Read Online Flipped! (Spinning Hills Romance 1) by Inés Saint - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Inés Saint
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Adult, neighbors, Romantic Comedy, auction, small town, Single Mother, Bachelor, Community, Ohio, quirky, Forever Love, Single Woman, Family Tradition, Spinning Hills, Town History, Amador Brothers, Hammer & Nails, Renovating Houses, Line Streets, Old-Fashion Town, Settling Down, Houseful Of Love, Perfumer, Military Brat, Ramshackle House, Craftsman Style, Young Daughter, Real Estate Flipper, Outbid, Optimism, Fairy Tale Ending, Dream House, Flipped!
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keister.”
“He’s worse. He’s just a giant keister.”
“Yeah. Only the Santa elf part was nice.”
Holly slammed the door on her way out, not caring that it was Sam’s door. What does Dan Amador know about me, anyway? He knows nothing. Nothing! I’ve had enough of hypercritical, bigheaded men. Having lived with two was enough! Listening to them leads to nothing but self-doubt and—
“Holly,” Dan called after her. “I’m sorry.”
She whirled around. “I know. You’re sorry I was standing there!” “No. I’m sorry about your mother. I didn’t know, and I didn’t mean what I said about her. That was my lame attempt at a joke.” He took a step closer and looked down at Ella. “I’m also sorry your daughter heard all of that. Ella, is it? I’m so sorry.”
Did he even realize he wasn’t apologizing over what he’d said about her? Ella turned her nose up at him and they both walked away.
Dan went back inside. Sam wouldn’t look at him, and Johnny would look, but not talk, a rarity. Dan paced the room. He’d never felt like a lowlife before. It wasn’t a comfortable feeling. “I’m sorry. How the hell was I supposed to know she was here?” he said, looking up.
“You’re going to have to find a way to make it up to her,” Johnny said.
“I apologized.”
“I heard and it wasn’t enough. Make it up to her or forget about the festival. They can find someone else.”
“Hey, he didn’t know about Crystal,” Sam said to Johnny. “He’ll apologize again. You know he will. You can’t just decide we won’t participate.”
“An apology isn’t enough. I don’t know what’s come over him, but if he doesn’t make it up to her somehow—”
Dan swore under his breath. “This about the house again? ’Cause I already told you—”
“It’s not about the house. It’s about you. You don’t come around enough to know anything about the people in our lives, so I don’t know what makes you think you have a say.”
Sam sighed and laid his guitar down and Dan turned and left. He’d wanted to tell Johnny to shove the festival. It had just been an excuse for him to check on Sam, anyway. But Johnny’s words had left him cold. He’d apologize to Holly again, and Johnny would get over the whole thing soon enough.
Dan was carting trim and molding from the Craftsman to Sam’s truck when he ran into Ruby Meriwether and Ella walking up the sidewalk. The older woman looked the same as ever. Long silver hair tied back in a pigtail, long bangs, long skirt.
He didn’t know what to do. He’d known Ruby his whole life, but she was probably mad at him, too. He hadn’t stopped by the café, not looking forward to the tongue-lashing he might receive from the three women who owned it. He and his brothers had been on the receiving end of their wrath many times, when they’d catch them doing something they deemed too dangerous.
Before he could think of something to say, Ruby suddenly pulled him down by his shirt collars and gave him a big hug. He was surprised at how relieved he felt. He lifted her off her feet, the way he and his brothers began doing when they’d gotten tall enough and wanted to show off. It always made her laugh. He’d never try it with Rosa or Sherry. One would have a fit over the audacity and the other would happily knee him in the groin. “I’m so sorry about Crystal, Ruby. I didn’t know,” he whispered into her ear as he put her down.
Ruby patted his cheek and sighed, her eyes misty.
“Grandma!” the little girl protested.
Dan stuck his right hand out, hoping to shake Ella’s hand. Ella ignored his hand and looked up at him with a furious flash in her eyes. He felt his own widen. There was a stunning resemblance between Holly and her daughter. It made him smile. The little girl’s eyes were lighter and her hair was blond, but curls were springing out every which way. Her eyes got squinty. He squinted at her, too, and she scrunched up her face. And
“He’s worse. He’s just a giant keister.”
“Yeah. Only the Santa elf part was nice.”
Holly slammed the door on her way out, not caring that it was Sam’s door. What does Dan Amador know about me, anyway? He knows nothing. Nothing! I’ve had enough of hypercritical, bigheaded men. Having lived with two was enough! Listening to them leads to nothing but self-doubt and—
“Holly,” Dan called after her. “I’m sorry.”
She whirled around. “I know. You’re sorry I was standing there!” “No. I’m sorry about your mother. I didn’t know, and I didn’t mean what I said about her. That was my lame attempt at a joke.” He took a step closer and looked down at Ella. “I’m also sorry your daughter heard all of that. Ella, is it? I’m so sorry.”
Did he even realize he wasn’t apologizing over what he’d said about her? Ella turned her nose up at him and they both walked away.
Dan went back inside. Sam wouldn’t look at him, and Johnny would look, but not talk, a rarity. Dan paced the room. He’d never felt like a lowlife before. It wasn’t a comfortable feeling. “I’m sorry. How the hell was I supposed to know she was here?” he said, looking up.
“You’re going to have to find a way to make it up to her,” Johnny said.
“I apologized.”
“I heard and it wasn’t enough. Make it up to her or forget about the festival. They can find someone else.”
“Hey, he didn’t know about Crystal,” Sam said to Johnny. “He’ll apologize again. You know he will. You can’t just decide we won’t participate.”
“An apology isn’t enough. I don’t know what’s come over him, but if he doesn’t make it up to her somehow—”
Dan swore under his breath. “This about the house again? ’Cause I already told you—”
“It’s not about the house. It’s about you. You don’t come around enough to know anything about the people in our lives, so I don’t know what makes you think you have a say.”
Sam sighed and laid his guitar down and Dan turned and left. He’d wanted to tell Johnny to shove the festival. It had just been an excuse for him to check on Sam, anyway. But Johnny’s words had left him cold. He’d apologize to Holly again, and Johnny would get over the whole thing soon enough.
Dan was carting trim and molding from the Craftsman to Sam’s truck when he ran into Ruby Meriwether and Ella walking up the sidewalk. The older woman looked the same as ever. Long silver hair tied back in a pigtail, long bangs, long skirt.
He didn’t know what to do. He’d known Ruby his whole life, but she was probably mad at him, too. He hadn’t stopped by the café, not looking forward to the tongue-lashing he might receive from the three women who owned it. He and his brothers had been on the receiving end of their wrath many times, when they’d catch them doing something they deemed too dangerous.
Before he could think of something to say, Ruby suddenly pulled him down by his shirt collars and gave him a big hug. He was surprised at how relieved he felt. He lifted her off her feet, the way he and his brothers began doing when they’d gotten tall enough and wanted to show off. It always made her laugh. He’d never try it with Rosa or Sherry. One would have a fit over the audacity and the other would happily knee him in the groin. “I’m so sorry about Crystal, Ruby. I didn’t know,” he whispered into her ear as he put her down.
Ruby patted his cheek and sighed, her eyes misty.
“Grandma!” the little girl protested.
Dan stuck his right hand out, hoping to shake Ella’s hand. Ella ignored his hand and looked up at him with a furious flash in her eyes. He felt his own widen. There was a stunning resemblance between Holly and her daughter. It made him smile. The little girl’s eyes were lighter and her hair was blond, but curls were springing out every which way. Her eyes got squinty. He squinted at her, too, and she scrunched up her face. And
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