Read Online No Plans for Love by Ruth Ann Hixson - Free Book Online
Authors: Ruth Ann Hixson
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eat."
Mark and Frank went out to the breezeway to talk. Soon Sherry could hear them arguing loudly. She wasn't finished eating when they came back inside. Mark was visibly angry.
"You're going home with us if I have to throw you over my shoulder and carry you out to the truck," Mark asserted.
She sprang to her feet. "If you do I'll have you charged with kidnapping and unlawful restraint."
Mark seized her by the shoulders and gave her a shake. "You hard-headed little..."
Frank intervened by stepping between them with his hands on Mark's chest. "Try 'independent'. Leave Sherry alone."
Sherry backed away to the bathroom door. "Get out of my house!"
"Sherry, listen to reason," Mark pleaded in a calmer tone.
"Just get out. Go!" She stepped back into the bathroom and slammed the door, locking it.
Mark tried to get past his father but Frank blocked him. "You heard her. Out."
Sherry was at the table finishing her supper when the phone rang. She was tempted not to answer it but after it rang six times she lifted the receiver.
It was Mark. "Please don't hang up. I'm sorry for being overbearing. I'm just trying to protect you. I have no clue why Elena is targeting you but it isn't your fault. I'm sorry you got mixed up in my mess."
"Elena is crazy," Sherry responded. "I know. I looked into her eyes when she was attacking me. Nobody will believe me." She drew a deep breath. "Do you still want to take me to dinner tomorrow night?"
"Definitely. I'm looking forward to it. You need to get away from all this for a while."
She didn't go to bed until after midnight. It was past three when she went to sleep. The clock's red numerals showed eleven o'clock when she woke up. Even though she would like to have remained in bed, she knew she had to get around to leave for work at two-thirty. She muddled through the day trying to focus on what she needed to do. She could not keep her mind off Mark. He intruded into everything she did. "I don't want to fall in love with him," she muttered to her dishwater. Her hot shower didn't wash him from her mind.
Chapter 6
She was glad it was a busy evening at work. But on the drive home thoughts of Mark followed her. She hoped that she would not have to deal with Elena. The last thing she wanted was for that woman to find out that she and Mark were going on a date. She almost called to cancel. But she really wanted to go. She needed a distraction from the complications of her life. And Mark was distracting.
She changed to a flowered dress topped by a white sweater. Then she called Mark. Hiding her purse in one of the milk cans, she pinned a door key to the underside of her collar. She was waiting when Mark drove in the driveway.
He chose a small family restaurant frequented by rural families. That late in the evening there were quite a few teenagers hanging around the pinball machines. When Mark guided her to an empty table, Sherry selected a chair where she could see the door, just in case Elena had followed them.
A hefty woman with her gray hair pinned up in a bun and a pencil behind her ear came to take their order. "Well, hello, Mark. We don't get to see you much anymore."
"This is Sherry Winnette. Violet's grand-daughter."
"Your grandparents used to come in here every Saturday night. I'd guess you'd be the little tyke they used to bring with them."
Sherry smiled. "Possibly. I don't remember." She looked over the menu. "A BLT, fries and coleslaw. Chocolate milk to drink."
Mark grinned up at the woman. "Sounds good to me, Kate. Make it two."
When Kate delivered their food, Mark pulled the toothpicks out of his sandwich and picked up half. "The food here is good."
Sherry was hungry because she skipped her supper break. She sat eating without pausing for conversation.
"Cat got your tongue?" Mark asked.
She shook her head and swallowed. "It's impolite to talk with your mouth full. I'm famished." But she remained quiet through the meal.
"What's wrong?" Mark asked.
"I keep
Mark and Frank went out to the breezeway to talk. Soon Sherry could hear them arguing loudly. She wasn't finished eating when they came back inside. Mark was visibly angry.
"You're going home with us if I have to throw you over my shoulder and carry you out to the truck," Mark asserted.
She sprang to her feet. "If you do I'll have you charged with kidnapping and unlawful restraint."
Mark seized her by the shoulders and gave her a shake. "You hard-headed little..."
Frank intervened by stepping between them with his hands on Mark's chest. "Try 'independent'. Leave Sherry alone."
Sherry backed away to the bathroom door. "Get out of my house!"
"Sherry, listen to reason," Mark pleaded in a calmer tone.
"Just get out. Go!" She stepped back into the bathroom and slammed the door, locking it.
Mark tried to get past his father but Frank blocked him. "You heard her. Out."
Sherry was at the table finishing her supper when the phone rang. She was tempted not to answer it but after it rang six times she lifted the receiver.
It was Mark. "Please don't hang up. I'm sorry for being overbearing. I'm just trying to protect you. I have no clue why Elena is targeting you but it isn't your fault. I'm sorry you got mixed up in my mess."
"Elena is crazy," Sherry responded. "I know. I looked into her eyes when she was attacking me. Nobody will believe me." She drew a deep breath. "Do you still want to take me to dinner tomorrow night?"
"Definitely. I'm looking forward to it. You need to get away from all this for a while."
She didn't go to bed until after midnight. It was past three when she went to sleep. The clock's red numerals showed eleven o'clock when she woke up. Even though she would like to have remained in bed, she knew she had to get around to leave for work at two-thirty. She muddled through the day trying to focus on what she needed to do. She could not keep her mind off Mark. He intruded into everything she did. "I don't want to fall in love with him," she muttered to her dishwater. Her hot shower didn't wash him from her mind.
Chapter 6
She was glad it was a busy evening at work. But on the drive home thoughts of Mark followed her. She hoped that she would not have to deal with Elena. The last thing she wanted was for that woman to find out that she and Mark were going on a date. She almost called to cancel. But she really wanted to go. She needed a distraction from the complications of her life. And Mark was distracting.
She changed to a flowered dress topped by a white sweater. Then she called Mark. Hiding her purse in one of the milk cans, she pinned a door key to the underside of her collar. She was waiting when Mark drove in the driveway.
He chose a small family restaurant frequented by rural families. That late in the evening there were quite a few teenagers hanging around the pinball machines. When Mark guided her to an empty table, Sherry selected a chair where she could see the door, just in case Elena had followed them.
A hefty woman with her gray hair pinned up in a bun and a pencil behind her ear came to take their order. "Well, hello, Mark. We don't get to see you much anymore."
"This is Sherry Winnette. Violet's grand-daughter."
"Your grandparents used to come in here every Saturday night. I'd guess you'd be the little tyke they used to bring with them."
Sherry smiled. "Possibly. I don't remember." She looked over the menu. "A BLT, fries and coleslaw. Chocolate milk to drink."
Mark grinned up at the woman. "Sounds good to me, Kate. Make it two."
When Kate delivered their food, Mark pulled the toothpicks out of his sandwich and picked up half. "The food here is good."
Sherry was hungry because she skipped her supper break. She sat eating without pausing for conversation.
"Cat got your tongue?" Mark asked.
She shook her head and swallowed. "It's impolite to talk with your mouth full. I'm famished." But she remained quiet through the meal.
"What's wrong?" Mark asked.
"I keep
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