Read Online Donovan's Child by Christine Rimmer - Free Book Online Page B

you stop pushing me? I said I would think about it.”
    â€œLess thinking, more doing,” Luisa advised. She turned to Abilene. “Where are you from?”
    â€œSan Antonio.”
    â€œA beautiful city. Chula Mesa is not very exciting. It’s like many small towns. Not a lot to do, but we have a nice little diner. I like to have my breakfast there on Sundays, after eight o’clock mass. Maybe you would meet me, tomorrow morning at a little after nine? We can get to know each other.”
    â€œShe doesn’t have time for that,” Donovan grumbled. “We’re on an important project, with a very tight timeline. She works seven days a week.”
    Abilene ignored him and spoke to Luisa. “I would love that, Luisa. I’ll be there.”
    â€œWell, then.” Luisa’s pretty smile bloomed wide. “I’ll look forward to seeing you.”
    They chatted some more, about casual things. And then Luisa got up to leave. Donovan and Abilene followed her to the door.
    The minute she was gone, Donovan turned on Abilene. “I’ll give you her number. You can call her and tell her you can’t make it tomorrow, after all.”
    Abilene lounged back against the arch that led into the living area. “Why in the world would I want to do that?”
    â€œBecause you need to be working. There’s no time to waste driving out to the Chula Mesa Diner.”
    â€œI can work into the evening some night, if I have to. I’m going, Donovan.”
    He gave her a long, smoldering look. “What for?”
    â€œI like Luisa. And I can use a little break. I’ll be back by eleven, at the latest.”
    He started to speak again—and then he didn’t. Instead, he neatly whirled the chair around and rolled away from her.
    Â 
    Abilene had no trouble finding the diner. It was on Main Street, between Chula Mesa Hardware and Chula Mesa Sunshine Drugs.
    She got there before Luisa. She chose a booth with a clear view of the door and ordered coffee for both of them.
    Luisa arrived a few minutes later, wearing a snug-fitting V-neck navy blue knit dress and navy blue heels as high as the ones she’d worn the night before. She spotted Abilene immediately and her face lit up with her gorgeous, open smile. “Hey!”
    â€œHey.”
    Luisa hurried to join her in the booth. “So you came,” she said, leaning across the table, pitching her voice to just above a whisper. “I wasn’t sure you would make it.”
    Abilene frowned. “But I said I would be here.”
    â€œYou did. But I thought that Donovan would try to change your mind about meeting me alone.”
    â€œHe did try. But as you can see, my mind is my own.”
    â€œYes, I do see.” Luisa said the words approvingly. “But Donovan can be very persuasive, as I’m sure you know.”
    â€œPersuasive?” Abilene laughed at that. “No. That’s not a word I would use to describe him. He’s gruff and exacting. Demanding. Overbearing. Sometimes cruel,though not so much lately. But persuasive? Uh-uh. Not in the least.”
    â€œHe used to be persuasive.”
    â€œYeah? Well, he used to be a lot of things.”
    Luisa leaned even closer. She reached out, touched the back of Abilene’s hand. “He’s changed a lot.”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œHe must guess that we’ll talk about him. He’ll hate that.”
    â€œToo bad.”
    The waitress came over. Luisa introduced them. “Margie, this is Abilene….”
    When Margie had taken their orders and left them alone, Luisa sipped her coffee and leaned close again. “I do have a few questions. And I’m thinking it will be easier to get the answers from you than from Donovan.”
    â€œAsk. Please.”
    â€œI heard he had an accident during one of his climbing trips….”
    Abilene quickly filled Luisa in on all she knew, from the fall on Dhaulagiri One,