Read Online Deliciously Obedient by Julia Kent - Free Book Online Page B

halted. “Go ahead. You have my permission to
touch me whenever you like. You called me the North Pole yesterday.
Come sit on Santa’s lap anytime, my dear.”
    She
rolled her eyes and resumed her walk. “Men.”
    “ I’ll
take that as a yes .” With that he goosed her again, and she
took off at a sprint toward the rec hall, hair flying in the wind.
Even his long legs couldn’t compensate easily for her speed, and he
found himself breathless when they bounded up the steps to find Pete
and Sandy resting on well-worn chairs around a lovely wood stove
nestled in the corner of the giant hall, the pool table empty behind
them.
    Breathing
hard, he tried to get his bearings. Her parents seemed happy and
composed, so why the summons? Curling against the edge of a loveseat,
Lydia patted the seat next to her and he bent into it, knees high and
hands awkward. Why did he turn into a teenager around her mom?
    Because
you care what she thinks.
    “ Don’t
look so glum,” Pete said to him, pointing to a small cooler next to
his chair. “Want a beer?”
    “ Sure.”
Jeremy reached in, found one, popped the top and took a swig. Sour
and sweet at once, it was dark and intense, like cherries on top of
coffee.
    “ What
is this?”
    “ It’s
called Westvleteren. Like it? People either have the palate for it or
they don’t. It’s not to everyone’s liking.”
    Another
taste and Jeremy weighed it out. “I like it.”
    Pete’s
smile widened. “I thought you might. Sour ales aren’t an acquired
taste. You know right away whether you’re in the club or not.”
Another smile, this one completely reaching his eyes.
    “ I
can’t stand that stuff,” Lydia said, crinkling her nose.
    “ Me
neither,” Sandy added.
    “ You
got the bad genes,” Pete muttered, making Jeremy choke.
    “ Don’t
make me waste the good stuff,” he hacked, coughing through
laughter. Sandy reached over to pound him on the back as Lydia shot
her dad an eye roll identical to the one she’d given Jeremy on the
way there.
    “ We
just wanted to take a few minutes before the craziness of the talent
show kicks in—”
    “ Two
days!” Sandy interjected, interrupting Pete. “In two days!”
    Pete
rested a calm hand on her knee. “—to ask how you’re doing and
to enjoy a drink with you two.” Pete reached into the cooler and
pulled out a lemon-flavored wine cooler, which Lydia grabbed with
glee.
    “ Thanks,
Dad!”
    Sandy
reached for a cup of tea on the end table next to her as Pete held
the neck of his beer forward, initiating a toast. The rest joined in.
    “ To
the talent show, and old traditions. And to new friends,” he added,
looking pointedly at Jeremy, then Lydia.
    “ To
no flaming cats!” Sandy added.
    “ MOM!”
    Clink .
They toasted, and as Jeremy drank deeply, gulping down half the ale
in one fell swoop, he felt a warmth no alcohol or wood stove could
generate.
    “ We
have a new entrant in the talent show. Mike Davis wants to play
guitar,” Pete said.
    “ Mike
Davis?” Lydia asked. “Who’s that?”
    “ A
guest. Been here for nearly a month. Nice guy. Sticks to himself,
mostly, though he was more interactive when he first came.”
    “ Paid
for his cabin in cash,” Sandy said, as if this were remarkable.
“The entire month.”
    Lydia
let out a low whistle, drinking more of her wine cooler. “You sure
he’s not running from something?”
    “ If
he were, why would he perform?” said a voice from behind them.
Miles walked in, grabbed a blueberry beer from the cooler and folded
his legs under him, sitting on the floor by Pete.
    “ Good
point,” she conceded.
    “ Speaking
of the talent show, one of the guests sent me a link to this YouTube
video,” Pete said.
    Miles
and Lydia froze. Jeremy felt a creeping dread fill him. Pete
pointedly did not look at Lydia.
    “ YouTube?”
Lydia squeaked. Jeremy squeezed her hand, a silent show of support.
    “ It
was…interesting,” Sandy said, eyebrows high. “I’ve never