Read Online Awakened in August (Spring River Valley Book 8) by Clarice Wynter - Free Book Online
Authors: Clarice Wynter
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to be happy, and I’m only happy when I’m making money.”
“Hmm.” Riley picked up his pace, hoping he’d lose Dale as soon as the trail started to cant uphill.
“So you’re getting a car.”
“I’m hoping it won’t be too much of a hassle.”
“You don’t have any luggage.”
“I haven’t packed yet.” He hadn’t planned on ending his stay, just taking a day or two to help get things under control at the office. Part of him hoped he could come back and talk to Lydia, get her to see who he was and what things about him weren’t going to change and hope she could accept that. But in all honesty, he knew the truth. If he went back home today, he wouldn’t be back, even with another week to go on his vacation; he’d be mired in work, and no one at the firm would encourage him to drop what he was doing and go back to relaxing. That wasn’t how things were done in a busy, successful law firm. “As soon as I get the car squared away, I’ll go get my things.”
“Good, then I’ll have time to pack too. You’ll let me hitch a ride with you, right?”
“Uh…sure.” What could he say? The car wasn’t his, but he supposed if two people needed transportation, the resort might be more likely to provide it.
“Thanks…uh…sorry. I don’t know your name. I’ve been calling you the ‘guy with cell service’ all week.”
“I’m flattered. I’m Riley.”
“Dale.”
“Yeah, I know. I’ve been calling you ‘the guy they call Dale’ all week.”
Dale laughed, and Riley forced a chuckle.
“Well, I appreciate you helping me out. You’ve made my day.”
“Don’t mention it.” At least he’d made someone happy today, too bad it couldn’t have been Lydia.
Chapter Nine
A soft, feminine voice woke Riley from sleep, and his first thought was Lydia had come to rescue him from the relentless mound of paperwork that spilled over his desk. He lifted his head and groaned when the realization hit him that he’d once again fallen asleep in the office.
His vision cleared, but his eyes stung terribly, reminding him he was still wearing his contact lenses. Great. They’d be glued to his eyes and would hurt like hell to remove.
The face hovering in front of him solidified into Brenda Samms, Mitzi’s paralegal. She wore an expression he’d seen his mother wear countless times when she’d found him dozing with his face in a college textbook.
“You slept here again? That vacation was supposed to help you learn some moderation, not get you rested up so you could work yourself to death,” the pretty brunette told him.
He wondered if she’d have been so bold a few months ago, back when she still harbored a crush on him that he’d been so stupidly oblivious to. He knew he wasn’t the guy for Brenda. She’d found someone far worthier of her affections. She and Chase Turner from personnel made a perfect couple, so the office scuttlebutt went, and if nothing else, the relationship had made Brenda much more of a drill sergeant when it came to work.
She shook her finger at him while he peeled a legal brief off his face. “Did you like the ER that much that you want to go back?”
“No…I know. The last thing I remember it was around eight o’clock, and I was going to work for fifteen more minutes.”
“That was twelve hours ago. At least you got a full night’s sleep, right?” She handed him a cup of steaming coffee. “Drink this, go home, and shower. I’ll cover for you.”
He managed a smile despite the excruciating pain in the back of his neck. Where was Dolph? He could use those magic hands right about… God, I’m in such bad shape I’m thinking about Dolph?
“You’re a million miles away.” Brenda sat in the leather chair in front of his desk. She clasped her hands together and leaned forward. “And you look utterly miserable. To be perfectly frank, you’ve never looked worse.”
“Well, thanks for your brutal honesty.” He sipped the coffee and winced at
“Hmm.” Riley picked up his pace, hoping he’d lose Dale as soon as the trail started to cant uphill.
“So you’re getting a car.”
“I’m hoping it won’t be too much of a hassle.”
“You don’t have any luggage.”
“I haven’t packed yet.” He hadn’t planned on ending his stay, just taking a day or two to help get things under control at the office. Part of him hoped he could come back and talk to Lydia, get her to see who he was and what things about him weren’t going to change and hope she could accept that. But in all honesty, he knew the truth. If he went back home today, he wouldn’t be back, even with another week to go on his vacation; he’d be mired in work, and no one at the firm would encourage him to drop what he was doing and go back to relaxing. That wasn’t how things were done in a busy, successful law firm. “As soon as I get the car squared away, I’ll go get my things.”
“Good, then I’ll have time to pack too. You’ll let me hitch a ride with you, right?”
“Uh…sure.” What could he say? The car wasn’t his, but he supposed if two people needed transportation, the resort might be more likely to provide it.
“Thanks…uh…sorry. I don’t know your name. I’ve been calling you the ‘guy with cell service’ all week.”
“I’m flattered. I’m Riley.”
“Dale.”
“Yeah, I know. I’ve been calling you ‘the guy they call Dale’ all week.”
Dale laughed, and Riley forced a chuckle.
“Well, I appreciate you helping me out. You’ve made my day.”
“Don’t mention it.” At least he’d made someone happy today, too bad it couldn’t have been Lydia.
Chapter Nine
A soft, feminine voice woke Riley from sleep, and his first thought was Lydia had come to rescue him from the relentless mound of paperwork that spilled over his desk. He lifted his head and groaned when the realization hit him that he’d once again fallen asleep in the office.
His vision cleared, but his eyes stung terribly, reminding him he was still wearing his contact lenses. Great. They’d be glued to his eyes and would hurt like hell to remove.
The face hovering in front of him solidified into Brenda Samms, Mitzi’s paralegal. She wore an expression he’d seen his mother wear countless times when she’d found him dozing with his face in a college textbook.
“You slept here again? That vacation was supposed to help you learn some moderation, not get you rested up so you could work yourself to death,” the pretty brunette told him.
He wondered if she’d have been so bold a few months ago, back when she still harbored a crush on him that he’d been so stupidly oblivious to. He knew he wasn’t the guy for Brenda. She’d found someone far worthier of her affections. She and Chase Turner from personnel made a perfect couple, so the office scuttlebutt went, and if nothing else, the relationship had made Brenda much more of a drill sergeant when it came to work.
She shook her finger at him while he peeled a legal brief off his face. “Did you like the ER that much that you want to go back?”
“No…I know. The last thing I remember it was around eight o’clock, and I was going to work for fifteen more minutes.”
“That was twelve hours ago. At least you got a full night’s sleep, right?” She handed him a cup of steaming coffee. “Drink this, go home, and shower. I’ll cover for you.”
He managed a smile despite the excruciating pain in the back of his neck. Where was Dolph? He could use those magic hands right about… God, I’m in such bad shape I’m thinking about Dolph?
“You’re a million miles away.” Brenda sat in the leather chair in front of his desk. She clasped her hands together and leaned forward. “And you look utterly miserable. To be perfectly frank, you’ve never looked worse.”
“Well, thanks for your brutal honesty.” He sipped the coffee and winced at
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