Read Online Gone Too Deep by Katie Ruggle - Free Book Online

reached her. “I couldn’t hear over the babble of the masses.” She waved an arm to indicate the crowded, noisy restaurant.
    Callum pulled out Lou’s chair and then sat next to her. Across the table, Ellie sat facing them with her back to the rest of the restaurant.
    â€œAcconcio,” Callum answered when Ellie hesitated. “He’s never understood the word no.”
    â€œOh.” Making a sympathetic face at Ellie, Lou said, “I’ve heard he thinks he’s all that and a bag of chips with the ladies. He’s never been pushy with me, though—probably since he knows Callum would bring the pain if he tried. Or else he doesn’t think I’m hot.”
    â€œI don’t see how he couldn’t,” Ellie said, needing to turn the conversation away from Joseph so her frantic heartbeat could slow. “Find you hot, I mean. In a purely esthetic way, of course. I’m not hitting on you or anything, so I hope my saying that didn’t just make things awkward.”
    Lou was laughing by the time Ellie had finished her babbling monologue. “Thank you.”
    Even Callum was smiling, but he sobered quickly as he met Ellie’s eyes. “You have to be direct with guys like that. Don’t worry about hurting their feelings.”
    â€œI know.” She flushed and dropped her gaze to the table, fiddling with the wire rack holding the salt and pepper shakers. “I just hate confrontation. I’m kind of a wimp.”
    Reaching across the table, Lou caught one of Ellie’s fidgeting hands and squeezed. “I used to be the wimpiest wimp that ever wimped, and even I managed to change. Just practice being firm. It’ll get easier.”
    â€œThanks.” Ellie squeezed back and then withdrew her hand, desperately wanting to switch topics. Since her father was constantly on her mind, she went with that. “I know you said you didn’t have much luck talking with Baxter, but did you see him at all?”
    â€œNope.” Lou took the abrupt subject change in stride. “I tried going to Willard’s house, but your dad would never answer the door. I’m pretty sure he was there, too, since I could hear him moving around inside. Either he was home, or there’s some jumbo-sized pack rats in there.”
    â€œProbably both,” Callum interjected.
    â€œHe’s definitely not there now.” Ellie thought about the empty cabin, and she realized her fingertip was heading toward her mouth. Tucking it back into her lap, she locked her other hand around it to keep it still. “Do you think he’ll even make it to the cabin?”
    â€œDon’t start thinking about possible bad scenarios,” Lou told her firmly. “You’ll drive yourself crazy. You have a plan—go to the cabin and see if Baxter’s there. If he’s not, then you can figure out the next step. No sense in worrying about it yet.”
    Although Ellie knew Lou was right, keeping her ricocheting thoughts in line was easier said than done.
    â€œSorry!” A heavy-set woman arrived at their table and began handing over menus and water glasses. “It’s crazy tonight. Not that it’s not crazy most nights, but the DuBois family was here earlier, so that put me behind.”
    Lou winced. “Man, those kids are hellions. Did they decorate the walls with the pulled pork again?”
    â€œHellions is a nice way to put it,” the server growled in a dark voice. “And I wish redecorating was all they’d done.” Her tone lightened until it was almost cheerful. “I’ll be back in a minute to take your order.”
    â€œBut…” Lou trailed off when the woman headed toward another table. “Shoot. Now I’m dying to know what the DuBois kids did.”
    â€œI think you’ll survive the suspense,” Callum said dryly.
    â€œI know.” Her tone was mournful. “But I’m just so