Read Online Handle with Care by Emily Porterfield - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Emily Porterfield
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deck.
"Abby,
wait," he called out as she walked toward the cabin door. She turned back
to face him, her heart racing.
"What
is it?" she said hopefully. She could not bring herself to invite him on
to the boat, not after how dangerously needy she had felt on the dunes.
"Just,
I'm here if you want to talk.” His words sounded lame to his own ears.
"Thank
you." Abby forced a smile to her lips. She wanted to plead with him to
stay, but everything in her mind told her it was a bad idea.
"Alright
then," he nodded. "I'll see you soon."
He
turned and strode back down the dock. Abby watched him until he reached the
parking lot. A part of her wished he would come racing back and demand to be
let onto the boat. But Craig was far too polite to do anything like that. And
besides, it was probably close to the time for him to pick Chloe up from
school. She sighed as she opened the door to the cabin and slipped inside,
closing it firmly behind her, and then got ready for bed. It was early to
sleep, but her day trip with Craig had been emotionally draining. There was no
where she needed to go, and no place she’d rather be, than in a cocoon of
pillows and blankets. Maybe she’d emerge as someone different.
Mulling
over the day, Abby recalled Craig’s touch grazing her skin. How electrified she
felt when his lips touched hers. Is Craig just a distraction? To avoid facing
what I left behind? The thoughts swirling through her mind frightened her.
Having been emotionally detached for so long, she wasn’t sure she could trust
what she was feeling. Abby told herself she hadn’t come to this sleepy little
town to get involved with anyone, and she had no intention of leaving broken
hearts in her wake. She did not want to hurt Craig , or Chloe. There was no way she would risk the hearts of two precious people,
even if it meant ignoring the desires of her own. As she fell asleep, she vowed
she would no longer allow her emotions make decisions for her.
* * *
Chapter 9 ~ In Dreams
Abby
looked at her phone as it rang again. She knew whose number she would read on
the screen. Craig had been calling her twice a day, for the past few days. He
must have gotten my number from the harbor master or Paul. Without having
spoken to him, she knew he was trying to check on her. It was understandable,
after sharing such a passionate kiss on the dunes, then barely saying a word on
the ride back.
When
they had kissed, the intensity of the desire she felt frightened her. She
craved him, his touch, the sound of his voice, the solace she obtained when she
was near him. She did not trust herself or her feelings. It was all too much,
too fast, in her mind. I’m far too much of a mess to get involved with him .
That was one thing Abby was sure of.
Craig
hung up the phone with a sharp jab of his finger. He had called so many times,
Abby's phone number was the only one showing up on the list of recent outgoing
calls. He was more than frustrated - they had shared such an intimate moment,
and now she would not answer the phone.
"I
guess that's how they do things, in Philadelphia," he said under his
breath as he tossed the phone onto the kitchen table. He grabbed his jacket and
stormed out into the backyard to chop firewood that didn’t need to be chopped.
After Rachel died, he chopped firewood for the whole town, enough to last two
winters. When Chloe saw him storm out the back door, she knew what he was going
to do, and it left her disappointed. For the first time in a long time, she had
seen her father's eyes glowing with happiness. She was sure it was because of
Abby.
Chloe
smiled a little as she realized how much he must like Abby. She liked Abby too.
As she sat down at the kitchen table, she began to devise a simple plan and
thought of Paul. Surely Paul would know what could be done, what would work? She looked out the window and saw Paul’s car coming slowly up the street; he
patrolled it about this time
"Abby,
wait," he called out as she walked toward the cabin door. She turned back
to face him, her heart racing.
"What
is it?" she said hopefully. She could not bring herself to invite him on
to the boat, not after how dangerously needy she had felt on the dunes.
"Just,
I'm here if you want to talk.” His words sounded lame to his own ears.
"Thank
you." Abby forced a smile to her lips. She wanted to plead with him to
stay, but everything in her mind told her it was a bad idea.
"Alright
then," he nodded. "I'll see you soon."
He
turned and strode back down the dock. Abby watched him until he reached the
parking lot. A part of her wished he would come racing back and demand to be
let onto the boat. But Craig was far too polite to do anything like that. And
besides, it was probably close to the time for him to pick Chloe up from
school. She sighed as she opened the door to the cabin and slipped inside,
closing it firmly behind her, and then got ready for bed. It was early to
sleep, but her day trip with Craig had been emotionally draining. There was no
where she needed to go, and no place she’d rather be, than in a cocoon of
pillows and blankets. Maybe she’d emerge as someone different.
Mulling
over the day, Abby recalled Craig’s touch grazing her skin. How electrified she
felt when his lips touched hers. Is Craig just a distraction? To avoid facing
what I left behind? The thoughts swirling through her mind frightened her.
Having been emotionally detached for so long, she wasn’t sure she could trust
what she was feeling. Abby told herself she hadn’t come to this sleepy little
town to get involved with anyone, and she had no intention of leaving broken
hearts in her wake. She did not want to hurt Craig , or Chloe. There was no way she would risk the hearts of two precious people,
even if it meant ignoring the desires of her own. As she fell asleep, she vowed
she would no longer allow her emotions make decisions for her.
* * *
Chapter 9 ~ In Dreams
Abby
looked at her phone as it rang again. She knew whose number she would read on
the screen. Craig had been calling her twice a day, for the past few days. He
must have gotten my number from the harbor master or Paul. Without having
spoken to him, she knew he was trying to check on her. It was understandable,
after sharing such a passionate kiss on the dunes, then barely saying a word on
the ride back.
When
they had kissed, the intensity of the desire she felt frightened her. She
craved him, his touch, the sound of his voice, the solace she obtained when she
was near him. She did not trust herself or her feelings. It was all too much,
too fast, in her mind. I’m far too much of a mess to get involved with him .
That was one thing Abby was sure of.
Craig
hung up the phone with a sharp jab of his finger. He had called so many times,
Abby's phone number was the only one showing up on the list of recent outgoing
calls. He was more than frustrated - they had shared such an intimate moment,
and now she would not answer the phone.
"I
guess that's how they do things, in Philadelphia," he said under his
breath as he tossed the phone onto the kitchen table. He grabbed his jacket and
stormed out into the backyard to chop firewood that didn’t need to be chopped.
After Rachel died, he chopped firewood for the whole town, enough to last two
winters. When Chloe saw him storm out the back door, she knew what he was going
to do, and it left her disappointed. For the first time in a long time, she had
seen her father's eyes glowing with happiness. She was sure it was because of
Abby.
Chloe
smiled a little as she realized how much he must like Abby. She liked Abby too.
As she sat down at the kitchen table, she began to devise a simple plan and
thought of Paul. Surely Paul would know what could be done, what would work? She looked out the window and saw Paul’s car coming slowly up the street; he
patrolled it about this time
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