Read Online Misfortune: Christmas With Scrooge by Peggy Ann Craig - Free Book Online
Authors: Peggy Ann Craig
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“Dead.”
Exhaling what little patience she had left,
she said “Look, call it even. You rescued me from the side of the
road, more or less, and now it's my turn. It's the least I could
do, considering you wouldn't accept my thanks.”
With an angry thrust he punched the paneled
door before slumping back exasperated into his seat. “Just drop me
off at the closest phone booth.”
“Fine,” she agreed, before turning the
over-sized van back onto the road. A quick glance at his appearance
once again, had her saying, “You better get out of those wet
cloths, or you'll catch—”
“Keep your eyes on the road and mind your own
business.” He grumbled before reaching down and slipping very
expensive but very wet Dockers from his feet. “With your track
record, I would appreciate not landing in a ditch somewhere.”
She clamped her mouth shut from retorting
something crude back, refraining from lowering herself to his
level. Instead, she asked, “Is that why you didn't want me to pick
you up? You think I'm a bad driver?”
He removed his socks and was ungraciously
twisting water from them over the van floor.
“Hey!”
“Send me the bill,” he snapped, before
turning next to his soaking trench coat. “It's about the only money
you'll get from me.”
“So, it was personal!”
“As I said, it's not a worthy
investment.”
“You would actually allow seven young girls
and a baby to freeze and starve because of your dislike for
me?”
“It has nothing to do with you.”
“Hah! You could barely accept this ride. The
other day in your office you would have liked nothing more than to
throw me out on my backside.”
“Now that would have been a sight.”
“What is it with you?” she demanded angrily,
receiving a scowl from her companion. “What is it you don't like
about me? Ever since we first met, you've had it against me.
Why?”
“I don't particularly like people.”
Laura frowned. “Me in particular.”
He didn't respond. Laura's frown only
deepened. She was caught off guard by the sudden pain in her chest
this revelation brought on. She had been able to recognize from the
start his dislike for her. However, his silence now only confirmed
it. And it hurt.
Shortly, he asked, “Do you always pick up
strangers?”
“I happened to recognize you.” Muttering
under her breath, she added, “And I still picked you up.”
He shot her a sour glance indicating he had
heard, but decided to check any retort, not wanting to get into
another heated wrangle. It was what he remembered most of the
woman, and what more than likely caused his dislike for her. Her
irksome ability to protract maddening emotions from him, for that
matter any emotion. Her bewitching amber-green eyes had his insides
doing funny things. He scowled out the window. Yes, it was best if
he simply did not look at her.
It was while he stared at the downpour on the
opposite side of his window that it dawned on him they had not yet
exited the township road and entering city elements. “Where are you
going? Any one of these side roads will lead us into town.”
“I know where there's a phone you can
use.”
“Laura.” The tone of his voice was every bit
of a warning as it was a threat. “Where are you taking me?”
She swallowed, not sure what possessed her to
keep driving straight home. But the opportunity had presented
itself, how could she turn a blind eye to it? He was basically her
prisoner, even for a short period of time, and she would be a fool
to miss the chance to try and prove to him her shelter was worth
the investment. Her only excuse was she desperately needed the
money. At this point, she was capable of doing anything.
“My home's not far out of the way. We'll be
there in no time.”
He glared at her. “I have no intention of
stepping foot into your house.”
She shrugged nonchalantly. “Your phone call
won't be made that way.”
“I'll walk—”
“To the nearest station? About 4 kilometers
and it's
Exhaling what little patience she had left,
she said “Look, call it even. You rescued me from the side of the
road, more or less, and now it's my turn. It's the least I could
do, considering you wouldn't accept my thanks.”
With an angry thrust he punched the paneled
door before slumping back exasperated into his seat. “Just drop me
off at the closest phone booth.”
“Fine,” she agreed, before turning the
over-sized van back onto the road. A quick glance at his appearance
once again, had her saying, “You better get out of those wet
cloths, or you'll catch—”
“Keep your eyes on the road and mind your own
business.” He grumbled before reaching down and slipping very
expensive but very wet Dockers from his feet. “With your track
record, I would appreciate not landing in a ditch somewhere.”
She clamped her mouth shut from retorting
something crude back, refraining from lowering herself to his
level. Instead, she asked, “Is that why you didn't want me to pick
you up? You think I'm a bad driver?”
He removed his socks and was ungraciously
twisting water from them over the van floor.
“Hey!”
“Send me the bill,” he snapped, before
turning next to his soaking trench coat. “It's about the only money
you'll get from me.”
“So, it was personal!”
“As I said, it's not a worthy
investment.”
“You would actually allow seven young girls
and a baby to freeze and starve because of your dislike for
me?”
“It has nothing to do with you.”
“Hah! You could barely accept this ride. The
other day in your office you would have liked nothing more than to
throw me out on my backside.”
“Now that would have been a sight.”
“What is it with you?” she demanded angrily,
receiving a scowl from her companion. “What is it you don't like
about me? Ever since we first met, you've had it against me.
Why?”
“I don't particularly like people.”
Laura frowned. “Me in particular.”
He didn't respond. Laura's frown only
deepened. She was caught off guard by the sudden pain in her chest
this revelation brought on. She had been able to recognize from the
start his dislike for her. However, his silence now only confirmed
it. And it hurt.
Shortly, he asked, “Do you always pick up
strangers?”
“I happened to recognize you.” Muttering
under her breath, she added, “And I still picked you up.”
He shot her a sour glance indicating he had
heard, but decided to check any retort, not wanting to get into
another heated wrangle. It was what he remembered most of the
woman, and what more than likely caused his dislike for her. Her
irksome ability to protract maddening emotions from him, for that
matter any emotion. Her bewitching amber-green eyes had his insides
doing funny things. He scowled out the window. Yes, it was best if
he simply did not look at her.
It was while he stared at the downpour on the
opposite side of his window that it dawned on him they had not yet
exited the township road and entering city elements. “Where are you
going? Any one of these side roads will lead us into town.”
“I know where there's a phone you can
use.”
“Laura.” The tone of his voice was every bit
of a warning as it was a threat. “Where are you taking me?”
She swallowed, not sure what possessed her to
keep driving straight home. But the opportunity had presented
itself, how could she turn a blind eye to it? He was basically her
prisoner, even for a short period of time, and she would be a fool
to miss the chance to try and prove to him her shelter was worth
the investment. Her only excuse was she desperately needed the
money. At this point, she was capable of doing anything.
“My home's not far out of the way. We'll be
there in no time.”
He glared at her. “I have no intention of
stepping foot into your house.”
She shrugged nonchalantly. “Your phone call
won't be made that way.”
“I'll walk—”
“To the nearest station? About 4 kilometers
and it's
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