Read Online Bowled Over by Victoria Hamilton - Free Book Online
Authors: Victoria Hamilton
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explained about the Coopers’ past association with Johnny Stanko, how the older guy had made Craig his personal punching bag for three years. “One thing Kathy is
not
, is a coward.”
Valetta got up and walked away, and a few minutes later Jaymie saw her down on the dock with Johnny Stanko; the two were talking intently, then Valetta patted his shoulder and turned toward the steps up to Boardwalk Park. What on earth did those two have to talk about?
The sun climbed in the sky, and while Daniel played with Hoppy and Tabitha, Jaymie chatted with Kevin; he seemed like a very nice man. He told PG jokes and mildly amusing stories, and was fascinated by Jaymie’s fondness for vintage kitchenware. He shared some stories of his mother’s kitchen,in a small village in Dorset county in England, and relayed how sorry he was that he had missed the Tea with the Queen the month before. He’d be there next year, he said. He would love to have a part, but supposed it wouldn’t be appropriate, since he wasn’t really a Queensvillian.
“I’d very much enjoy playing Mr. Brown to the local Queen Victoria!” he said, and in his best Scottish accent, admittedly superior to most, added, “Och, aye, and wearin’ a kilt…I’ve verra good legs, you know!”
Becca watched them chat and beamed with joy, which Jaymie found both sweet and a little unsettling. When her older sister had gotten married for the second time, it had been sudden, a spur-of-the-moment decision that she ended up regretting and that had left her climbing out of a deep pit of debt for years. Kevin seemed like a genuinely nice guy, but Jaymie hoped her sister wouldn’t make any sudden decisions.
When the ball that Daniel was tossing to Tabitha landed close to Kathy and Craig, he strolled over to pick it up and engaged them in conversation. Jaymie watched uneasily while nominally listening to Kevin talk about his childhood and the year that the Christmas pudding blew up. She dutifully laughed, but then excused herself and got up, approaching to hear Daniel saying to Kathy, “You should give her a chance, you know, because she’s a wonderful person.”
Oh crap!
Why did he feel the need to intervene? Kathy, of course, shot her a disgusted look, while Craig responded in a mumble to Daniel’s comment. She stood a ways away, debating how to get Daniel’s attention without ruining the day by engaging with Kathy again, when she saw Connor trot over to his aunt. Relieved that Daniel’s intervention would be ended by Connor’s arrival, she turned away, but was caught up short by the screech of Kathy’s angry voice.She turned back, and saw Kylie Hofstadter pulling her son away from Kathy as she stood and yelled after her sister, “Kylie, let him stay! It’s up to him, isn’t it?”
“You ruined that, Kath,” Kylie yelled back, as Connor wriggled in his mother’s grasp. “You ruined that when you told him Grandpa Andy doesn’t want to see him.”
Jaymie was reminded of the scene in the Emporium, and how Kathy had said to Connor that his grandfather didn’t want him around.
Craig said to his wife, “Just leave it, Kathy. We’ll sort it out tomorrow. Don’t ruin the day.”
Kathy broke down in tears, watching Connor with Kylie and Andy Walker. Craig awkwardly patted her shoulder, but she moved away from him, her shoulder hunched. “Andy Walker has been deliberately trying to alienate Connor from me for months now,” she sobbed, anger and pain mingled in her voice. “You
know
that’s true, Craig, you
know
it!” She looked up at her husband, watching his face as she said, “If Connor’s going with us, then—” Craig put a finger to her mouth and pulled her away from the group. He spoke to her in a hushed tone.
Hands on her hips, she listened for a moment, but then shook her head and grabbed his arm, furiously talking in his face. He looked about to reply, but instead shrugged and pulled away from her, then strode off, shoulders hunched. Kathy
not
, is a coward.”
Valetta got up and walked away, and a few minutes later Jaymie saw her down on the dock with Johnny Stanko; the two were talking intently, then Valetta patted his shoulder and turned toward the steps up to Boardwalk Park. What on earth did those two have to talk about?
The sun climbed in the sky, and while Daniel played with Hoppy and Tabitha, Jaymie chatted with Kevin; he seemed like a very nice man. He told PG jokes and mildly amusing stories, and was fascinated by Jaymie’s fondness for vintage kitchenware. He shared some stories of his mother’s kitchen,in a small village in Dorset county in England, and relayed how sorry he was that he had missed the Tea with the Queen the month before. He’d be there next year, he said. He would love to have a part, but supposed it wouldn’t be appropriate, since he wasn’t really a Queensvillian.
“I’d very much enjoy playing Mr. Brown to the local Queen Victoria!” he said, and in his best Scottish accent, admittedly superior to most, added, “Och, aye, and wearin’ a kilt…I’ve verra good legs, you know!”
Becca watched them chat and beamed with joy, which Jaymie found both sweet and a little unsettling. When her older sister had gotten married for the second time, it had been sudden, a spur-of-the-moment decision that she ended up regretting and that had left her climbing out of a deep pit of debt for years. Kevin seemed like a genuinely nice guy, but Jaymie hoped her sister wouldn’t make any sudden decisions.
When the ball that Daniel was tossing to Tabitha landed close to Kathy and Craig, he strolled over to pick it up and engaged them in conversation. Jaymie watched uneasily while nominally listening to Kevin talk about his childhood and the year that the Christmas pudding blew up. She dutifully laughed, but then excused herself and got up, approaching to hear Daniel saying to Kathy, “You should give her a chance, you know, because she’s a wonderful person.”
Oh crap!
Why did he feel the need to intervene? Kathy, of course, shot her a disgusted look, while Craig responded in a mumble to Daniel’s comment. She stood a ways away, debating how to get Daniel’s attention without ruining the day by engaging with Kathy again, when she saw Connor trot over to his aunt. Relieved that Daniel’s intervention would be ended by Connor’s arrival, she turned away, but was caught up short by the screech of Kathy’s angry voice.She turned back, and saw Kylie Hofstadter pulling her son away from Kathy as she stood and yelled after her sister, “Kylie, let him stay! It’s up to him, isn’t it?”
“You ruined that, Kath,” Kylie yelled back, as Connor wriggled in his mother’s grasp. “You ruined that when you told him Grandpa Andy doesn’t want to see him.”
Jaymie was reminded of the scene in the Emporium, and how Kathy had said to Connor that his grandfather didn’t want him around.
Craig said to his wife, “Just leave it, Kathy. We’ll sort it out tomorrow. Don’t ruin the day.”
Kathy broke down in tears, watching Connor with Kylie and Andy Walker. Craig awkwardly patted her shoulder, but she moved away from him, her shoulder hunched. “Andy Walker has been deliberately trying to alienate Connor from me for months now,” she sobbed, anger and pain mingled in her voice. “You
know
that’s true, Craig, you
know
it!” She looked up at her husband, watching his face as she said, “If Connor’s going with us, then—” Craig put a finger to her mouth and pulled her away from the group. He spoke to her in a hushed tone.
Hands on her hips, she listened for a moment, but then shook her head and grabbed his arm, furiously talking in his face. He looked about to reply, but instead shrugged and pulled away from her, then strode off, shoulders hunched. Kathy
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