Read Online Minnie Crockwell - Will Travel for Trouble 01 - Trouble at Happy Trails by Minnie Crockwell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Minnie Crockwell
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I cannot protect you, Minerva.
I shrugged back my shoulders. “I really am sorry, Karen. Maybe nothing will come of it. I have some things to do now, so…”
“Well, since you sang like a bird, did you at least tell them my suspicions?”
She showed no sign of leaving, other than her hand on the door where it had been.
“You mean that Carl didn’t kill himself?”
“Good! I suppose I should be expecting a visit from them anytime now.”
“I don’t know,” I said.
She opened the door and stepped out. “I just hope you didn’t convince them that I did it!”
“I didn’t, Karen,” I said. “Good night.” I pulled the door shut.
Well done! She took on quite an ominous air, did she not?
“And then some,” I said as my weak knees forced me to drop to the couch. Confrontation, while sometimes a necessary part of life, always made me uncomfortable, especially now.
“I’m sorry I said what I did, Ben. I know you want to protect me. I know you’re real.”
But I failed you two months ago, did I not? When the ruffians attacked you on the street in that small town? Though they sought only your money, you struggled. I raged when one of them struck your face repeatedly, but it was an impotent rage. I could do nothing to protect you. I do not forget that. Nor do you, it seems.
I didn’t know whether I sympathized more for Ben or myself. I was jumpy now. I had developed a small case of posttraumatic stress disorder that now made me more jumpy than the average bear when startled. Or so a therapist I had seen for the subsequent anxiety and nightmares had said. But Ben seemed to take the assault harder than I had. He had raged, he had mourned, he had cursed himself and blamed himself. He had watched me get smacked around, and he could do nothing about it.
“It’s not your fault, Ben. You and I both know that.”
That knowledge does not help me protect you.
“I’m a big girl, Ben. I don’t need a knight in shining armor. I’m tougher than both you and I think.”
I am no knight. He chuckled. But I am a gentleman, and it is only natural that I should wish to protect you—a woman alone, my traveling companion, the lady to whom my spirit is inexplicably bound for the foreseeable future.
I grinned. “Awww, Ben. I feel for you. An 18th century man stuck with a 21st century woman. It can’t be easy.”
My bond to you is not without its pleasures and comforts, Minerva. His voice was silky, caressing.
I blushed. “Okay, enough flirting for now, Ben.”
Flirting indeed! I beg your pardon.
I heard his wonderful laugh and smiled. I wouldn’t admit it to him, but I enjoyed his flirting. Ben was incredibly handsome and very charming. Although admitting that to myself was as good as telling him since he could more often than not read my thoughts.
On occasion, Ben slipped in.
“Stop!” I said. I put my hands to the side of my head as if I could stop him from reading my mind.
A knock sounded on the door.
“Who now?” I said aloud.
It is the park owner. The “handsome,” and I quote you, Mr. Nick Granger.
“Really? I wonder what he wants.”
I opened the door and looked out. Yes, indeedy, the handsome Nick Granger stood there. He held a bottle of water in his hand and looked as if he had been jogging. A sleeveless T-shirt revealed well-muscled arms and his running shorts showed tanned, toned legs.
“Oh, you didn’t mention you were a jogger, too,” I teased. “How you’ll find time to manage the park in between jogging and golf, I can’t imagine.” I grinned.
He smiled broadly. “Well, that’s just what I wanted to see you about. I really don’t want to do this all summer. Heck, I’d rather get in an RV and get back onto the road than sit here and babysit campers all day.”
I stepped down and shut the door behind me.
“Ouch!”
“Well, it’s not like I would say that to just anyone.” He grinned without remorse. “You seem to have a sense of
I shrugged back my shoulders. “I really am sorry, Karen. Maybe nothing will come of it. I have some things to do now, so…”
“Well, since you sang like a bird, did you at least tell them my suspicions?”
She showed no sign of leaving, other than her hand on the door where it had been.
“You mean that Carl didn’t kill himself?”
“Good! I suppose I should be expecting a visit from them anytime now.”
“I don’t know,” I said.
She opened the door and stepped out. “I just hope you didn’t convince them that I did it!”
“I didn’t, Karen,” I said. “Good night.” I pulled the door shut.
Well done! She took on quite an ominous air, did she not?
“And then some,” I said as my weak knees forced me to drop to the couch. Confrontation, while sometimes a necessary part of life, always made me uncomfortable, especially now.
“I’m sorry I said what I did, Ben. I know you want to protect me. I know you’re real.”
But I failed you two months ago, did I not? When the ruffians attacked you on the street in that small town? Though they sought only your money, you struggled. I raged when one of them struck your face repeatedly, but it was an impotent rage. I could do nothing to protect you. I do not forget that. Nor do you, it seems.
I didn’t know whether I sympathized more for Ben or myself. I was jumpy now. I had developed a small case of posttraumatic stress disorder that now made me more jumpy than the average bear when startled. Or so a therapist I had seen for the subsequent anxiety and nightmares had said. But Ben seemed to take the assault harder than I had. He had raged, he had mourned, he had cursed himself and blamed himself. He had watched me get smacked around, and he could do nothing about it.
“It’s not your fault, Ben. You and I both know that.”
That knowledge does not help me protect you.
“I’m a big girl, Ben. I don’t need a knight in shining armor. I’m tougher than both you and I think.”
I am no knight. He chuckled. But I am a gentleman, and it is only natural that I should wish to protect you—a woman alone, my traveling companion, the lady to whom my spirit is inexplicably bound for the foreseeable future.
I grinned. “Awww, Ben. I feel for you. An 18th century man stuck with a 21st century woman. It can’t be easy.”
My bond to you is not without its pleasures and comforts, Minerva. His voice was silky, caressing.
I blushed. “Okay, enough flirting for now, Ben.”
Flirting indeed! I beg your pardon.
I heard his wonderful laugh and smiled. I wouldn’t admit it to him, but I enjoyed his flirting. Ben was incredibly handsome and very charming. Although admitting that to myself was as good as telling him since he could more often than not read my thoughts.
On occasion, Ben slipped in.
“Stop!” I said. I put my hands to the side of my head as if I could stop him from reading my mind.
A knock sounded on the door.
“Who now?” I said aloud.
It is the park owner. The “handsome,” and I quote you, Mr. Nick Granger.
“Really? I wonder what he wants.”
I opened the door and looked out. Yes, indeedy, the handsome Nick Granger stood there. He held a bottle of water in his hand and looked as if he had been jogging. A sleeveless T-shirt revealed well-muscled arms and his running shorts showed tanned, toned legs.
“Oh, you didn’t mention you were a jogger, too,” I teased. “How you’ll find time to manage the park in between jogging and golf, I can’t imagine.” I grinned.
He smiled broadly. “Well, that’s just what I wanted to see you about. I really don’t want to do this all summer. Heck, I’d rather get in an RV and get back onto the road than sit here and babysit campers all day.”
I stepped down and shut the door behind me.
“Ouch!”
“Well, it’s not like I would say that to just anyone.” He grinned without remorse. “You seem to have a sense of
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