Read Online Isle of Hope by Julie Lessman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Julie Lessman
Ads: Link
before the hedge of Jericho went up. Lips pursed in an “o,” she gave him little fish kisses. Together with the bacon, the soft popping sounds caused strands of slobber to dangle from Beau’s mouth.
“You don’t fool me for a moment, Beauregard Carmichael—I know it’s the bacon you’re excited to see, not me, but I’ll take it.” She plucked the bacon off the Tupperware lid and waved it in the air, causing sweet Beau to squeal, bark, and dance in circles on his hind legs. Tess’s laughter countered Beau’s hungry howls, unleashing a familiar ruckus that had once been as common as the shrieks of children in her back yard. Unwrapping the plastic wrap, she tossed a piece of bacon high so he had to leap in the air, giggling like a little girl as always when Beau performed his Underdog tricks.
“It’s nice to know somebody will be glad to see me,” she said with a crooked smile. Plastic wrap tucked in her pocket, she waved the second piece of bacon for several moments to coerce the pup into howling loud enough to draw the bear from his cave.
“What the—” Ben Carmichael stormed around the corner of the house and froze, the bronze tan he’d obviously picked up on a Caribbean medical convention leeching from his chiseled face. Hazel eyes the color of Colombian coffee with a touch of cream stared back, so wide she swore she could see the ring of striking green around his irises. Dark hair sifted with gray at the temples gave him the distinguished look of a man who was aging well. Although her husband had been no slouch in the looks department, Tess couldn’t deny that Ben Carmichael was a true looker. So much so that she had almost pitied her best friend Karen for being married to a man who obviously caught every woman’s eye. Too good-looking to be trusted, or so Tess had believed, even though Ben had never given any cause for suspicion. No lingering looks, no second glances at other women, no husky comments—nothing in the over twenty years the two couples had been best friends and neighbors. A sudden malaise tempered Tess’s smile. No, instead it had been her husband—a devoted pastor—who had stolen Ben’s wife away, robbing them all of the close family ties and friendship they’d once taken for granted.
“The UPS man delivered a package for you, so I thought I’d bring it over as well as bacon for Beau.”
The man didn’t move, didn’t speak, didn’t blink. Just stared like she’d dropped in from the next galaxy rather than merely next door.
Despite the smile on her face, her chin rose along with the plate in her hands. “And I have monster cookies,” she said in a sing-song tone usually reserved for her children.
Silence. Except, of course, for Beau’s whimpering lament. Her smile compressed. Okay, buster, have it your way. Eyes never straying from Ben’s, she sailed the bacon far into the yard, grit girding her smile as Beau bolted away with whines of euphoria. Because when it comes to the evil eye, Doc, I can outlast a dirty eight-year-old Power Ranger who bucks a bath, so bring it on ...
“Why.” It sounded more like a grunt than a question … and still nothing moved on the man’s body.
Tess hiked a brow, a challenge in her smile. “Why? Because they’re your favorite, silly … or at least they used to be.”
“No,” he bit out, the hard planes of his face calcifying even more. “ Why are you here — now? ”
Tess blinked, a wee bit worried for his patients if he couldn’t figure this one out. She tapped the package with her fingers, head dipped as if talking to Davey. “Uh, your package?” She paused, expectant. “You know—it needed a signature?” She battled a full-fledge grin over stormy eyes shadowed by beetled brows. Come on, Ben, you can do this.
The fog cleared from his eyes, but the snark remained. With a grunt of thanks, he extended a muscular arm over the fence, his large palm surprisingly calloused for one of the country’s top heart
“You don’t fool me for a moment, Beauregard Carmichael—I know it’s the bacon you’re excited to see, not me, but I’ll take it.” She plucked the bacon off the Tupperware lid and waved it in the air, causing sweet Beau to squeal, bark, and dance in circles on his hind legs. Tess’s laughter countered Beau’s hungry howls, unleashing a familiar ruckus that had once been as common as the shrieks of children in her back yard. Unwrapping the plastic wrap, she tossed a piece of bacon high so he had to leap in the air, giggling like a little girl as always when Beau performed his Underdog tricks.
“It’s nice to know somebody will be glad to see me,” she said with a crooked smile. Plastic wrap tucked in her pocket, she waved the second piece of bacon for several moments to coerce the pup into howling loud enough to draw the bear from his cave.
“What the—” Ben Carmichael stormed around the corner of the house and froze, the bronze tan he’d obviously picked up on a Caribbean medical convention leeching from his chiseled face. Hazel eyes the color of Colombian coffee with a touch of cream stared back, so wide she swore she could see the ring of striking green around his irises. Dark hair sifted with gray at the temples gave him the distinguished look of a man who was aging well. Although her husband had been no slouch in the looks department, Tess couldn’t deny that Ben Carmichael was a true looker. So much so that she had almost pitied her best friend Karen for being married to a man who obviously caught every woman’s eye. Too good-looking to be trusted, or so Tess had believed, even though Ben had never given any cause for suspicion. No lingering looks, no second glances at other women, no husky comments—nothing in the over twenty years the two couples had been best friends and neighbors. A sudden malaise tempered Tess’s smile. No, instead it had been her husband—a devoted pastor—who had stolen Ben’s wife away, robbing them all of the close family ties and friendship they’d once taken for granted.
“The UPS man delivered a package for you, so I thought I’d bring it over as well as bacon for Beau.”
The man didn’t move, didn’t speak, didn’t blink. Just stared like she’d dropped in from the next galaxy rather than merely next door.
Despite the smile on her face, her chin rose along with the plate in her hands. “And I have monster cookies,” she said in a sing-song tone usually reserved for her children.
Silence. Except, of course, for Beau’s whimpering lament. Her smile compressed. Okay, buster, have it your way. Eyes never straying from Ben’s, she sailed the bacon far into the yard, grit girding her smile as Beau bolted away with whines of euphoria. Because when it comes to the evil eye, Doc, I can outlast a dirty eight-year-old Power Ranger who bucks a bath, so bring it on ...
“Why.” It sounded more like a grunt than a question … and still nothing moved on the man’s body.
Tess hiked a brow, a challenge in her smile. “Why? Because they’re your favorite, silly … or at least they used to be.”
“No,” he bit out, the hard planes of his face calcifying even more. “ Why are you here — now? ”
Tess blinked, a wee bit worried for his patients if he couldn’t figure this one out. She tapped the package with her fingers, head dipped as if talking to Davey. “Uh, your package?” She paused, expectant. “You know—it needed a signature?” She battled a full-fledge grin over stormy eyes shadowed by beetled brows. Come on, Ben, you can do this.
The fog cleared from his eyes, but the snark remained. With a grunt of thanks, he extended a muscular arm over the fence, his large palm surprisingly calloused for one of the country’s top heart
Similar Books
