Read Online Danger on the Mountain by Lynette Eason - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lynette Eason
Ads: Link
I could.” Abby’s frown lifted into a smile. “I’ve heard a lot about you lately from Eli and Reese, and thought I’d come get to know you a bit better.”
“A rainy day is always a perfect time for a visit,” Maggie said. “Let me put on some coffee.”
Abby followed her into the kitchen. “I noticed the police car outside. Cal told me what happened with the robber who escaped, so I’m glad they’re keeping an eye on you. I’m sure the attempted bank robbery was incredibly scary.”
“Very,” Maggie agreed with a shudder.
“So I’ll change the subject. How’s Belle doing?”
“All recovered from her ear infection, thanks.” Belle had suffered her fourth ear infection two weeks ago. Abby had been the physician who’d prescribed the antibiotics and numbing drops. “You saved my sanity. Belle finally fell asleep when we got home, and so did I. We both slept for eight hours straight.” She measured the grounds and poured them into the filter.
Abby sat at the table. “I’m glad.” A slight pause, then, “Reese thinks a lot of you.”
Maggie looked at the woman out of the corner of her eye. “And you think a lot of Reese, don’t you?”
A smile curved Abby’s lips. “He’s become one of Cal’s best friends. He’s my brother-in-law. Or former brother-in-law.”
Maggie jerked. “That’s something I didn’t know.”
“He was married to my sister, Keira.”
“He told me she died.” Maggie pulled two mugs from the cabinet. Then looked Abby in the eye. “I’m sorry.”
Abby’s smile turned sad. “I am, too.” Then she sighed and her expression turned thoughtful. “It’s been a year and a half, though, and I think he’s ready to move on.”
“Move on?”
The coffee finished brewing and Maggie rose to pour it into the waiting mugs. She handed one to Abby and motioned to the cream and sugar in the middle of the table.
While Abby spooned two heaping teaspoons of sugar, Maggie tried to figure out where the woman was going with this conversation.
Abby picked up where she left off. “Yes, move on. Find someone to spend the rest of his life with.”
The speculative look in Abby’s eyes caused Maggie to give a nervous laugh. “He and I just met, Abby. I think you might be rushing things a bit here.”
“True, I probably am.” She shrugged. “I just care about Reese and want to see him happy. And you’re the first person he’s—”
Maggie waited for Abby to finish. When she didn’t, Maggie prompted, “He’s what?”
Another shrug, another sip. “Expressed any interest in since my sister died.” Her forehead creased. “At least as far as I know. He just moved here from Washington, D.C., about a week ago.” She set her cup on the table. “But we’ve kept in touch on a regular basis and he’s come to visit and stay with us a lot over the past year or so whenever he could get time off. Cal and I could tell he was looking for something different.” She smiled. “Rose Mountain had gotten to him. He couldn’t stay away. And now, according to Cal, Reese can’t seem to stay away from you, either.”
Maggie shifted, uncomfortable. “Reese is concerned that I might be in danger—that’s all it is. And I don’t know that I’m ready for any kind of relationship with anyone anyway. I don’t have a very good track record with men, and don’t know that I trust my judgment anymore.”
Sympathy flashed on Abby’s face. “Sounds like you have a story to tell.”
“Maybe one day.” Spilling her guts to a stranger wasn’t in her. But she already liked Abby and had a feeling they could become close friends.
Belle’s cry came right on schedule. “Excuse me a minute.”
“I need to get going anyway. Thanks for the coffee.” Abby smiled as she rose and placed her half-finished cup in the sink. “Maybe we can do this again when I can stay longer? Or maybe you and Belle can come out for dinner one night?”
“I’d like that.” And she would. She needed a
“A rainy day is always a perfect time for a visit,” Maggie said. “Let me put on some coffee.”
Abby followed her into the kitchen. “I noticed the police car outside. Cal told me what happened with the robber who escaped, so I’m glad they’re keeping an eye on you. I’m sure the attempted bank robbery was incredibly scary.”
“Very,” Maggie agreed with a shudder.
“So I’ll change the subject. How’s Belle doing?”
“All recovered from her ear infection, thanks.” Belle had suffered her fourth ear infection two weeks ago. Abby had been the physician who’d prescribed the antibiotics and numbing drops. “You saved my sanity. Belle finally fell asleep when we got home, and so did I. We both slept for eight hours straight.” She measured the grounds and poured them into the filter.
Abby sat at the table. “I’m glad.” A slight pause, then, “Reese thinks a lot of you.”
Maggie looked at the woman out of the corner of her eye. “And you think a lot of Reese, don’t you?”
A smile curved Abby’s lips. “He’s become one of Cal’s best friends. He’s my brother-in-law. Or former brother-in-law.”
Maggie jerked. “That’s something I didn’t know.”
“He was married to my sister, Keira.”
“He told me she died.” Maggie pulled two mugs from the cabinet. Then looked Abby in the eye. “I’m sorry.”
Abby’s smile turned sad. “I am, too.” Then she sighed and her expression turned thoughtful. “It’s been a year and a half, though, and I think he’s ready to move on.”
“Move on?”
The coffee finished brewing and Maggie rose to pour it into the waiting mugs. She handed one to Abby and motioned to the cream and sugar in the middle of the table.
While Abby spooned two heaping teaspoons of sugar, Maggie tried to figure out where the woman was going with this conversation.
Abby picked up where she left off. “Yes, move on. Find someone to spend the rest of his life with.”
The speculative look in Abby’s eyes caused Maggie to give a nervous laugh. “He and I just met, Abby. I think you might be rushing things a bit here.”
“True, I probably am.” She shrugged. “I just care about Reese and want to see him happy. And you’re the first person he’s—”
Maggie waited for Abby to finish. When she didn’t, Maggie prompted, “He’s what?”
Another shrug, another sip. “Expressed any interest in since my sister died.” Her forehead creased. “At least as far as I know. He just moved here from Washington, D.C., about a week ago.” She set her cup on the table. “But we’ve kept in touch on a regular basis and he’s come to visit and stay with us a lot over the past year or so whenever he could get time off. Cal and I could tell he was looking for something different.” She smiled. “Rose Mountain had gotten to him. He couldn’t stay away. And now, according to Cal, Reese can’t seem to stay away from you, either.”
Maggie shifted, uncomfortable. “Reese is concerned that I might be in danger—that’s all it is. And I don’t know that I’m ready for any kind of relationship with anyone anyway. I don’t have a very good track record with men, and don’t know that I trust my judgment anymore.”
Sympathy flashed on Abby’s face. “Sounds like you have a story to tell.”
“Maybe one day.” Spilling her guts to a stranger wasn’t in her. But she already liked Abby and had a feeling they could become close friends.
Belle’s cry came right on schedule. “Excuse me a minute.”
“I need to get going anyway. Thanks for the coffee.” Abby smiled as she rose and placed her half-finished cup in the sink. “Maybe we can do this again when I can stay longer? Or maybe you and Belle can come out for dinner one night?”
“I’d like that.” And she would. She needed a
Similar Books
