Read Online Last Chance Motel 1 (Last Chance Romance Series) by Abigail Keam - Free Book Online Page B

office.
    “Eva, can I talk to you for a moment?” asked Mike, shoving his hands in his stained pants pockets.
    “Okay.” Eva waited for him to approach her. She hoped Mike was not going to give her bad news.
    Mike looked around making sure Juan had gone home. “Ummm, I was wondering if you would like to go out with me this week?”
    “So soon? I thought you said in a couple of weeks. I have thought it over and I’m not sure if that is a good idea.”
    Mike didn’t like the look on Eva’s face. She seemed confused and fearful. Something had changed since he had last talked to her about going out.
    He thought he better change his tactic. “Let’s not consider it a date. I mean you’re always buying me food. I should feed you once in a while. Why don’t you come over and eat with Jenny and me? My mom cooks a mean pot roast. I would like you to meet her.”
    Eva sighed with relief. She was so glad she hadn’t made a fool out of herself as for a brief moment she thought Mike was asking her out on an official date. He was just being neighborly.
    “Sure. I’d like to meet your mother. And pot roast sounds wonderful after eating carryout night after night. I’m afraid I’m not a very good cook myself.”
    “Great. How about tomorrow night around six?”
    “You’d better give me directions.”
    “I’ll pick you up.”
    “You don’t have to do that. It’s so inconvenient.”
    “I don’t mind. See you tomorrow night.”
    “Well, if you don’t mind, then sure. Six it is.”
    Mike gave Eva a wide smile. “Okay. See you then.”
    He waved goodbye while jumping into his jeep.
    Eva went into the office with her heart pounding. Thank goodness she had hidden her true feelings from Mike. She didn’t want him to know that she thought she was falling in love with him . . . especially not since she discovered that Mike was dating other women. Regardless of how she felt, she was not getting involved with a cheating man again.
    They could just stay as they were . . . friends.
    That would have to do.

24
    J enny pushed the screen door open and raced to meet the jeep.
    Eva barely had time to get out of the vehicle before the youngster wrapped her arms around Eva’s waist, giving her a big hug.
    “Hello, Jenny,” laughed Eva. “Glad to see you too.”
    Jenny raised her sunny face to Eva and smiled, showing a space where a tooth should have been.
    “Has the tooth fairy visited you yet?” asked Eva, surveying the fractured smile.
    “Yes, and she left a dollar!” exclaimed Jenny.
    Eva glanced at Mike, giving him a knowing look. “The tooth fairy must like you a lot because all I ever got was a quarter when I lost a tooth.”
    “A quarter? That’s cheap.”
    “That’s what I think, too. Here, you can help me. These flowers are for your grandmother and the wine is for your daddy.”
    “Nothing for me?”
    “Help me with the flowers and there might be something in my purse. I’ll have to look and see.”
    “Mama. Mama. She brought flowers!” Jenny raced into the house with the bouquet.
    A thin woman with salt and pepper hair came to the screen door and held it open for Eva and Mike.
    Eva noticed that the woman’s nails were professionally manicured and her casual clothes were expensive. Mike’s mother had a pampered, naïve quality about her though Eva knew “Mama” was working very hard to put her family back together again after the tragedy.
    “Hello. So nice to meet you, Eva. I’ve heard you have done wonders with that old motel. I’m Mary Bishop.”
    “Thank you for having me in your home.”
    “I hope you like roast.”
    “I’d like anything that is home cooked. I’m so tired of eating hamburgers.” Eva held out a bottle to Mary. “I’ve brought wine. I don’t know if you drink it.”
    Mary smiled at Eva. “We do. I drink a little red wine every night before bed. My doctor told me it was good for the heart.” Mary accepted the bottle. “Son, please show Eva around while I put the