. “You’re really here. After all this time. I never thought—” She took a gulp and there were tears in her eyes. “Welcome back to us. Do you remember me at all?”
There was an image, just beyond her reach, taking form and shape in the black places of her memory. A flash of sunlight reflecting off the side passenger door. The blur of the big round faces of the sunflowers hanging heavily, ripe with seeds. The flicker of the white picket fence that divided thebackyard from the alley. She remembered the sound of her own cries. A flash of children’s faces in the backyard before they’d been gone to her. “It’s all a blur. I wish I could remember more.”
“I have never forgotten you. I can’t believe this. I saw Gran yesterday at the bookstore and she didn’t say a word. Not a single word. When did you get in?”
“Yesterday evening.”
“She was keeping this secret! It’s a good thing I decided to come out bright and early and get some work done in my studio—I do ceramics—but like I want to do that now? I don’t think so.” Aubrey was tugging her in the direction of the kitchen door, all joy. “We are going to go surprise Gran right now. I want her to know her plan to surprise us with you has failed. Caleb, are you coming?”
Lauren realized he’d retreated, leaving her with her sister. Her sister . Aubrey held her so tight, there was no way she could escape even if she wanted to. After all this time on her own, spending holidays alone, she had a sister. Sisters. There it was, hope rising up through the dark void of hermemories. She held on to Aubrey’s hand a little more tightly.
Across the driveway, Caleb lifted his hand to his hat brim. “I’ve got to get to work. You two have fun catching up. Lauren, I’ll see you later.”
His gaze met hers and it was as reassuring as a touch. As if he was saying to her, “See, I told you it would be all right.’ And he’d been right. She should have had more faith in him.
She let Aubrey tug her up the porch steps and still she couldn’t look away completely from the man. Caleb was watching them, watching her, his face shadowed beneath his Stetson, his expression inscrutable.
The hinges of the screen door rasped and squeaked, and she tumbled into the living room behind Aubrey. Lauren lost sight of him then. But she didn’t lose the sense of peace and support he’d given to her.
A few hours later, Lauren leaned toward the front seats of Aubrey’s car and
“Looks like you get to test out my theory.” Caleb gestured toward that beige car. “That’s one of your sisters now.”
Chapter Five
H er sister. Lauren looked at the slender blond woman climbing out of the car, a woman who had the same shade of blond hair, the same blue eyes and face shape. Her sister. Lauren’s heart stalled. As she stumbled forward, somehow her wobbly knees worked and she got through the gate Caleb was opening for her.
“C’mon.” His baritone was a comforting rumble against her ear. “I’ll introduce you to Aubrey.”
Aubrey. Her mind groped through a sudden haze. Why was Caleb’s nod of encouragement all she noticed? “Aubrey’s one of the twins?”
“That’s right.”
The woman—her sister—was hurrying her way. She’d left her car door open and it was dinging away; she must have left the keys in the ignition.
“You’re Lauren. You have to be. Right?”
Suddenly there was no distance between them and Aubrey had thrown her arms around her in a warm, welcoming embrace. Welcoming. There was no question, no judgment, nothing but honest acceptance. Lauren stepped back, swiping her eyes, her vision blurred. Her mother’s prediction and her own fears vanished, just like that.
Thank you Father .
“I can’t believe this.” Aubrey held tight to Lauren’s hand. “You’re really here. After all this time. I never thought—” She took a gulp and there were tears in her eyes. “Welcome back to us. Do you remember me at all?”
There was an image, just beyond her reach, taking form and shape in the black places of her memory. A flash of sunlight reflecting off the side passenger door. The blur of the big round faces of the sunflowers hanging heavily, ripe with seeds. The flicker of the white picket fence that divided thebackyard from the alley. She remembered the sound of her own cries. A flash of children’s faces in the backyard before they’d been gone to her. “It’s all a blur. I wish I could remember more.”
“I have never forgotten you. I can’t believe this. I saw Gran yesterday at the bookstore and she didn’t say a word. Not a single word. When did you get in?”
“Yesterday evening.”
“She was keeping this secret! It’s a good thing I decided to come out bright and early and get some work done in my studio—I do ceramics—but like I want to do that now? I don’t think so.” Aubrey was tugging her in the direction of the kitchen door, all joy. “We are going to go surprise Gran right now. I want her to know her plan to surprise us with you has failed. Caleb, are you coming?”
Lauren realized he’d retreated, leaving her with her sister. Her sister . Aubrey held her so tight, there was no way she could escape even if she wanted to. After all this time on her own, spending holidays alone, she had a sister. Sisters. There it was, hope rising up through the dark void of hermemories. She held on to Aubrey’s hand a little more tightly.
Across the driveway, Caleb lifted his hand to his hat brim. “I’ve got to get to work. You two have fun catching up. Lauren, I’ll see you later.”
His gaze met hers and it was as reassuring as a touch. As if he was saying to her, “See, I told you it would be all right.’ And he’d been right. She should have had more faith in him.
She let Aubrey tug her up the porch steps and still she couldn’t look away completely from the man. Caleb was watching them, watching her, his face shadowed beneath his Stetson, his expression inscrutable.
The hinges of the screen door rasped and squeaked, and she tumbled into the living room behind Aubrey. Lauren lost sight of him then. But she didn’t lose the sense of peace and support he’d given to her.
A few hours later, Lauren leaned toward the front seats of Aubrey’s car and
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