Elizabeth Batten Carew Beyond the Clouds (pdf)

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least to going out. After a few dates, if you still get that quivery feeling around him, then, maybe, you
know& ."
Good grief, she couldn t believe this was her mother talking. She grabbed the cushion sitting beside her
and plunked it on her lap, clamping her fingers around the softness. "Mom, forget you know or anything
else. I am not getting involved with a guy because my heart goes pitter pat. In fact, I want to stay well
away from anyone who affects my senses so badly I can t think straight."
Her mother grinned over the china cup she d raised to her lips. "You ve got it bad, eh?"
Gill s fingers dug deeper into the cushion. "But it s no reason--"
Mom put down the cup and planted her hand on Gill s shoulder, her teasing expression transforming into
something more serious. "You re wrong. It is exactly the reason. You may not understand it. You
definitely may not like it. But your intuition is telling you he s the right man. Unfortunately, you re so
busy trying to prove a woman can be as logical as a man that you re ignoring your intuition--probably
dismissing it as something far too feminine to rely on--so this attraction is your heart screaming at you at
the top of its lungs."
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A denial bubbled up in Gill, but she knew expressing it would be pointless. Mom understood a lot about
her, but not everything. "My heart doesn t have lungs. You re getting carried away with your metaphors."
Mom tightened her grip on Gill s shoulders. "Listen to what you heart is telling you."
"Just like you did with Eric?" Gill asked gently.
Mom released her and stood, then strode across the room to the window. Gill could see Mom s reflection
in the glass as she stared at the lights of the city below. "That was different. If I d been honest with myself
& if I d listened to my heart& ."
Gill stepped to her side, confused by Mom s words. "Are you saying you knew you really didn t love him
but you married him anyway?"
Mom gripped the edge of the curtains. "You know, they call it fool s gold because it can make a fool of
you." The words came out like pebbles whisked across fine sandpaper. "It can make you believe it s the
real thing if you want it bad enough." She turned back to face Gill. "But deep down inside, I knew the
truth."
Gill put her hand on Mom s shoulder. "Maybe I know, too."
* * * *
Forget about Cade. Just forget about him.
Gill thumped one clenched fist on the steering wheel in an accompanying rhythm to the words which had
become a mantra over the past twelve hours. She flicked on her left signal then turned into the flying club
parking lot. But how did she go about forgetting the most unforgettable man she d ever met? Mr. Tall-
Dark-and-Handsome had played a starring role in her dreams all night.
She pulled into a parking spot two down from the flying club door, then climbed out of her car. Heat
shimmered off the blacktop of the road and her light cotton shirt clung to her. She shaded her eyes from
the glint of sunlight reflecting off her boss shiny pickup truck parked in the spot next to hers. It was the
same make as Cade s, though several years younger and in much better shape. She grabbed her flight kit
and backpack from her passenger seat and locked the door.
As she walked across the parking lot toward the flying club, she marveled at how many things reminded
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her of Cade. The sunshine gilding the glass door a lustrous golden color. She pulled open the door and
strode inside, breathing a sigh of relief as cool air surrounded her. She strode across the large room toward
the desk where she would stow her pack. The broad back of a man standing looking out the window.
"Gill, got a minute?" Dave, her boss, called to her from inside his small office next door to the meeting
room used for ground school classes.
She changed course and headed toward his office. "Sure. What s up?"
He stood up and intercepted her at the door. "I have someone who wants to sign up for the current session
of ground school."
She raised an eyebrow. "It s a little late. Did you tell him it started last Wednesday?" Whoever it was had
already lost two nights out of fifteen.
"He said he s willing to pay extra for tutoring so he can catch up. I thought you d be willing to spend the
time. If you do, he ll probably sign on with you for dual instruction."
"Sounds good."
It also sounded like the guy had more money than brains. Why he couldn t wait a few more weeks until
the next session stumped her. After all, even if he was really gung ho to get into the sky--which she
wholeheartedly understood--he could take lessons in advance of the theory.
She shrugged mentally. Who was she to question good fortune when it jumped into her lap? Her current
number of students wasn t enough to keep her working full time and the ground school sessions didn t
cover the difference in income, not to mention the hours she needed to build up so she could go for her
commercial license.
"I assume he s willing to spend time tonight reading the material?" she asked.
"Why don t you ask him yourself?" Dave ushered her toward the window. "Mr. Smith?"
The broad back she d seen earlier turned around to reveal a familiar half-grin.
Her heart plummeted in a bungee jump toward her ankles then back into her chest. "Cade. What are you
doing here?" She stared at him in disbelief. "You re interested in taking flying lessons?" After she d
dragged him into Puff to prove her flying skills, she could have sworn he would prefer never to set foot in
a small aircraft again.
"You seem to make a habit of answering your own questions."
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That reminder of their first meeting and the fact he had obstructed her exit from the parking garage with
his truck switched on her anger button . He obstructed her retreat now, too. A hasty and definite retreat
from an attraction she didn t understand. And didn t want to understand. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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