Read Online Blue Moon by Cindy Lynn Speer - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Cindy Lynn Speer
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mean, why Alex?"
"Well, Alex is a nice way to shorten Alexander, but I was wondering why Alex and why not Al? Or Xander?"
"Well, it's not Alexander. It's just Alex."
"Oh.” Libby stood there a moment, reflecting that conversation was hard when you were afraid to ask questions. Questions led to questions returned, and she didn't have that much of a past she wanted to share yet.
"So,” she asked. “Did you go to college?"
He looked at her from the corner of his eye. “Maybe."
"Maybe?"
"To be honest,” he said, “I have no idea. I had an accident a couple of years back and it knocked it all out of my head."
"You got hit in the head?"
He nodded. “Amnesia. Permanent, it looks like."
"Well, that explains a lot."
"Like what?” he asked, grabbing the separator from the side of the cash register and placing it on the belt. “I don't act like this all the time, I'll have you know. Most of my friends think I'm all normal and boring."
"I'll bet."
He took a stack of cold boxes out of the cart. “You should be grateful that someone's willing to try and add a little color to your life,” he grumbled.
"I am.” She bit her lip, trying not to giggle.
He looked at her for a moment. “You're teasing me."
"I suppose so, yes."
"I think I'm going to have a heart attack."
"It's not that rare!” she protested. “You just don't know me well enough."
"If you're going to have a heart attack, would you mind stepping to the side so someone else can get through?"
Alex arched an eyebrow and stared at the woman behind them. Libby turned around to face her.
"What's your hurry? They haven't even started on our order yet."
The woman didn't seem to hear Libby. She stared at Alex's face with growing dismay. Libby turned to look at him, but his face was calm, unreadable. He just stared at the woman until she pulled her cart out of line and went to a register several lines down.
Alex looked at Libby and blushed a little. He turned and concentrated on unloading the soup cans from the bottom of the cart. Libby helped, trying to figure out what had passed between Alex and the woman that frightened her enough to leave the line and start all over again elsewhere.
More than a few minutes later, he helped her unload the cart again into the trunk of her car. The last bag stuffed in, she shut the lid. Alex smiled and said, “It's lucky you'll have me to carry all these things in."
"Well, actually,” she said, focusing her stare on the keys in her hand, “I thought I'd just drop you off. We're practically right next to your hotel already."
"But I was planning on buying you dinner."
"You know that's not necessary."
"Libby, I'm offering you food that doesn't come in boxes.” He shrugged. “Not that we know of, anyway."
She looked at him and felt the familiarity, the comfort of him. She wanted to fight it because such a feeling could be deadly in her position, but she couldn't find the will.
"Tomorrow night,” she said. “When I'm less tired. Shopping wears me out."
"No, it's not the shopping. It's the spending,” he said, handing her the receipt that had fallen out of one of the bags. She winced at the total and stuck it in a pocket.
"Tomorrow would be great,” he continued. “I'll come get you. Do you like to eat early or late?"
She got in and unlocked the doors. He shut the door for her and came around. When he was settled beside her, she took out a notepad and a pen.
"My life's really flexible,” she said, “so it doesn't really matter. I'm not much on being out after dark, though."
"Why not?” he asked.
Because the woods are lonely after dark, she thought, but she said, “That's just the way I am. Who knows why?” She handed him the slip of paper. “I don't give this out often,” she said.
"Then I'm doubly honored."
She laughed and started the car. “I hope you continue to think so."
Chapter Five
Waking her would not be easy—if, indeed, she was still on this earth, if the tomb had not cracked and
"Well, Alex is a nice way to shorten Alexander, but I was wondering why Alex and why not Al? Or Xander?"
"Well, it's not Alexander. It's just Alex."
"Oh.” Libby stood there a moment, reflecting that conversation was hard when you were afraid to ask questions. Questions led to questions returned, and she didn't have that much of a past she wanted to share yet.
"So,” she asked. “Did you go to college?"
He looked at her from the corner of his eye. “Maybe."
"Maybe?"
"To be honest,” he said, “I have no idea. I had an accident a couple of years back and it knocked it all out of my head."
"You got hit in the head?"
He nodded. “Amnesia. Permanent, it looks like."
"Well, that explains a lot."
"Like what?” he asked, grabbing the separator from the side of the cash register and placing it on the belt. “I don't act like this all the time, I'll have you know. Most of my friends think I'm all normal and boring."
"I'll bet."
He took a stack of cold boxes out of the cart. “You should be grateful that someone's willing to try and add a little color to your life,” he grumbled.
"I am.” She bit her lip, trying not to giggle.
He looked at her for a moment. “You're teasing me."
"I suppose so, yes."
"I think I'm going to have a heart attack."
"It's not that rare!” she protested. “You just don't know me well enough."
"If you're going to have a heart attack, would you mind stepping to the side so someone else can get through?"
Alex arched an eyebrow and stared at the woman behind them. Libby turned around to face her.
"What's your hurry? They haven't even started on our order yet."
The woman didn't seem to hear Libby. She stared at Alex's face with growing dismay. Libby turned to look at him, but his face was calm, unreadable. He just stared at the woman until she pulled her cart out of line and went to a register several lines down.
Alex looked at Libby and blushed a little. He turned and concentrated on unloading the soup cans from the bottom of the cart. Libby helped, trying to figure out what had passed between Alex and the woman that frightened her enough to leave the line and start all over again elsewhere.
More than a few minutes later, he helped her unload the cart again into the trunk of her car. The last bag stuffed in, she shut the lid. Alex smiled and said, “It's lucky you'll have me to carry all these things in."
"Well, actually,” she said, focusing her stare on the keys in her hand, “I thought I'd just drop you off. We're practically right next to your hotel already."
"But I was planning on buying you dinner."
"You know that's not necessary."
"Libby, I'm offering you food that doesn't come in boxes.” He shrugged. “Not that we know of, anyway."
She looked at him and felt the familiarity, the comfort of him. She wanted to fight it because such a feeling could be deadly in her position, but she couldn't find the will.
"Tomorrow night,” she said. “When I'm less tired. Shopping wears me out."
"No, it's not the shopping. It's the spending,” he said, handing her the receipt that had fallen out of one of the bags. She winced at the total and stuck it in a pocket.
"Tomorrow would be great,” he continued. “I'll come get you. Do you like to eat early or late?"
She got in and unlocked the doors. He shut the door for her and came around. When he was settled beside her, she took out a notepad and a pen.
"My life's really flexible,” she said, “so it doesn't really matter. I'm not much on being out after dark, though."
"Why not?” he asked.
Because the woods are lonely after dark, she thought, but she said, “That's just the way I am. Who knows why?” She handed him the slip of paper. “I don't give this out often,” she said.
"Then I'm doubly honored."
She laughed and started the car. “I hope you continue to think so."
Chapter Five
Waking her would not be easy—if, indeed, she was still on this earth, if the tomb had not cracked and
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