Read Online Impervious (City of Eldrich Book 1) by Laura Kirwan - Free Book Online
Authors: Laura Kirwan
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Russ.
“Why do you ask?” He wore a knowing smile.
She wanted to smack that cheesy grin off his face as she felt her cheeks grow hot. “No reason. Merely curious.”
“He should be here. Unless . . .”
“Unless what?”
“Um. Unless he drank too much last night.”
Now it was Russ’s turn to blush, Meaghan noticed, feeling satisfied and disappointed at the same time. John was trouble, and Russ just confirmed it. But as victories went, it felt pretty hollow.
“He’s not a bad guy,” Russ said. “He could be a really great guy if he sobered up. But it’s not hard to understand his compulsion to drink considering all he suffered.”
“Oh, bullshit,” Meaghan said. “Drinking is a choice. Plenty of people suffer and still manage not to pickle themselves.”
“Wow. Way to feel the compassion,” Russ responded.
“Fine. I get that it’s a disease, but it’s the only disease I know of where the cure is simply telling yourself no.”
“Simply?” He shook his head.
“Jamie lost his mom. He suffered and he’s not a drunk, is he?”
Russ shook his head. “No, but—”
“Don’t ever expect me to have sympathy for this shit. Not after Dad and Greg. Been there, done that.” She tapped the white mark above her eyebrow. “Got the scar to prove it.”
Feeling bolstered by her tough talk, Meaghan turned away from Russ only to see John sitting about twenty feet away on the lowered tailgate of his truck, counting money. A table stacked with honey jars sat in front of him. As Meaghan watched, a couple of older women walked up and made a purchase. He gave them his shy smile, but barely looked up. The two women whispered something to each other and giggled as they walked away.
“Oh, look, Meg,” Russ said, noticing John. “Let’s go kick him in the balls and then tell him how his drinking is a choice.”
“You know I’m right,” Meaghan said, her face flaming again. “I’m not trying to be mean. I know he went through something awful, but he drinks because he chooses to. No other reason.”
“Yeah, but I think he’s salvageable.”
“So, what’s that got to do with me?” She felt her face get even hotter.
“Well, I thought, maybe, if he had someone to motivate him—”
“Oh, Russ, please. Tell me you aren’t thinking of trying to fix us up. Not. Gonna. Happen. Just because you make bad choices doesn’t mean I have to.” It was out of her mouth before she could stop herself.
Russ gave her a frozen look and walked towards John.
“Russ,” she called after him. “I’m sorry.”
He ignored her.
“Oh, nice one, Meg,” she muttered as she followed him.
“Hey, John,” she heard Russ call. “How’s business?”
John looked up from his money counting, saw Russ, shoved the bills into the pocket of his worn jeans, and smiled. He saw Meaghan a moment later. His face turned red and he stared back down at the table.
Russ walked up, hand out. John shook it, still looking down.
“The last batch you dropped by was awesome,” Russ said. “How are the bees doing?”
John shrugged. “They seem happy. I added more hives. In the lower clearing.”
“You met Meaghan, I hear,” Russ said, throwing her another frosty look.
“I did,” John said.
Standing near him, seeing him up close, Meaghan felt a rush of shame for her glib remarks. She could see faint scars around his wrists and on his forearms. A big man, he did all he could to appear small. He carried himself cautiously, with a slight crouch, arms held close to his sides, ready to flee or curl into a protective ball at the slightest sign of trouble. He reminded her of the abused dogs a friend in Phoenix used to foster, the fight beaten out of them, expecting every human touch to hurt.
“Well,” Russ said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. “I guess we’ll be moving along.” He grabbed Meaghan’s arm and tugged her away from the table. “Good to see you, John.”
“Did you meet my son?” John asked. Meaghan
“Why do you ask?” He wore a knowing smile.
She wanted to smack that cheesy grin off his face as she felt her cheeks grow hot. “No reason. Merely curious.”
“He should be here. Unless . . .”
“Unless what?”
“Um. Unless he drank too much last night.”
Now it was Russ’s turn to blush, Meaghan noticed, feeling satisfied and disappointed at the same time. John was trouble, and Russ just confirmed it. But as victories went, it felt pretty hollow.
“He’s not a bad guy,” Russ said. “He could be a really great guy if he sobered up. But it’s not hard to understand his compulsion to drink considering all he suffered.”
“Oh, bullshit,” Meaghan said. “Drinking is a choice. Plenty of people suffer and still manage not to pickle themselves.”
“Wow. Way to feel the compassion,” Russ responded.
“Fine. I get that it’s a disease, but it’s the only disease I know of where the cure is simply telling yourself no.”
“Simply?” He shook his head.
“Jamie lost his mom. He suffered and he’s not a drunk, is he?”
Russ shook his head. “No, but—”
“Don’t ever expect me to have sympathy for this shit. Not after Dad and Greg. Been there, done that.” She tapped the white mark above her eyebrow. “Got the scar to prove it.”
Feeling bolstered by her tough talk, Meaghan turned away from Russ only to see John sitting about twenty feet away on the lowered tailgate of his truck, counting money. A table stacked with honey jars sat in front of him. As Meaghan watched, a couple of older women walked up and made a purchase. He gave them his shy smile, but barely looked up. The two women whispered something to each other and giggled as they walked away.
“Oh, look, Meg,” Russ said, noticing John. “Let’s go kick him in the balls and then tell him how his drinking is a choice.”
“You know I’m right,” Meaghan said, her face flaming again. “I’m not trying to be mean. I know he went through something awful, but he drinks because he chooses to. No other reason.”
“Yeah, but I think he’s salvageable.”
“So, what’s that got to do with me?” She felt her face get even hotter.
“Well, I thought, maybe, if he had someone to motivate him—”
“Oh, Russ, please. Tell me you aren’t thinking of trying to fix us up. Not. Gonna. Happen. Just because you make bad choices doesn’t mean I have to.” It was out of her mouth before she could stop herself.
Russ gave her a frozen look and walked towards John.
“Russ,” she called after him. “I’m sorry.”
He ignored her.
“Oh, nice one, Meg,” she muttered as she followed him.
“Hey, John,” she heard Russ call. “How’s business?”
John looked up from his money counting, saw Russ, shoved the bills into the pocket of his worn jeans, and smiled. He saw Meaghan a moment later. His face turned red and he stared back down at the table.
Russ walked up, hand out. John shook it, still looking down.
“The last batch you dropped by was awesome,” Russ said. “How are the bees doing?”
John shrugged. “They seem happy. I added more hives. In the lower clearing.”
“You met Meaghan, I hear,” Russ said, throwing her another frosty look.
“I did,” John said.
Standing near him, seeing him up close, Meaghan felt a rush of shame for her glib remarks. She could see faint scars around his wrists and on his forearms. A big man, he did all he could to appear small. He carried himself cautiously, with a slight crouch, arms held close to his sides, ready to flee or curl into a protective ball at the slightest sign of trouble. He reminded her of the abused dogs a friend in Phoenix used to foster, the fight beaten out of them, expecting every human touch to hurt.
“Well,” Russ said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. “I guess we’ll be moving along.” He grabbed Meaghan’s arm and tugged her away from the table. “Good to see you, John.”
“Did you meet my son?” John asked. Meaghan
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