Read Online By His Hand: Truly Yours Digital Edition by Jennifer Johnson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer Johnson
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good for her.”
Silence permeated the hall. Most of the congregation had left the building. Anxious for some kind of sound, Chris jingled the change in his pocket. The cool metal had a calming effect on him, feeling good between his fingers.
“What do you think?” Her gaze bore into him with intensity.
The clear sincerity reflected in Victoria’s eyes attracted him in the most basic of ways. He couldn’t deny his attraction for her. Any man with a pulse would be drawn to her. “I think you’d be a perfect influence.”
Victoria smiled. “Then why don’t you introduce me to her.”
“Let’s go. She’s in the truck.”
Calm down
. Victoria scurried to keep up with Chris’s much wider stride.
I have no reason to be nervous. The man whose car I trashed just wants me to be a good influence on his wayward sister
. Victoria exhaled, blowing stray curls away from her eyes.
How did I get myself into this?
Scanning the parking lot, few vehicles remained. Sondra and Dylan stood on each side of the van leaning into it, probably buckling both children into their car seats. She knew the kids had to be on the verge of a complete exhaustion meltdown, so she’d have to make this introduction quick. Looking ahead of her she noticed the aged, dark green truck occupied by an obviously disgruntled teenager.
Chris gently touched her elbow in a way that felt protective. His breath kissed her ear as he whispered, “I apologize ahead of time for anything Abby may say to you.”
“Don’t worry.” Victoria swatted the air as a knot formed and tightened in her gut. The attraction she felt for Chris made no sense, and she had to fight it. She focused on the truck, and as they drew closer, Victoria noted Abby’s arms were crossed in front of her chest. The teen’s clamped lips formed a straight line, and her squinted eyes glared out the windshield and past them, as if she were staring at the church.
Somewhere inside Victoria a giggle formed. She coughed and willed herself to squelch it, but it wouldn’t go away. Feeling it wiggle its way up to her lips, Victoria couldn’t shake Abby’s resemblance to a younger version of Granny from the
Beverly Hillbillies
and the sour expressions she constantly wore.
“Are you okay?” Chris stopped just before the truck and peered at her.
Victoria nodded and then covered her mouth with her bulletin as another giggle escaped. She walked to Abby’s door to avoid looking at Chris for fear she might burst into full-blown laughter. Victoria sneaked a peek at Abby, whose eyes squinted in defiance. The teen bit her bottom lip, and Victoria wondered if Abby had trouble holding her own giggles at bay. The expression proved too much and Victoria laughed. Offering her hand through the rolled down window, Victoria said, “I’m Victoria. You must be Abby.”
Abby half smiled and nodded.
Victoria coughed and tried to clear her throat to settle down but couldn’t shake the smile from her lips. “Look, I’ll just be honest. I’m new here. In fact, I’m the gal who hit your brother’s car.”
“You’re the Mary Ann Mangler?”
Victoria raised her eyebrows and glanced at Chris, who looked away from her but not before she noticed his face had turned bright crimson. “Yes, that’s me. Well, your brother mentioned that you—”
“Dylan, did you say you need some help? I’m coming!” Chris yelled toward the Wards’ van. Dylan looked up, an expression of confusion on his face. He eyed Sondra and shrugged. Chris glanced back at Victoria. “I’ll be right back.”
That dirty rascal
. Victoria shook her head.
He just ditched me
.
“Chris can’t take the heat,” said Abby.
Victoria glanced back at the teenager who smiled, exposing perfect, white teeth and eyes that sparkled in merriment. “Abby, you’re a beautiful girl.”
“Huh?” Abby’s eyes widened and she leaned back in her seat.
Victoria pulled down the visor. “Look at yourself. You’re a natural beauty. When
Silence permeated the hall. Most of the congregation had left the building. Anxious for some kind of sound, Chris jingled the change in his pocket. The cool metal had a calming effect on him, feeling good between his fingers.
“What do you think?” Her gaze bore into him with intensity.
The clear sincerity reflected in Victoria’s eyes attracted him in the most basic of ways. He couldn’t deny his attraction for her. Any man with a pulse would be drawn to her. “I think you’d be a perfect influence.”
Victoria smiled. “Then why don’t you introduce me to her.”
“Let’s go. She’s in the truck.”
Calm down
. Victoria scurried to keep up with Chris’s much wider stride.
I have no reason to be nervous. The man whose car I trashed just wants me to be a good influence on his wayward sister
. Victoria exhaled, blowing stray curls away from her eyes.
How did I get myself into this?
Scanning the parking lot, few vehicles remained. Sondra and Dylan stood on each side of the van leaning into it, probably buckling both children into their car seats. She knew the kids had to be on the verge of a complete exhaustion meltdown, so she’d have to make this introduction quick. Looking ahead of her she noticed the aged, dark green truck occupied by an obviously disgruntled teenager.
Chris gently touched her elbow in a way that felt protective. His breath kissed her ear as he whispered, “I apologize ahead of time for anything Abby may say to you.”
“Don’t worry.” Victoria swatted the air as a knot formed and tightened in her gut. The attraction she felt for Chris made no sense, and she had to fight it. She focused on the truck, and as they drew closer, Victoria noted Abby’s arms were crossed in front of her chest. The teen’s clamped lips formed a straight line, and her squinted eyes glared out the windshield and past them, as if she were staring at the church.
Somewhere inside Victoria a giggle formed. She coughed and willed herself to squelch it, but it wouldn’t go away. Feeling it wiggle its way up to her lips, Victoria couldn’t shake Abby’s resemblance to a younger version of Granny from the
Beverly Hillbillies
and the sour expressions she constantly wore.
“Are you okay?” Chris stopped just before the truck and peered at her.
Victoria nodded and then covered her mouth with her bulletin as another giggle escaped. She walked to Abby’s door to avoid looking at Chris for fear she might burst into full-blown laughter. Victoria sneaked a peek at Abby, whose eyes squinted in defiance. The teen bit her bottom lip, and Victoria wondered if Abby had trouble holding her own giggles at bay. The expression proved too much and Victoria laughed. Offering her hand through the rolled down window, Victoria said, “I’m Victoria. You must be Abby.”
Abby half smiled and nodded.
Victoria coughed and tried to clear her throat to settle down but couldn’t shake the smile from her lips. “Look, I’ll just be honest. I’m new here. In fact, I’m the gal who hit your brother’s car.”
“You’re the Mary Ann Mangler?”
Victoria raised her eyebrows and glanced at Chris, who looked away from her but not before she noticed his face had turned bright crimson. “Yes, that’s me. Well, your brother mentioned that you—”
“Dylan, did you say you need some help? I’m coming!” Chris yelled toward the Wards’ van. Dylan looked up, an expression of confusion on his face. He eyed Sondra and shrugged. Chris glanced back at Victoria. “I’ll be right back.”
That dirty rascal
. Victoria shook her head.
He just ditched me
.
“Chris can’t take the heat,” said Abby.
Victoria glanced back at the teenager who smiled, exposing perfect, white teeth and eyes that sparkled in merriment. “Abby, you’re a beautiful girl.”
“Huh?” Abby’s eyes widened and she leaned back in her seat.
Victoria pulled down the visor. “Look at yourself. You’re a natural beauty. When
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