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So Erin had decided to avoid him again. If that was what she wanted, he wouldn’t protest. After the garage sale and the house sale he’d promised to handle, he would disappear from her life. Despite his effort to overlook the betrayals, he couldn’t erase or ignore the past.
In addition to the many pictures displayed around the house, the man had left six children who demanded attention, six children who were a constant reminder of two tragedies—the plane crash and their father’s selfish affair.
Tim had become attached to them like a real dad, especially to David who resembled his dad like a mirror image and to the twins he’d hoped to adopt some day.
Wild grief ripped through him. Damn Ben and damn Annette, and damn their disloyalty.
When he arrived at the small house, he found Erin struggling to open the garage door. In jeans and wind breaker, her face a pale mask of apprehension, her blond hair pulled into a ponytail, bangs dusting her forehead, she looked so lovely, so desirable, and so vulnerable.
His body hardened with want, but his heart ached with the fear of losing her. He rushed to her side and lifted the door.
“Hi, why didn’t you wait for me?”
She spun toward him, her lips stretched into a rebellious line. “You left without a word last night. I didn’t know if you were coming.”
“Didn’t I tell you I would take care of the garage sale and the closing of the house, and then we’ll talk about our private issues? Can’t you trust me just once in your life?” he spat.
“I…” She stopped short. “If you came to pick a fight, go home.” She turned her back and stuck notes with prices on each piece.
He ignored her, and pulled the heavy desk down to the driveway.
“What are you doing?” she glared at him with burning anger.
“If you keep the stuff inside the garage, the people passing by in cars will never see them. I’m bringing everything outside.”
“What if it rains?”
He shrugged. “There’s no rain in the forecast until three p.m. By then, we’ll be done.”
“Wait. I’ll carry them with you.” They moved the furniture out.
“You can keep the smaller pieces in the garage.” He inspected the prices she’d put and changed them.
“Damn it, are you doing it on purpose to antagonize me? Why are you changing my prices?”
He took a deep breath, praying for patience. “Because your prices don’t make sense. You put $20 on the desk. Even if you hate the ugly thing, it’s an antique piece. I added a zero. People enjoy bargaining. Give them the pleasure of thinking they’ve made a great deal.”
She huffed and turned her back.
He didn’t have time to discuss it with her. A car stopped at the curb, and a middle age couple strode toward them. “Good morning.”
“Good morning.” Erin plastered a smile on her lips.
The woman stopped next to the desk, ran her hand on the polished wood, and opened the drawers. The man tried to lift it and bent to look at the legs. “It’s quite expensive,” he said.
“It’s an antique piece in very good shape,” Tim answered.
“Would you accept $150 for it?”
“For $160, I’ll help you load it into your trunk right away,” he offered.
“All right.” The man looked at his wife, and she dug the bills out of her purse.
“Give them to Mrs. Perkins, please.” Tim lifted a side of the desk in front of the man and they hoisted it into the trunk of the van.
More cars stopped and more people approached them. Tim had raised prices on the furniture, but allowed the buyers to drop them. Two hours later, the big pieces were gone. He let Erin handle the books, toys, and children clothes the way she wanted. By one p.m. only a few pairs of pants and shirts remained.
“Erin, it’s not worth staying longer for these.”
