Read Online Charleston with a Clever Cougar: A Dance with Danger Mystery #6 by Sara M. Barton - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Sara M. Barton
Ads: Link
will it. She responded with a tentative smile. She needed the
support almost as much as her daughter did. “Make sure you lock
up.”
Once outside, Doc escorted me to my place. He
waited while I dug out my keys and opened the front door.
“Are you hungry? I could make us some eggs,”
I offered.
“I have a better idea.”
“You do?”
“Let me do the cooking.”
“You can cook?” I gave him a grin, thinking
what a handy guy he was to have around.
“Sure. Omelets are my specialty.”
Half an hour later, we had finished eating
and were sitting on my sofa, watching a sitcom. I was in my sweats,
my slipper socks keeping my toes warm. Doc took the afghan off the
back of the sofa and tucked it around my legs without saying a
word.
“Thanks,” I replied, thinking it was sweet
that he did that. I still didn’t have a handle on him. There was a
lot of kindness in Doc, but he was still a tough nut to crack. It
was as if he always held me at arm’s length.
“You’re still healing,” he reminded me. “You
don’t want to catch a chill.”
“Where are you staying?” I asked. I assumed
he was at one of the local motels.
“My van.”
“Your van? Isn’t it cold at night?” I
responded. Doc started to laugh. I took umbridge. “Why is that
funny?”
“Cady, I’ve done three tours of duty in Iraq
and Afghanistan. Between the blazing heat, the bitter cold, and
everything in between, I’ve handled a lot worse than this.”
“You’re welcome to use my spare room.” That
came out before I realized what I was saying. It bothered me that
Doc wasn’t sleeping in a bed in a nice, warm house.
“That’s a great offer, but I’ll have to
pass.”
“Where will you go tonight?”
“Where will I go? I’m not going anywhere.
I’ll be right outside. I’m keeping an eye on Daisy and her family.
And you, too,” he added.
“Oh, that actually makes sense,” I replied.
“You’ll be right there if we need you.”
“Exactly.”
“Come for breakfast. I won’t take no for an
answer, Doc.”
“I won’t give it. And I’ll use your shower.
I’ve been staying at my buddy’s house over in Chalker Beach, and my
stuff is over there, but I have a change of clothes in the
van.”
“So, does that mean you’re not homeless?”
That slipped out before I could bite my tongue. Maybe it was seeing
that sleeping bag and air mattress in the back of the van where
seats should be. Doc’s eyebrows shot up and he shook his head.
“Cady, not every vet is broken and in need of
fixing. Some of us just need some time to get back into the swing
of things. Trauma does that to you. It’s a matter of working it
out.”
“Of course. It’s just that I thought because
of the air mattress....”
Doc threw his head back and roared. Those
thick glasses came off and he wiped his eyes. I felt like pummeling
him with my good arm, but even my good arm still hurt. And forget
about the one that was badly injured. I still couldn’t raise it
above my chest.
“Good Lord, woman! I have that there because
I just went camping for two weeks in the White Mountains. A group
of dedicated ice fishermen in the wilds of New Hampshire, roughing
it.”
“Well, I officially feel like an idiot,” I
acknowledged.
“As well you should,” Doc agreed. “You just
earned the title.”
At ten, I set Doc up with a pot of coffee. He
poured it into one of my thermal carafes and went out into the cool
night air with a smiley face mug.
“See you,” he called over his shoulder. I
watched him open the van and climb in the back. Once he set down
the carafe and the mug, he slid the van door shut. What a shame it
was that he seemed to need that emotional distance from his fellow
man, I thought. It made me wonder what he had endured in war. That
brusque manner seemed to come and go. As time went on, he seemed
less inclined to snap, although I suspected that was just a part of
his normal personality. Doc called it like he saw it, and there was
no way
support almost as much as her daughter did. “Make sure you lock
up.”
Once outside, Doc escorted me to my place. He
waited while I dug out my keys and opened the front door.
“Are you hungry? I could make us some eggs,”
I offered.
“I have a better idea.”
“You do?”
“Let me do the cooking.”
“You can cook?” I gave him a grin, thinking
what a handy guy he was to have around.
“Sure. Omelets are my specialty.”
Half an hour later, we had finished eating
and were sitting on my sofa, watching a sitcom. I was in my sweats,
my slipper socks keeping my toes warm. Doc took the afghan off the
back of the sofa and tucked it around my legs without saying a
word.
“Thanks,” I replied, thinking it was sweet
that he did that. I still didn’t have a handle on him. There was a
lot of kindness in Doc, but he was still a tough nut to crack. It
was as if he always held me at arm’s length.
“You’re still healing,” he reminded me. “You
don’t want to catch a chill.”
“Where are you staying?” I asked. I assumed
he was at one of the local motels.
“My van.”
“Your van? Isn’t it cold at night?” I
responded. Doc started to laugh. I took umbridge. “Why is that
funny?”
“Cady, I’ve done three tours of duty in Iraq
and Afghanistan. Between the blazing heat, the bitter cold, and
everything in between, I’ve handled a lot worse than this.”
“You’re welcome to use my spare room.” That
came out before I realized what I was saying. It bothered me that
Doc wasn’t sleeping in a bed in a nice, warm house.
“That’s a great offer, but I’ll have to
pass.”
“Where will you go tonight?”
“Where will I go? I’m not going anywhere.
I’ll be right outside. I’m keeping an eye on Daisy and her family.
And you, too,” he added.
“Oh, that actually makes sense,” I replied.
“You’ll be right there if we need you.”
“Exactly.”
“Come for breakfast. I won’t take no for an
answer, Doc.”
“I won’t give it. And I’ll use your shower.
I’ve been staying at my buddy’s house over in Chalker Beach, and my
stuff is over there, but I have a change of clothes in the
van.”
“So, does that mean you’re not homeless?”
That slipped out before I could bite my tongue. Maybe it was seeing
that sleeping bag and air mattress in the back of the van where
seats should be. Doc’s eyebrows shot up and he shook his head.
“Cady, not every vet is broken and in need of
fixing. Some of us just need some time to get back into the swing
of things. Trauma does that to you. It’s a matter of working it
out.”
“Of course. It’s just that I thought because
of the air mattress....”
Doc threw his head back and roared. Those
thick glasses came off and he wiped his eyes. I felt like pummeling
him with my good arm, but even my good arm still hurt. And forget
about the one that was badly injured. I still couldn’t raise it
above my chest.
“Good Lord, woman! I have that there because
I just went camping for two weeks in the White Mountains. A group
of dedicated ice fishermen in the wilds of New Hampshire, roughing
it.”
“Well, I officially feel like an idiot,” I
acknowledged.
“As well you should,” Doc agreed. “You just
earned the title.”
At ten, I set Doc up with a pot of coffee. He
poured it into one of my thermal carafes and went out into the cool
night air with a smiley face mug.
“See you,” he called over his shoulder. I
watched him open the van and climb in the back. Once he set down
the carafe and the mug, he slid the van door shut. What a shame it
was that he seemed to need that emotional distance from his fellow
man, I thought. It made me wonder what he had endured in war. That
brusque manner seemed to come and go. As time went on, he seemed
less inclined to snap, although I suspected that was just a part of
his normal personality. Doc called it like he saw it, and there was
no way
Similar Books
