Read Online Nothing Short of a Miracle by Carol Henry - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Carol Henry
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There’s no ring on her finger.”
“Being pretty presumptuous to think she’d want you to get involved with her, don’t you think?”
Chad stared at his friend. Dennis was right. His friend had a way of grounding him when he most needed it. What in the hell was he getting himself so worked up over anyway? So, he had helped someone out of a jam by giving her a few hundred dollars, even though the accident was partly his fault. It didn’t mean she needed saving. Or he needed to be the one doing the saving.
Even if she was one of the most beautiful women he’d run into—literally. Chad smiled. Gabriella was beautiful in a woebegone, waifish sort of way. But yet, she was feisty as all get out.
“Sounds to me as if this woman is getting to you,” Dennis said. “I’d watch out if I were you. You said she was going to be living with your parents? And you?”
“She’s not living with me . Besides, I’m immune.” Chad raised his bottle for the bartender to see, and held up his other hand requesting two. One for Dennis.
“By the way, I need your assistance. I have to help Ms. Rumsey move in.”
Dennis whistled softly, then laughed. “This beer’s on me. I wouldn’t miss this event for all the beer in Milwaukee. Where? When? And what time?”
Dennis’ know-it-all smile was asking to be knocked sideways to Sunday. If they weren’t such good friends he just might consider it.
“Ten a.m., and don’t be late, smart ass, or our friendship ends at 10:01.”
****
When Chad arrived early Friday morning, Gabriella had Nina dressed, fed, sleeping, and her boxes packed, stacked, and waiting.
“This is my brother-in-law, Sean,” Chad introduced the tall lanky young man who had just stepped from his truck. “And this is Dennis, a friend of the family. He offered to help.”
“Define offered,” Dennis said, grinning. He extended his hand out to greet Gabriella. “Glad to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you too. Thanks for offering to help.”
Chad ignored them. As he walked toward the apartment complex, he motioned for the others to follow as if he’d been there a hundred times.
“Good morning to you, too,” Gabriella mumbled under her breath as he passed her.
“It will be once we get this over with,” Chad mumbled.
“What? No coffee this morning?” Dennis asked, close on Chad’s heels.
“It’ll take more than one cup of coffee to make this right,” Chad snarled.
Sean stepped between them and extended his hand to Gabriella in welcome.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. Don’t let this old grump bother you none, he tends to be like this when he comes home for a visit. He gets a big dose of ‘family’ and it doesn’t sit well. He won’t be here very long, and I suspect he’ll be out of the house or stuck in his room working as much as possible once the folks start their holiday parties.”
“It’s good of you to help Mr. Hempstead. Other than the crib, stroller, and a few other baby gadgets, there isn’t much to move. My stuff is all boxed up waiting.”
“ Chad ,” the surly man spit out between clenched teeth. “ The name is Chad . Mr. Hempstead happens to be my father.” He’d already picked up a box from the front porch and was carrying it back to the truck.
The surprised look on Dennis’ face was comical. Sean grinned and shook his head. Chad ignored them and put the box in the back of the truck and returned to collect another one.
“The two of you going to stand there all day or are you going to help? Get a move on. These boxes aren’t going to move themselves.”
“Don’t mind him,” Dennis grinned. “He had a late night and hasn’t recuperated yet. I think it’ll take a gallon of coffee to put him in a good mood this morning.”
Gabriella thought he was acting like a spoiled brat. She wasn’t surprised his mother had referred to him as Junior once. She’d seen the gritted teeth and the wince he’d tried to hide. The best thing to do was to ignore his
“Being pretty presumptuous to think she’d want you to get involved with her, don’t you think?”
Chad stared at his friend. Dennis was right. His friend had a way of grounding him when he most needed it. What in the hell was he getting himself so worked up over anyway? So, he had helped someone out of a jam by giving her a few hundred dollars, even though the accident was partly his fault. It didn’t mean she needed saving. Or he needed to be the one doing the saving.
Even if she was one of the most beautiful women he’d run into—literally. Chad smiled. Gabriella was beautiful in a woebegone, waifish sort of way. But yet, she was feisty as all get out.
“Sounds to me as if this woman is getting to you,” Dennis said. “I’d watch out if I were you. You said she was going to be living with your parents? And you?”
“She’s not living with me . Besides, I’m immune.” Chad raised his bottle for the bartender to see, and held up his other hand requesting two. One for Dennis.
“By the way, I need your assistance. I have to help Ms. Rumsey move in.”
Dennis whistled softly, then laughed. “This beer’s on me. I wouldn’t miss this event for all the beer in Milwaukee. Where? When? And what time?”
Dennis’ know-it-all smile was asking to be knocked sideways to Sunday. If they weren’t such good friends he just might consider it.
“Ten a.m., and don’t be late, smart ass, or our friendship ends at 10:01.”
****
When Chad arrived early Friday morning, Gabriella had Nina dressed, fed, sleeping, and her boxes packed, stacked, and waiting.
“This is my brother-in-law, Sean,” Chad introduced the tall lanky young man who had just stepped from his truck. “And this is Dennis, a friend of the family. He offered to help.”
“Define offered,” Dennis said, grinning. He extended his hand out to greet Gabriella. “Glad to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you too. Thanks for offering to help.”
Chad ignored them. As he walked toward the apartment complex, he motioned for the others to follow as if he’d been there a hundred times.
“Good morning to you, too,” Gabriella mumbled under her breath as he passed her.
“It will be once we get this over with,” Chad mumbled.
“What? No coffee this morning?” Dennis asked, close on Chad’s heels.
“It’ll take more than one cup of coffee to make this right,” Chad snarled.
Sean stepped between them and extended his hand to Gabriella in welcome.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. Don’t let this old grump bother you none, he tends to be like this when he comes home for a visit. He gets a big dose of ‘family’ and it doesn’t sit well. He won’t be here very long, and I suspect he’ll be out of the house or stuck in his room working as much as possible once the folks start their holiday parties.”
“It’s good of you to help Mr. Hempstead. Other than the crib, stroller, and a few other baby gadgets, there isn’t much to move. My stuff is all boxed up waiting.”
“ Chad ,” the surly man spit out between clenched teeth. “ The name is Chad . Mr. Hempstead happens to be my father.” He’d already picked up a box from the front porch and was carrying it back to the truck.
The surprised look on Dennis’ face was comical. Sean grinned and shook his head. Chad ignored them and put the box in the back of the truck and returned to collect another one.
“The two of you going to stand there all day or are you going to help? Get a move on. These boxes aren’t going to move themselves.”
“Don’t mind him,” Dennis grinned. “He had a late night and hasn’t recuperated yet. I think it’ll take a gallon of coffee to put him in a good mood this morning.”
Gabriella thought he was acting like a spoiled brat. She wasn’t surprised his mother had referred to him as Junior once. She’d seen the gritted teeth and the wince he’d tried to hide. The best thing to do was to ignore his
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