Read Online From Ashes to Honor by Loree Lough - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Loree Lough
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to jangling. If you know what's good for you, you'll get out of here, and fast.
Instead, he said "When my dad was stationed at Fort Hood, he and his buddies drove to Austin on a three-day pass. Mom was a waitress in the diner where they ate all their meals. Love at first sight, or so the story goes. They were married a few months later—and honeymooned in Austin."
"And Avery?"
It shouldn't have surprised him that she remembered his twin's name. She was smart. And she'd taken notes. But when had she read them last? "Because when my grandmother got her first look at him, she said he resembled an elf. And Avery means 'ruler of the elves' or some such thing."
Mercy giggled. "I love it!"
The modern teak-and-stainless clock on the stone wall above her fireplace chimed nine times. "Wow," he said, setting Woodrow aside, "how can it be nine o'clock already?"
She stood, too, and lifted a flat-eyed Woodrow into her arms. "He isn't very happy with you for disrupting his nap."
"Sorry, Woodie ol' boy, but me 'n' my lap have to work the first shift tomorrow."
The cat responded with a bored yawn, and, turning his back on Austin, snuggled deeper into Mercy's arms.
"Guess I'd better hit the road."
"It's been—pleasant."
Why the hesitation? he wondered.
". . . the pizza, conversation, learning how you got your unusual name," she added, joining him on the porch.
Austin felt like the bobble-head Cocker Spaniel that once perched beneath the rear window of his grandpa's Oldsmobile."Yeah, yeah it was nice. Real nice." Disappointment drummed in his heart when she didn't invite him back. But what was stopping him from suggesting that they get together again?
He knew the answer even before the question fully formed in his head. Austin needed time to process the unsettling upand-down emotions she'd stirred in him. Time to figure out if being around her felt so good—well, mostly good, anyway— because he'd been alone too long, or if Mercy could be "the one"?
That's just plain crazy, he thought, jogging down the steps.Last thing he needed was some woman—one who knew almost every detail of his life, no less—messing with his head.Worse yet, with his heart.
From the sidewalk, he looked up into her angelic face, and before he knew it, Austin heard himself ask if maybe she'd like to share another pizza with him, soon, at his place next time.
Mercy tilted her head as the hint of a smile lifted one corner of her mouth. "You know, I don't think I've ever been on a fully functioning houseboat."
Not exactly a "yes," but then, she hadn't said "no," either.
"Good, good," he said, hoping as he backpedaled toward his truck that he wouldn't trip on a crack and end up flat on his back. Again. "OK, then. I'll give you a call, and we'll set something up."
For the past year or so, the driver's door of his pickup squealed something fierce every time he pulled it open. Until tonight, it had never bothered him enough to drag out the oil can. But when its racket drowned out the last words Mercy uttered before she closed her front door, he decided to take care of the problem. Tomorrow. The minute he got home from work.
And when he finished with that, he'd scrub the tug from stem to stern, so that every square inch would sparkle when she visited. Then he'd ask Flora to suggest a recipe that would wow Mercy without exposing his complete lack of culinary skills. And make a quick trip to the discount store for placemats and matching napkins for the deck table, so that if nature cooperated on the night of her visit, he could serve the meal topside, and share his incredible 360° view of Chesapeake Bay.
So much for worrying about whether or not it was a good idea to move the relationship forward, he thought, pulling into his parking space in the marina lot. He had a feeling it would take days to get the picture out of his mind: Mercy, mimicking Princess Di's parade wave as she mouthed, "See you soon!"
10
S ometimes, all it took to bring on ugly,
Instead, he said "When my dad was stationed at Fort Hood, he and his buddies drove to Austin on a three-day pass. Mom was a waitress in the diner where they ate all their meals. Love at first sight, or so the story goes. They were married a few months later—and honeymooned in Austin."
"And Avery?"
It shouldn't have surprised him that she remembered his twin's name. She was smart. And she'd taken notes. But when had she read them last? "Because when my grandmother got her first look at him, she said he resembled an elf. And Avery means 'ruler of the elves' or some such thing."
Mercy giggled. "I love it!"
The modern teak-and-stainless clock on the stone wall above her fireplace chimed nine times. "Wow," he said, setting Woodrow aside, "how can it be nine o'clock already?"
She stood, too, and lifted a flat-eyed Woodrow into her arms. "He isn't very happy with you for disrupting his nap."
"Sorry, Woodie ol' boy, but me 'n' my lap have to work the first shift tomorrow."
The cat responded with a bored yawn, and, turning his back on Austin, snuggled deeper into Mercy's arms.
"Guess I'd better hit the road."
"It's been—pleasant."
Why the hesitation? he wondered.
". . . the pizza, conversation, learning how you got your unusual name," she added, joining him on the porch.
Austin felt like the bobble-head Cocker Spaniel that once perched beneath the rear window of his grandpa's Oldsmobile."Yeah, yeah it was nice. Real nice." Disappointment drummed in his heart when she didn't invite him back. But what was stopping him from suggesting that they get together again?
He knew the answer even before the question fully formed in his head. Austin needed time to process the unsettling upand-down emotions she'd stirred in him. Time to figure out if being around her felt so good—well, mostly good, anyway— because he'd been alone too long, or if Mercy could be "the one"?
That's just plain crazy, he thought, jogging down the steps.Last thing he needed was some woman—one who knew almost every detail of his life, no less—messing with his head.Worse yet, with his heart.
From the sidewalk, he looked up into her angelic face, and before he knew it, Austin heard himself ask if maybe she'd like to share another pizza with him, soon, at his place next time.
Mercy tilted her head as the hint of a smile lifted one corner of her mouth. "You know, I don't think I've ever been on a fully functioning houseboat."
Not exactly a "yes," but then, she hadn't said "no," either.
"Good, good," he said, hoping as he backpedaled toward his truck that he wouldn't trip on a crack and end up flat on his back. Again. "OK, then. I'll give you a call, and we'll set something up."
For the past year or so, the driver's door of his pickup squealed something fierce every time he pulled it open. Until tonight, it had never bothered him enough to drag out the oil can. But when its racket drowned out the last words Mercy uttered before she closed her front door, he decided to take care of the problem. Tomorrow. The minute he got home from work.
And when he finished with that, he'd scrub the tug from stem to stern, so that every square inch would sparkle when she visited. Then he'd ask Flora to suggest a recipe that would wow Mercy without exposing his complete lack of culinary skills. And make a quick trip to the discount store for placemats and matching napkins for the deck table, so that if nature cooperated on the night of her visit, he could serve the meal topside, and share his incredible 360° view of Chesapeake Bay.
So much for worrying about whether or not it was a good idea to move the relationship forward, he thought, pulling into his parking space in the marina lot. He had a feeling it would take days to get the picture out of his mind: Mercy, mimicking Princess Di's parade wave as she mouthed, "See you soon!"
10
S ometimes, all it took to bring on ugly,
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