Read Online Gage, Ronna - The Search is Over (Siren Publishing Classic) by Ronna Gage - Free Book Online Page A

foul mood—as usual.
    Time to be civil. She turned toward Roy . “Would you like some coffee?” she asked sweetly, ignoring the scowl on his face.
    “No, Minerva will get me some when she gets up.” He took a seat at the table and sucked out the snot from his nose, made several hacking cough sounds, and swallowed the annoying gunk down his throat. He picked up the pack of cigarettes sitting on the counter, pulling one out he popped it into his mouth and lit it, filling the room with the awful smell of cigarette smoke.
    “Suit yourself.” Candi shrugged off his comment. She chose not to say anything to Roy about his smoking. Usually, he smoked when he drank, but lately he smoked in the morning. Candi wouldn’t put it past him to have a cigarette just to bug Minerva. Turning to the refrigerator, she pulled out eggs, ham, and cut-up green peppers. She set them on the counter next to the bowl. Absently, she began breaking eggs one by one into the bowl.
    “I want you to move out,” Roy rudely informed her. His outburst surprised her. Usually he talked about people behind their backs and was sweet and understanding to their faces. “So does my son.”
    “That’s just too damn bad,” Minerva said, interrupting his next comment as she entered the room. “You need to stop hanging around Chandler . You don’t have the kind of power he thinks he does,” she warned disdainfully as she breezed past him to the coffeepot. That was the one thing about renting a spot in the trailer. If wasn’t so damn cheap, Minerva would’ve already kicked Roy out on his ass and moved, if she could afford to do it.
    Minerva poured herself a cup of coffee and then turned to Candi. “Good morning,” she greeted.
    “Good morning.” Inwardly, Candi was pleased that Minerva didn’t pour Roy a cup as he had insisted she would do when she woke up.
    Minerva sat in her chair and sipped her coffee.
    Roy sucked in another wad of built-up snot in his sinuses. “These damned allergies.” He grabbed a Styrofoam cup on the table and spit out the mouthful of waste. He looked down at the empty placemat before him. “Where’s my coffee?” he asked, surprised.
    “Get your own coffee,” she insisted. “You aren’t helpless.” She sat, gazing out the window. “Looks like it is going to be an excellent day,” she said before taking a second sip of coffee.
    Roy shoved his chair back. “You better start earning your keep around here,” he suggested, and then stomped over to the pot. He opened the cabinet door, grabbed a mug, jerked the pot out of the maker, and filled it. Leaning in close to Candi, he more or less growled. “That goes for you, too, Missy.”
    Pointing the knife she used to cut up the ham, Candi turned it on him. “Let me remind you who does and does not pay their parts of the rent on time,” she stressed as she pointed at herself then at him.
    “May I also remind you that I got us into this trailer, not you.” Minerva glared at him. On most occasions, Minerva was a nice, easygoing woman, but her anger was sparked. “You need to show a little more respect for Candi. She doesn’t deserve this shit from you. This is between her and Jesse. Stay out of it,” she warned, never breaking the angry eye contact. “It is none of your business.”
    “I have to protect my son. She was making a fool of him out there last night.”
    “So? Jesse is a big boy now. He got himself into this, and he can get himself out of it.”
    “She was all but stroking that guy’s dick.”
    “Are you jealous?” Minerva asked, suddenly making the tension in the room even thicker.
    Roy stood up abruptly and stalked out of the room in angry silence.
    Candi wished she hadn’t heard that conversation. She didn’t want to be a part of a breakup between her two roommates. Fearing what Minerva may say when she turned toward her, Candi slowly made eye contact. Minerva looked at her and broke out laughing.
    “He thinks he’s so hot. But he’s full of