Read Online Heart of the Matter by Marta Perry - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Marta Perry
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nearly a year on the South Carolina coast. As for Lindsay, she looked like all of them had when they were children, sun kissed and wind tousled.
“Hey, sugar, how are you?” Amanda gave the child a quick hug. “I declare, you’ve grown an inch this summer.”
Lindsay grinned, displaying a space where a front tooth used to be. “Maybe I’ll be the tallest one in my class when school starts.”
“Could be.” If she’d inherited Matt’s height, she might well be.
Lindsay crossed the kitchen immediately to wrap her arms around Georgia’s waist. Georgia said that she and Matt were taking their relationship slowly because of the child, but it looked to her as if Lindsay was ready to claim Georgia as her mother.
“Everyone grab a dish to take to the table,” Miz Callie declared. “It’s ready.”
Amanda watched her cousin during the cheerful bustle of getting the food on. Georgia had never looked happier. The glow in her face when she looked at Matt and Lindsay shouted her love to the world.
Amanda suppressed a tiny pang that might have been jealousy. Georgia deserved every bit of the happiness she was experiencing. It was childish to use that as a reason to wonder when or if it might happen for her.
Once the blessing had been said and the platters of food started around the table, Georgia fixed her with an enquiring glance. “What’s wrong, Manda? You look like someone’s been picking on you. Is it that boss of yours again?”
“Not exactly.” She forked a golden chicken breast onto her plate. “He’s…” Her wayward imagination took her back to those moments when she’d felt lost in Ross’s warm gaze. “Sometimes he can be human. He actually gave me a few pointers on the search for Ned.”
Georgia dropped the spoon she held into the mashed potatoes. “You didn’t tell that newspaper editor about Ned. For goodness’ sake, Amanda…”
“Relax, honey. I didn’t tell him anything except that I was trying to find out what happened to a relative of my grandmother’s. He’s an outsider. He’s not going to know that old story.”
“You said he helped you?” Miz Callie leaned forward, blue eyes bright with the question. “Did you find something?”
“Not exactly, but he gave me some ideas. For instance, Ned wouldn’t have enlisted in Charleston, because he’d have been recognized there. And if he didn’t have access to a car—”
“He didn’t,” Miz Callie said surely. “Goodness, it was so tough to drive then, with gas rationing and all, that folks just didn’t drive anyplace they could get to by some other means.”
“That’s what I thought, so I’ve started checking up on buses and trains. Seems like he’d go someplace within fairly easy reach.”
“I suppose he could have gotten someone to drive him,” Miz Callie cautioned. “Though if so, he still couldn’t have gone far, what with the rationing.”
“Is there a record of where all the enlistment offices were in ’42?” Matt asked.
“There must be. I’m working on that. And on what name he might have used.”
“Eat, sugar,” her grandmother said. “You don’t need to let your supper get cold while you tell us.”
Amanda put a forkful of fragrant fried chicken into her mouth, relishing the flavor. Maybe Miz Callie’s fried chicken wasn’t good for you, as her mother reminded the family each time she tried yet another vegetarian entrée, but it surely was delicious.
“What name would he have used?” Matt asked. “A middle name? A family name?”
“That’s a thought. We ought to make up a list of possibilities to check out.” Georgia traced her fork along the tablecloth, as if writing a list. “I’m getting excited all over again, just talking about it. I think Manda’s really onto something.”
She could search through military records, using some of the family names this time. For an instant she was back in front of her computer, with Ross so close she could smell the fresh scent of his
“Hey, sugar, how are you?” Amanda gave the child a quick hug. “I declare, you’ve grown an inch this summer.”
Lindsay grinned, displaying a space where a front tooth used to be. “Maybe I’ll be the tallest one in my class when school starts.”
“Could be.” If she’d inherited Matt’s height, she might well be.
Lindsay crossed the kitchen immediately to wrap her arms around Georgia’s waist. Georgia said that she and Matt were taking their relationship slowly because of the child, but it looked to her as if Lindsay was ready to claim Georgia as her mother.
“Everyone grab a dish to take to the table,” Miz Callie declared. “It’s ready.”
Amanda watched her cousin during the cheerful bustle of getting the food on. Georgia had never looked happier. The glow in her face when she looked at Matt and Lindsay shouted her love to the world.
Amanda suppressed a tiny pang that might have been jealousy. Georgia deserved every bit of the happiness she was experiencing. It was childish to use that as a reason to wonder when or if it might happen for her.
Once the blessing had been said and the platters of food started around the table, Georgia fixed her with an enquiring glance. “What’s wrong, Manda? You look like someone’s been picking on you. Is it that boss of yours again?”
“Not exactly.” She forked a golden chicken breast onto her plate. “He’s…” Her wayward imagination took her back to those moments when she’d felt lost in Ross’s warm gaze. “Sometimes he can be human. He actually gave me a few pointers on the search for Ned.”
Georgia dropped the spoon she held into the mashed potatoes. “You didn’t tell that newspaper editor about Ned. For goodness’ sake, Amanda…”
“Relax, honey. I didn’t tell him anything except that I was trying to find out what happened to a relative of my grandmother’s. He’s an outsider. He’s not going to know that old story.”
“You said he helped you?” Miz Callie leaned forward, blue eyes bright with the question. “Did you find something?”
“Not exactly, but he gave me some ideas. For instance, Ned wouldn’t have enlisted in Charleston, because he’d have been recognized there. And if he didn’t have access to a car—”
“He didn’t,” Miz Callie said surely. “Goodness, it was so tough to drive then, with gas rationing and all, that folks just didn’t drive anyplace they could get to by some other means.”
“That’s what I thought, so I’ve started checking up on buses and trains. Seems like he’d go someplace within fairly easy reach.”
“I suppose he could have gotten someone to drive him,” Miz Callie cautioned. “Though if so, he still couldn’t have gone far, what with the rationing.”
“Is there a record of where all the enlistment offices were in ’42?” Matt asked.
“There must be. I’m working on that. And on what name he might have used.”
“Eat, sugar,” her grandmother said. “You don’t need to let your supper get cold while you tell us.”
Amanda put a forkful of fragrant fried chicken into her mouth, relishing the flavor. Maybe Miz Callie’s fried chicken wasn’t good for you, as her mother reminded the family each time she tried yet another vegetarian entrée, but it surely was delicious.
“What name would he have used?” Matt asked. “A middle name? A family name?”
“That’s a thought. We ought to make up a list of possibilities to check out.” Georgia traced her fork along the tablecloth, as if writing a list. “I’m getting excited all over again, just talking about it. I think Manda’s really onto something.”
She could search through military records, using some of the family names this time. For an instant she was back in front of her computer, with Ross so close she could smell the fresh scent of his
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