Read Online In Love by Christmas: A Paranormal Romance by Sandy Nathan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sandy Nathan
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you could recognize—people and horses and trees. Everything wooden was carved and polished and velvet draperies hung at the windows. Only the splendor of Will’s house in Woodside surpassed this urban palace.
Leroy stalked around, looking in the rooms’ doorways and peeking out the windows at the dark streets. They were shiny, wet with rain.
“You know what this trip is about?” Doug said, following him like a shadow.
“Oh, yeah. ‘Welcome to Will’s world.’” He couldn’t stop pacing. The nervousness he’d felt since he set foot on that plane to rescue Cass had caught up with him. “Will’s makin’ sure that if Cass and me get married, I won’t embarrass him.”
Leroy went back to pacing. He would have sworn, if he had been a swearing man. What was so wrong with him? Back home, he felt just fine in his skin, and his world. Step into Will Duane’s world and he had to be remodeled like a rundown house. Maybe get indoor plumbing for the first time. He kept moving, wanting to kick something.
He thought to himself, Hold on, Leroy, if you want Cass, this is what you have to do. You have to fit into her world. Her world, not yours. Nothin’ wrong with you that these folks won’t find and make worse. Eat humble pie. Maybe you’ll like it.
Doug opened his mouth to say something, but the telephone rang. He grabbed it and scooted into his bedroom. Leroy could hear the strain in his voice through wooden panels.
“Baby, I will be home as soon as I can.” Doug burst out of the bedroom. He held the phone against his ear with his shoulder, partially covering the mouthpiece with his hand. As though that kept Leroy from hearing everything. “You’re OK. You’re at Will’s. Everyone cares about you. I’ll be home in a week, tops. You’re fine, sweetheart.”
Leroy followed Doug’s movements and words, becoming concerned.
“Don’t worry, baby. I love you. Can I talk to Carl?” Doug turned around as though he was heading back into the bedroom then stopped. “Carl? Is she OK?” He listened. “I need to be there. I’ll come home tomorrow.” A deep voice resounded from the phone, but Leroy couldn’t hear what he said, other than what the tone of his voice said, “No. You need to stay.”
“Can you take care of her for me?” Tough, worldly Doug had tears in his eyes. “Thank you, man. I owe you big time.”
He hung up the phone and looked at Leroy, desperate.
“Janice?”
“Yeah. She’s freaking out. It’s all too much,” he waved his hand around the room. Will’s world. “Do you know anything about Janice?”
Leroy knew all about Janice. He and Grandfather had rescued her from a situation similar to Cass’s. Too similar. She’d become an exemplary warrior, recovering from what life had thrust on her and her alcoholism. But Leroy sensed that Janice needed Doug and needed him now. All the work she’d done since meeting Grandfather was in jeopardy.
“Go home. I can take care of myself. I’m a spirit warrior.”
“No! You need me as much as Janice does. That’s why Carl told me to stay. You don’t know what you’re in for. Sit down, Leroy. I’m going to tell you the facts of life.” Doug indicated one of the overstuffed chairs. He sat on the adjoining sofa.
“You’re in charm school.” Doug’s mouth tightened. “Will is giving you this trip because he needs to stash you somewhere until we see if Cass is going to make it. She’s been hospitalized a bunch of times before. You know that. You don’t know that I was there for her a couple of them.” Leroy’s jaw fell open.
“Yeah. I was in love with her. I fell out of love with her the first time she got mad at me. Have you heard about Will’s temper?” Leroy shook his head. “No? If he blows up at you, you’ll never forget it. Cass is off the scale. She attacks .” He pulled up his sleeve and showed Leroy half-circle scars on his forearm, top and bottom. The scars bore tooth marks. “Cass. Thirty-six
Leroy stalked around, looking in the rooms’ doorways and peeking out the windows at the dark streets. They were shiny, wet with rain.
“You know what this trip is about?” Doug said, following him like a shadow.
“Oh, yeah. ‘Welcome to Will’s world.’” He couldn’t stop pacing. The nervousness he’d felt since he set foot on that plane to rescue Cass had caught up with him. “Will’s makin’ sure that if Cass and me get married, I won’t embarrass him.”
Leroy went back to pacing. He would have sworn, if he had been a swearing man. What was so wrong with him? Back home, he felt just fine in his skin, and his world. Step into Will Duane’s world and he had to be remodeled like a rundown house. Maybe get indoor plumbing for the first time. He kept moving, wanting to kick something.
He thought to himself, Hold on, Leroy, if you want Cass, this is what you have to do. You have to fit into her world. Her world, not yours. Nothin’ wrong with you that these folks won’t find and make worse. Eat humble pie. Maybe you’ll like it.
Doug opened his mouth to say something, but the telephone rang. He grabbed it and scooted into his bedroom. Leroy could hear the strain in his voice through wooden panels.
“Baby, I will be home as soon as I can.” Doug burst out of the bedroom. He held the phone against his ear with his shoulder, partially covering the mouthpiece with his hand. As though that kept Leroy from hearing everything. “You’re OK. You’re at Will’s. Everyone cares about you. I’ll be home in a week, tops. You’re fine, sweetheart.”
Leroy followed Doug’s movements and words, becoming concerned.
“Don’t worry, baby. I love you. Can I talk to Carl?” Doug turned around as though he was heading back into the bedroom then stopped. “Carl? Is she OK?” He listened. “I need to be there. I’ll come home tomorrow.” A deep voice resounded from the phone, but Leroy couldn’t hear what he said, other than what the tone of his voice said, “No. You need to stay.”
“Can you take care of her for me?” Tough, worldly Doug had tears in his eyes. “Thank you, man. I owe you big time.”
He hung up the phone and looked at Leroy, desperate.
“Janice?”
“Yeah. She’s freaking out. It’s all too much,” he waved his hand around the room. Will’s world. “Do you know anything about Janice?”
Leroy knew all about Janice. He and Grandfather had rescued her from a situation similar to Cass’s. Too similar. She’d become an exemplary warrior, recovering from what life had thrust on her and her alcoholism. But Leroy sensed that Janice needed Doug and needed him now. All the work she’d done since meeting Grandfather was in jeopardy.
“Go home. I can take care of myself. I’m a spirit warrior.”
“No! You need me as much as Janice does. That’s why Carl told me to stay. You don’t know what you’re in for. Sit down, Leroy. I’m going to tell you the facts of life.” Doug indicated one of the overstuffed chairs. He sat on the adjoining sofa.
“You’re in charm school.” Doug’s mouth tightened. “Will is giving you this trip because he needs to stash you somewhere until we see if Cass is going to make it. She’s been hospitalized a bunch of times before. You know that. You don’t know that I was there for her a couple of them.” Leroy’s jaw fell open.
“Yeah. I was in love with her. I fell out of love with her the first time she got mad at me. Have you heard about Will’s temper?” Leroy shook his head. “No? If he blows up at you, you’ll never forget it. Cass is off the scale. She attacks .” He pulled up his sleeve and showed Leroy half-circle scars on his forearm, top and bottom. The scars bore tooth marks. “Cass. Thirty-six
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