Read Online Fire in the Woods by Jennifer M. Eaton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer M. Eaton
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it to me. He topped it off with extra bacon. Sorry, Dad. I can’t be bribed . Well, not this time at least.
“Sweetheart, I just don’t know when I’ll be called or have to do another overnighter. I want you safe.”
I grit my teeth. “You don’t think I’ll stay in the house.” Of course, he’d be right. I wasn’t about to admit to that, though.
His lips formed a straight line. “You know what? You’re right. I don’t trust you. You had a chill last night because you went outside. You got caught in the rain, and you were soaked.”
My mouth dropped open like a Venus fly trap. I snapped it closed.
“You’re going to Grandma’s.”
“I’m not a baby. I don’t need a sitter.”
I folded my arms and put on my defiant face. He knew I was serious because I hadn’t touched the bacon. Yep, I had willpower. Not much more, though, so I hoped he’d back down quickly.
He placed the pan in the sink. “How about you stay with Maggie?”
I shuddered. “Dad, you know I can’t stay there. You know…Bobby.” Yeah, spend the week in the house with my ex-boyfriend. Not. A. Good. Idea. I should have considered the “ex” factor before dating my best-friend’s brother.
He mashed his hands into a towel and chucked it on the counter beside him. “I need to know you are supervised. Period. Grandma either watches you here, or at her house. Which is it?”
Tally up another argument to lost. “She can come here.”
“Good. Negotiation over.”
Crud. Why couldn’t I ever win at that game?
I picked up my fork. My stomach twisted. I was pretty sure it wasn’t excited about the pending bacon.
Dad was easy to dodge. He never stayed home. Grandma rarely left the house when she visited. She’d move from room to room, buffing and waxing until the house sparkled. I’d be trapped.
Maybe I’d get lucky and this whole thing would blow over before she was able to get on that plane?
“Do you really think there’s someone dangerous out there?”
He pointed to my plate. “Eat up. I don’t want you getting sick again.”
Yikes. Complete avoidage of my question. Not good. But it couldn’t really be David, could it? Shoot, I wished Dad would spill some classified beans. Right now two plus two equaled ten. Nothing seemed right.
Something was obviously up with David. He’d admitted as much. But he seemed harmless enough. He couldn’t possibly be a threat to any sort of national security. Could he?
I poked a piece of bacon in my mouth. Salty goodness coated my tongue with each crunch, but my mind kept drifting back to David. I glanced out the window, expecting to see him slink by. I swallowed, forgetting to enjoy my favorite vice.
Where was he?
***
I pretended to watch TV while Dad farted around for hours. Plans had been made, and Grandma’s plane would land around seven a.m. the day after tomorrow. At least I had a full day and a half to find David before the Grandma lock-down.
As for today, I had to spend the day at Maggie’s. At least that’s where Dad thought I’d be. A quick call to Maggie and it was all planned out…unless dad thought to call Mrs. Baker and confirm. If he did, I was skunked.
I packed a bag with all the essentials. Namely, a blanket in case David was cold, and my camera. Yesterday had shown me how a photo op could happen at any moment, and I needed to be ready with more than a camera phone.
Dad dropped me off at Maggie’s, and I waved as I walked toward the porch.
Hyper-focused as usual, he didn’t even check to make sure I went inside. Perfect. No need to worry about Mrs. Baker. I glanced down the street.
Deserted. Where were the kids? Joggers? Exercise junkies? Weird, but at least there wasn’t anyone around who might slow me down while I looked for David.
Now, where would I hide if I was an obnoxiously cute guy with a temperature disorder? The only place I could think to look for him was back in the woods, so I followed my steps from the previous day.
Half way
“Sweetheart, I just don’t know when I’ll be called or have to do another overnighter. I want you safe.”
I grit my teeth. “You don’t think I’ll stay in the house.” Of course, he’d be right. I wasn’t about to admit to that, though.
His lips formed a straight line. “You know what? You’re right. I don’t trust you. You had a chill last night because you went outside. You got caught in the rain, and you were soaked.”
My mouth dropped open like a Venus fly trap. I snapped it closed.
“You’re going to Grandma’s.”
“I’m not a baby. I don’t need a sitter.”
I folded my arms and put on my defiant face. He knew I was serious because I hadn’t touched the bacon. Yep, I had willpower. Not much more, though, so I hoped he’d back down quickly.
He placed the pan in the sink. “How about you stay with Maggie?”
I shuddered. “Dad, you know I can’t stay there. You know…Bobby.” Yeah, spend the week in the house with my ex-boyfriend. Not. A. Good. Idea. I should have considered the “ex” factor before dating my best-friend’s brother.
He mashed his hands into a towel and chucked it on the counter beside him. “I need to know you are supervised. Period. Grandma either watches you here, or at her house. Which is it?”
Tally up another argument to lost. “She can come here.”
“Good. Negotiation over.”
Crud. Why couldn’t I ever win at that game?
I picked up my fork. My stomach twisted. I was pretty sure it wasn’t excited about the pending bacon.
Dad was easy to dodge. He never stayed home. Grandma rarely left the house when she visited. She’d move from room to room, buffing and waxing until the house sparkled. I’d be trapped.
Maybe I’d get lucky and this whole thing would blow over before she was able to get on that plane?
“Do you really think there’s someone dangerous out there?”
He pointed to my plate. “Eat up. I don’t want you getting sick again.”
Yikes. Complete avoidage of my question. Not good. But it couldn’t really be David, could it? Shoot, I wished Dad would spill some classified beans. Right now two plus two equaled ten. Nothing seemed right.
Something was obviously up with David. He’d admitted as much. But he seemed harmless enough. He couldn’t possibly be a threat to any sort of national security. Could he?
I poked a piece of bacon in my mouth. Salty goodness coated my tongue with each crunch, but my mind kept drifting back to David. I glanced out the window, expecting to see him slink by. I swallowed, forgetting to enjoy my favorite vice.
Where was he?
***
I pretended to watch TV while Dad farted around for hours. Plans had been made, and Grandma’s plane would land around seven a.m. the day after tomorrow. At least I had a full day and a half to find David before the Grandma lock-down.
As for today, I had to spend the day at Maggie’s. At least that’s where Dad thought I’d be. A quick call to Maggie and it was all planned out…unless dad thought to call Mrs. Baker and confirm. If he did, I was skunked.
I packed a bag with all the essentials. Namely, a blanket in case David was cold, and my camera. Yesterday had shown me how a photo op could happen at any moment, and I needed to be ready with more than a camera phone.
Dad dropped me off at Maggie’s, and I waved as I walked toward the porch.
Hyper-focused as usual, he didn’t even check to make sure I went inside. Perfect. No need to worry about Mrs. Baker. I glanced down the street.
Deserted. Where were the kids? Joggers? Exercise junkies? Weird, but at least there wasn’t anyone around who might slow me down while I looked for David.
Now, where would I hide if I was an obnoxiously cute guy with a temperature disorder? The only place I could think to look for him was back in the woods, so I followed my steps from the previous day.
Half way
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