Read Online Hope Falls: Hearts Afire (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Julie Prestsater - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Julie Prestsater
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with her cooking, then definitely with her gossip. “Oh, really. I’m going to have to have a talk with her if I ever speak to her again.”
Katie continued to chuckle. He was happy to take her mind off of her dad, Brendan and any other man that had done her wrong in the past. It’s obvious that they didn’t see what he did—this smart and beautiful woman who made you smile by merely being in her presence.
“So what else did she tell you?”
With a flutter of her brows, Katie started spewing nonsense. “She said that your apartment may as well be a one-man brothel because more women pass through there while they’re in town than they do the B&B or the lodge.”
Casey stopped right there in the middle of the beaten path. “She said what ?”
With her fists dug into each hip, Katie faced him, a wicked grin spread wildly across her face. She was totally enjoying his discomfort. He could see it in her eyes how amused she was. “She said you’re the town manwhore and if I was smart I’d take a whirl on the Palmer Express before I left town.”
If he were Katie, he’d be slapping his thigh at how funny that was. Instead, he let out a hearty laugh at the absurdity. Sue Ann was quite the crazy old woman; he just didn’t know she had taken to chatting about his sex life.
“She said it just like that.” Katie laughed right with him and even pumped her right arm up and down, calling out, “Choo choo!”
Shaking his head, Casey continued down the path. “Stop already. I’m not a manwhore or whatever Sue Ann called it.”
Katie followed him, but she didn’t let up. “So tell me then. You haven’t answered the question. I told you why I’m done with firefighters. You tell me why you won’t give women, in general, a chance?”
“I’m talking to you, aren’t I?”
“Yeah, but you’re not trying to sleep with me or have a relationship with me.”
He almost thanked her for the reminder, but he bit his tongue. He wondered if it would hurt her more to hear it than it did for him to think it. He also wondered why it hurt him at all. She was right. He wasn’t trying to sleep with her. He wasn’t trying to have a relationship with her. She was just his friend.
Fuck if Nicole’s face didn’t just flash in his mind like a dirty neon sign.
“Maybe I have some issues of my own.”
“Well, no shit, Sherlock. I shared mine. Now it’s your turn.”
Bile crept up his throat. He wasn’t sure he was going to be able to keep his breakfast down. The thought of telling her about his mom or Nicole made him so sick to his stomach it physically hurt him. He had never told a soul about Nicole. He’d only talked to his dad about his mom. It had always been something he kept to himself and tried to deal with alone. He’d never had anyone he could actually talk to about his issues .
Maybe it was about time he changed that.
Maybe it would make him feel good to get it out.
And if not, Katie would be leaving soon anyway, taking his secrets with her.
“I guess you could say I have two issues that have gotten in the way of me settling down.”
She didn’t say anything, though her pace had gotten slower. It surprised him that she didn’t have a funny comeback or urge him to continue. The only things that could be heard were the sounds of crunching leaves and grinding pebbles beneath their feet, along with the whooshing of the river. They had yet to get to the clearing where they could actually see the running water, but they would soon. Then they could sit and talk for as long they needed to get all their issues out in the open.
“So, you’re not the only one with an asshole for a parent. My mom left when I was eight and never came back. I remember her being really hand’s off. I didn’t go to her for much because she just directed me to my dad. He took care of my meals, baths, schoolwork; you name it. He did it all. She didn’t want to be a mom. My parents were only eighteen when they had me. She wanted to
Katie continued to chuckle. He was happy to take her mind off of her dad, Brendan and any other man that had done her wrong in the past. It’s obvious that they didn’t see what he did—this smart and beautiful woman who made you smile by merely being in her presence.
“So what else did she tell you?”
With a flutter of her brows, Katie started spewing nonsense. “She said that your apartment may as well be a one-man brothel because more women pass through there while they’re in town than they do the B&B or the lodge.”
Casey stopped right there in the middle of the beaten path. “She said what ?”
With her fists dug into each hip, Katie faced him, a wicked grin spread wildly across her face. She was totally enjoying his discomfort. He could see it in her eyes how amused she was. “She said you’re the town manwhore and if I was smart I’d take a whirl on the Palmer Express before I left town.”
If he were Katie, he’d be slapping his thigh at how funny that was. Instead, he let out a hearty laugh at the absurdity. Sue Ann was quite the crazy old woman; he just didn’t know she had taken to chatting about his sex life.
“She said it just like that.” Katie laughed right with him and even pumped her right arm up and down, calling out, “Choo choo!”
Shaking his head, Casey continued down the path. “Stop already. I’m not a manwhore or whatever Sue Ann called it.”
Katie followed him, but she didn’t let up. “So tell me then. You haven’t answered the question. I told you why I’m done with firefighters. You tell me why you won’t give women, in general, a chance?”
“I’m talking to you, aren’t I?”
“Yeah, but you’re not trying to sleep with me or have a relationship with me.”
He almost thanked her for the reminder, but he bit his tongue. He wondered if it would hurt her more to hear it than it did for him to think it. He also wondered why it hurt him at all. She was right. He wasn’t trying to sleep with her. He wasn’t trying to have a relationship with her. She was just his friend.
Fuck if Nicole’s face didn’t just flash in his mind like a dirty neon sign.
“Maybe I have some issues of my own.”
“Well, no shit, Sherlock. I shared mine. Now it’s your turn.”
Bile crept up his throat. He wasn’t sure he was going to be able to keep his breakfast down. The thought of telling her about his mom or Nicole made him so sick to his stomach it physically hurt him. He had never told a soul about Nicole. He’d only talked to his dad about his mom. It had always been something he kept to himself and tried to deal with alone. He’d never had anyone he could actually talk to about his issues .
Maybe it was about time he changed that.
Maybe it would make him feel good to get it out.
And if not, Katie would be leaving soon anyway, taking his secrets with her.
“I guess you could say I have two issues that have gotten in the way of me settling down.”
She didn’t say anything, though her pace had gotten slower. It surprised him that she didn’t have a funny comeback or urge him to continue. The only things that could be heard were the sounds of crunching leaves and grinding pebbles beneath their feet, along with the whooshing of the river. They had yet to get to the clearing where they could actually see the running water, but they would soon. Then they could sit and talk for as long they needed to get all their issues out in the open.
“So, you’re not the only one with an asshole for a parent. My mom left when I was eight and never came back. I remember her being really hand’s off. I didn’t go to her for much because she just directed me to my dad. He took care of my meals, baths, schoolwork; you name it. He did it all. She didn’t want to be a mom. My parents were only eighteen when they had me. She wanted to
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