Read Online Blaze of Winter: A Loveswept Contemporary Romance by Elisabeth Barrett - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Elisabeth Barrett
Ads: Link
just had the whole thing reseeded. And those goats were mean. Bit anyone who came near ’em.”
Kate nodded as Avery winced.
“Of course I’m leaving out the really naughty stuff. Like the drinking and all the girls. But you wouldn’t want to hear about that.”
She shook her head. “No.” She really didn’t.
Kate put her arm around Avery’s shoulders. “That’s all in the past, dear.”
“Besides, Seb and Cole were mostly behind those kinds of escapades. Theo just liked to scheme. He was definitely responsible for some of their better tricks,” Luke told her.
Avery cocked her head at him. “You sound like you enjoyed cleaning up after them.”
He smiled. “Let’s just say I appreciate an organized plan of attack. Hell-raising is one thing, but well-planned mayhem’s another.”
Avery couldn’t help but smile too. “ ‘Well-planned mayhem.’ I didn’t know there was such a thing.”
“That’s what you get when the Grayson boys are around.” He stood up. “I’m going back to the hardware store to get the parts I need to replace the pins. I’ll be back to finish it and to make an impression for a new front-door key. I’ll make you a master, and a dozen extra ones for your guests.”
“That sounds wonderful, Luke. Thank you,” Kate said.
“So you think you can do it today?” Avery asked hopefully. The less time she had to spend thinking about this, the better.
He nodded. “By five, for sure. I have rehearsal tonight and I don’t want to miss it.”
“Rehearsal?”
“Yeah. Every Thursday night. We have a nice chamber music group in town. I play viola, Karen Wright plays cello, and John Anson plays second violin. Andy Neiman fills in on piano if we want to do a piano quintet, Royce Hogan joins us on double bass, and Dave Berger is a fine oboist. Our first violinist, Georgina Flagstaff, moved to Andover in June, so we’ve been out a player since then. John moved up to first for a while, but he claims he likes the parts for second better. There are plenty of pieces for us to perform without two violins, but we’re missing out on some of the great ones.”
Avery narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms under her chest. “Have you been talking with Kate?” She gave her aunt a dirty look.
“Why ever would you ask that?” Luke tried to look innocent, but he didn’t fool her.
“Because I play the violin.”
“You do?” he said, his surprised tone belied by his small smile. “Why, that’s wonderful! Would you consider joining us? Maybe just one rehearsal to see if you’re a good fit?”
“Just wait until later, Aunt Kate,” Avery vowed.
Kate held up her hands in supplication. “I didn’t tell him a thing!”
“Now you leave this lovely woman out of it,” he said, putting an arm around Kate’s shoulders. “If you really want to know how I found out, it’s because Joanne Martins told Max Wright—who told Karen—that she saw a violin case when you were moving into Kate’s a few weeks ago.”
“You have got to be kidding me,” she muttered. “Everyone knows everyone’s business in this town.”
“Can’t apologize. That’s Star Harbor for you.” He shrugged. “So are you going to join us or not?”
Outmaneuvered once again. “If I don’t, then everyone will talk about how I snubbed you. Do I even have a choice?”
Luke grinned at her. “Nope.”
CHAPTER 6
After Luke left, Avery turned her attention to the lost-and-found box, which Kate had been keeping under the reception desk. She’d been meaning to sort through it for a while now, since the container was filled to the brim. She pulled the items out one by one and laid them on the desk.
“Oh,” Kate said, coming through the door from the parlor, “you’re organizing the lost-and-found box. Good.”
“There sure is a lot of junk in here,” Avery complained, pulling out a bent umbrella and showing it to Kate. “I can’t imagine anyone would want this anymore. Why are we keeping
Kate nodded as Avery winced.
“Of course I’m leaving out the really naughty stuff. Like the drinking and all the girls. But you wouldn’t want to hear about that.”
She shook her head. “No.” She really didn’t.
Kate put her arm around Avery’s shoulders. “That’s all in the past, dear.”
“Besides, Seb and Cole were mostly behind those kinds of escapades. Theo just liked to scheme. He was definitely responsible for some of their better tricks,” Luke told her.
Avery cocked her head at him. “You sound like you enjoyed cleaning up after them.”
He smiled. “Let’s just say I appreciate an organized plan of attack. Hell-raising is one thing, but well-planned mayhem’s another.”
Avery couldn’t help but smile too. “ ‘Well-planned mayhem.’ I didn’t know there was such a thing.”
“That’s what you get when the Grayson boys are around.” He stood up. “I’m going back to the hardware store to get the parts I need to replace the pins. I’ll be back to finish it and to make an impression for a new front-door key. I’ll make you a master, and a dozen extra ones for your guests.”
“That sounds wonderful, Luke. Thank you,” Kate said.
“So you think you can do it today?” Avery asked hopefully. The less time she had to spend thinking about this, the better.
He nodded. “By five, for sure. I have rehearsal tonight and I don’t want to miss it.”
“Rehearsal?”
“Yeah. Every Thursday night. We have a nice chamber music group in town. I play viola, Karen Wright plays cello, and John Anson plays second violin. Andy Neiman fills in on piano if we want to do a piano quintet, Royce Hogan joins us on double bass, and Dave Berger is a fine oboist. Our first violinist, Georgina Flagstaff, moved to Andover in June, so we’ve been out a player since then. John moved up to first for a while, but he claims he likes the parts for second better. There are plenty of pieces for us to perform without two violins, but we’re missing out on some of the great ones.”
Avery narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms under her chest. “Have you been talking with Kate?” She gave her aunt a dirty look.
“Why ever would you ask that?” Luke tried to look innocent, but he didn’t fool her.
“Because I play the violin.”
“You do?” he said, his surprised tone belied by his small smile. “Why, that’s wonderful! Would you consider joining us? Maybe just one rehearsal to see if you’re a good fit?”
“Just wait until later, Aunt Kate,” Avery vowed.
Kate held up her hands in supplication. “I didn’t tell him a thing!”
“Now you leave this lovely woman out of it,” he said, putting an arm around Kate’s shoulders. “If you really want to know how I found out, it’s because Joanne Martins told Max Wright—who told Karen—that she saw a violin case when you were moving into Kate’s a few weeks ago.”
“You have got to be kidding me,” she muttered. “Everyone knows everyone’s business in this town.”
“Can’t apologize. That’s Star Harbor for you.” He shrugged. “So are you going to join us or not?”
Outmaneuvered once again. “If I don’t, then everyone will talk about how I snubbed you. Do I even have a choice?”
Luke grinned at her. “Nope.”
CHAPTER 6
After Luke left, Avery turned her attention to the lost-and-found box, which Kate had been keeping under the reception desk. She’d been meaning to sort through it for a while now, since the container was filled to the brim. She pulled the items out one by one and laid them on the desk.
“Oh,” Kate said, coming through the door from the parlor, “you’re organizing the lost-and-found box. Good.”
“There sure is a lot of junk in here,” Avery complained, pulling out a bent umbrella and showing it to Kate. “I can’t imagine anyone would want this anymore. Why are we keeping
Similar Books
