Read Online A Glimmer of Hope: A Novella Prequel to Isle of Hope by Julie Lessman - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Julie Lessman
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while he’s away at school.”
The pinch of Ben’s mouth was not a good sign. “Yes, well, it’s the ‘comfort level’ that has me worried, Adam, where a so-called ‘promise ring’ could make it all too ‘comfortable’ for behavior that will only get them in trouble.”
“Daddy!” Lacey’s face leached as pale as the vanilla ice cream melted into puddles on everyone’s plate.
A tic flickered in Jack’s cheek as he clutched Lacey all the closer. “Then let’s not call it a promise ring, sir. Let’s call it a purity ring instead, because I assure you as a man committed to the ministry, those are my intentions—to remain faithful and pure with Lacey until the day we become man and wife.”
Ben’s eyes shifted to his daughter, his angular features as stony as Jack’s. “And what about you, Lacey?” His linear smile curled almost imperceptibly, shrinking Tess’s ribcage till she thought she couldn’t breathe. “Are you as committed to purity as Jack appears to be?”
“Ben, please!” Karen rose to slip a protective arm around Lacey. “Have a little faith in your daughter as well as in the son of our dearest friends.”
“I don’t think ‘faith’ is exactly Ben’s strong suit, Karen,” Tess said with a sweet smile as cool as her ice cream, Ben’s surly attitude prickling the mama bear within. “At least not according to Adam, who I assure you, has been around the mountain with him on that issue alone more times than we can count.”
Adam’s chuckle helped break the tension as he raised his coffee cup in a toast. “I’m afraid she’s nailed you there, Doc, but unlike you, my friend, I have enough faith for both of us that someday that, too, will change.”
Ben grunted. “It’ll change all right—when you finally realize faith is highly overrated.”
“Ah, yes, but so is stubbornness,” Tess said with a crisp arch of brows, her potent smile daring Ben to say another word, “and yet you cling to it with great tenacity, do you not?” Denying him a reply, she whirled to give Jack a pointed look, offering Lacey and him a sympathetic smile. “Jack, why don’t you and Lacey enjoy your pie inside with a movie while we parents indulge in a little Scrabble therapy after dessert?”
“Thanks, Mom,” Jack said quietly, offering a smile to Karen and a stiff nod to Ben before ushering Lacey inside.
At the click of the screen door, Tess felt the knot in her chest slowly unravel, praying Ben’s sullen response wouldn’t ruin her son’s spring break. Squaring her shoulders, she managed a smile near as blinding as Ben’s glare while she glanced around the table with a lift of her brows, the twinkle back when her gaze collided with Ben’s. “Peach soup, anyone?”
Chapter Seven
I hate him.
Lacey slammed the front door as hard as she could, the sound defiling the beauty of a balmy June night where the sunset rippled over the river in ribbons of scarlet and gold. Oh, how she wished she could stay at Nicki’s forever, and if it wasn’t for her mom, she would, the sound of Daddy’s favorite rate of late still ringing in her ears.
“That’s a promise ring all right—a promise he’ll get exactly what he wants without paying the price.”
Liar! Lacey fled across her front yard and didn’t stop till she collapsed over the railing of the ramp to Jack’s dock, barely able to hear Jack’s and his sisters’ laughter for the pounding of her own heart. Her ribcage ached from exertion as nausea rolled in her gut, threatening to rise in her throat. Fear and insecurity clawed in her chest while waves of worthlessness slammed against her brain, deadly whitecaps in a storm against her soul. Daddy had been in a particularly foul mood tonight, triggering another fight with Mom before turning his wrath on her.
“That piece of tin is nothing but a license to use you, and when he’s done, he’ll just throw you away.”
No! Chest heaving, Lacey swiped at the tears on her face,
The pinch of Ben’s mouth was not a good sign. “Yes, well, it’s the ‘comfort level’ that has me worried, Adam, where a so-called ‘promise ring’ could make it all too ‘comfortable’ for behavior that will only get them in trouble.”
“Daddy!” Lacey’s face leached as pale as the vanilla ice cream melted into puddles on everyone’s plate.
A tic flickered in Jack’s cheek as he clutched Lacey all the closer. “Then let’s not call it a promise ring, sir. Let’s call it a purity ring instead, because I assure you as a man committed to the ministry, those are my intentions—to remain faithful and pure with Lacey until the day we become man and wife.”
Ben’s eyes shifted to his daughter, his angular features as stony as Jack’s. “And what about you, Lacey?” His linear smile curled almost imperceptibly, shrinking Tess’s ribcage till she thought she couldn’t breathe. “Are you as committed to purity as Jack appears to be?”
“Ben, please!” Karen rose to slip a protective arm around Lacey. “Have a little faith in your daughter as well as in the son of our dearest friends.”
“I don’t think ‘faith’ is exactly Ben’s strong suit, Karen,” Tess said with a sweet smile as cool as her ice cream, Ben’s surly attitude prickling the mama bear within. “At least not according to Adam, who I assure you, has been around the mountain with him on that issue alone more times than we can count.”
Adam’s chuckle helped break the tension as he raised his coffee cup in a toast. “I’m afraid she’s nailed you there, Doc, but unlike you, my friend, I have enough faith for both of us that someday that, too, will change.”
Ben grunted. “It’ll change all right—when you finally realize faith is highly overrated.”
“Ah, yes, but so is stubbornness,” Tess said with a crisp arch of brows, her potent smile daring Ben to say another word, “and yet you cling to it with great tenacity, do you not?” Denying him a reply, she whirled to give Jack a pointed look, offering Lacey and him a sympathetic smile. “Jack, why don’t you and Lacey enjoy your pie inside with a movie while we parents indulge in a little Scrabble therapy after dessert?”
“Thanks, Mom,” Jack said quietly, offering a smile to Karen and a stiff nod to Ben before ushering Lacey inside.
At the click of the screen door, Tess felt the knot in her chest slowly unravel, praying Ben’s sullen response wouldn’t ruin her son’s spring break. Squaring her shoulders, she managed a smile near as blinding as Ben’s glare while she glanced around the table with a lift of her brows, the twinkle back when her gaze collided with Ben’s. “Peach soup, anyone?”
Chapter Seven
I hate him.
Lacey slammed the front door as hard as she could, the sound defiling the beauty of a balmy June night where the sunset rippled over the river in ribbons of scarlet and gold. Oh, how she wished she could stay at Nicki’s forever, and if it wasn’t for her mom, she would, the sound of Daddy’s favorite rate of late still ringing in her ears.
“That’s a promise ring all right—a promise he’ll get exactly what he wants without paying the price.”
Liar! Lacey fled across her front yard and didn’t stop till she collapsed over the railing of the ramp to Jack’s dock, barely able to hear Jack’s and his sisters’ laughter for the pounding of her own heart. Her ribcage ached from exertion as nausea rolled in her gut, threatening to rise in her throat. Fear and insecurity clawed in her chest while waves of worthlessness slammed against her brain, deadly whitecaps in a storm against her soul. Daddy had been in a particularly foul mood tonight, triggering another fight with Mom before turning his wrath on her.
“That piece of tin is nothing but a license to use you, and when he’s done, he’ll just throw you away.”
No! Chest heaving, Lacey swiped at the tears on her face,
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