Read Online 1105 Yakima Street by Debbie Macomber - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Debbie Macomber
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couldn’t spend money indiscriminately, especially money they didn’t have.
His wife reappeared dressed in a see-through chiffon piece of nothing. Linc’s mouth sagged open. “That’s…the gift you got me?” Her tempting body was all but revealed, and Linc swallowed hard. “I…I think we might find room in our budget for that.” He got the words out, but with some difficulty.
“No, you’re right. I should know better than to buy—”
“Lori,” he said, closing his eyes. “I’m nearly broke. The business is failing. I don’t even know if I’ll last the month. I haven’t wanted to tell you, but I can’t hide it anymore.”
She placed her hand over her mouth and stared at him, wide-eyed with shock.
“I realize I was wrong to keep this from you, but I…have my reasons.”
Lori continued to stare at him as if she didn’t know what to say.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. Leaning forward, he rubbed his hand across his face. “I’m so sorry.”
She came to him then, climbing onto his lap and wrapping her arms around him. “I married you because I love you. I don’t need anything but you.”
Linc buried his face in her neck and pulled her close. She lifted his head and he kissed her. Then she abruptly broke off the kiss, sliding off his lap and standing directly in front of him, her eyes flashing. “Don’t you ever do that to me again. Do you understand?”
“Kiss you?” he asked in bewilderment.
“Of course not! I’m talking about keeping the truth from me.” Whirling around, she went into their bedroom, returning a few minutes later, fully dressed. “Okay. What happened?” Her voice was brisk, all seductiveness gone.
“Happened?”
“To cause this financial shortfall. You’re…” She paused as though everything had started to come together in her mind. “My father.” She spoke in a low voice, then repeated the two words more loudly and with more conviction. “My father’s done something, hasn’t he?”
Linc didn’t reply.
“Hasn’t he?” she demanded again.
“I…can’t say for sure, but it seems that way.”
She began to pace, five steps in one direction, five in the other, making quick, precise turns.
Linc found her movements almost hypnotic. “Now, Lori,” he began, “there’s no need to get upset. I have everything under control.”
“That’s low, even for him.” Either she hadn’t heard a word he’d said or she recognized his statement for the lie it was. “This is going to change and it’s going to change right now.” She reached for her purse and yanked out her cell phone, punching a single button.
“Lori,” he asked, “who are you phoning?”
“Who do you think?” she muttered.
Linc stood and circled her waist with his arms. “Lori,” he said again, drawing her close. “Tell me what you’re doing.”
She moved the cell away from her ear. “I’m calling Daddy. And I’m having it out with him.”
Linc had seen that look in her eyes only once before and that, too, had been an instance involving her father.
“Hello, Helen, this is Lori Wyse. Is my father still in?”
He started to tell Lori that maybe they should discuss this first, but one sharp glance from his wife told him to forget it. She was furious—and determined.
A minute later Bellamy got on the phone. “Hi, Daddy,” she said, all sweetness.
“Hi, baby girl. If you’re calling, I figure that means you’ve come to your senses and dumped that useless husband of yours.”
Linc stood close enough to hear Bellamy’s half of the conversation. At his father-in-law’s comment, his back stiffened. He released Lori, automatically clenching his fists.
“No, Daddy, it’s the Bellamys I’m—as you so delicately put it—dumping. For most of my life I’ve cowered in front of you, caving in to your wishes. No more. You’ve gone too far this time. You want to hurt the man I love, the man I married. I won’t stand for that. I won’t! In fact…I never want to hear
His wife reappeared dressed in a see-through chiffon piece of nothing. Linc’s mouth sagged open. “That’s…the gift you got me?” Her tempting body was all but revealed, and Linc swallowed hard. “I…I think we might find room in our budget for that.” He got the words out, but with some difficulty.
“No, you’re right. I should know better than to buy—”
“Lori,” he said, closing his eyes. “I’m nearly broke. The business is failing. I don’t even know if I’ll last the month. I haven’t wanted to tell you, but I can’t hide it anymore.”
She placed her hand over her mouth and stared at him, wide-eyed with shock.
“I realize I was wrong to keep this from you, but I…have my reasons.”
Lori continued to stare at him as if she didn’t know what to say.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. Leaning forward, he rubbed his hand across his face. “I’m so sorry.”
She came to him then, climbing onto his lap and wrapping her arms around him. “I married you because I love you. I don’t need anything but you.”
Linc buried his face in her neck and pulled her close. She lifted his head and he kissed her. Then she abruptly broke off the kiss, sliding off his lap and standing directly in front of him, her eyes flashing. “Don’t you ever do that to me again. Do you understand?”
“Kiss you?” he asked in bewilderment.
“Of course not! I’m talking about keeping the truth from me.” Whirling around, she went into their bedroom, returning a few minutes later, fully dressed. “Okay. What happened?” Her voice was brisk, all seductiveness gone.
“Happened?”
“To cause this financial shortfall. You’re…” She paused as though everything had started to come together in her mind. “My father.” She spoke in a low voice, then repeated the two words more loudly and with more conviction. “My father’s done something, hasn’t he?”
Linc didn’t reply.
“Hasn’t he?” she demanded again.
“I…can’t say for sure, but it seems that way.”
She began to pace, five steps in one direction, five in the other, making quick, precise turns.
Linc found her movements almost hypnotic. “Now, Lori,” he began, “there’s no need to get upset. I have everything under control.”
“That’s low, even for him.” Either she hadn’t heard a word he’d said or she recognized his statement for the lie it was. “This is going to change and it’s going to change right now.” She reached for her purse and yanked out her cell phone, punching a single button.
“Lori,” he asked, “who are you phoning?”
“Who do you think?” she muttered.
Linc stood and circled her waist with his arms. “Lori,” he said again, drawing her close. “Tell me what you’re doing.”
She moved the cell away from her ear. “I’m calling Daddy. And I’m having it out with him.”
Linc had seen that look in her eyes only once before and that, too, had been an instance involving her father.
“Hello, Helen, this is Lori Wyse. Is my father still in?”
He started to tell Lori that maybe they should discuss this first, but one sharp glance from his wife told him to forget it. She was furious—and determined.
A minute later Bellamy got on the phone. “Hi, Daddy,” she said, all sweetness.
“Hi, baby girl. If you’re calling, I figure that means you’ve come to your senses and dumped that useless husband of yours.”
Linc stood close enough to hear Bellamy’s half of the conversation. At his father-in-law’s comment, his back stiffened. He released Lori, automatically clenching his fists.
“No, Daddy, it’s the Bellamys I’m—as you so delicately put it—dumping. For most of my life I’ve cowered in front of you, caving in to your wishes. No more. You’ve gone too far this time. You want to hurt the man I love, the man I married. I won’t stand for that. I won’t! In fact…I never want to hear
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