Read Online Nothing Short of a Miracle by Carol Henry - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carol Henry
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attitude. She led the others inside where the rest of the boxes were lined up against the wall.
“That everything? Want to do a double check and make sure we have it all?” Dennis asked. He shut the tailgate on the back of his truck, while Chad tossed the dolly up into the back of Sean’s already full truck-bed.
The whole process had gone more smoothly than anticipated. Despite the cold weather, the snow had held off and the winter sun warmed everything as it sparkled off the snow.
“I’m all set. There are a few personal items I’ll put in the back of my car, along with Nina. Thanks so much for your help. Dennis, it was nice meeting you. Sean, thanks for your help. I’ll see you at the Hempstead’s.” she said.
Sean got in his truck, waved, and took off down the street.
“No problem,” Dennis said. “I noticed there’s no ring on your finger. Does this mean the father is not in the picture?”
Gabriella was taken aback by Dennis’s forwardness. He was a handsome man with his sandy blonde hair and his dimpled cheeks, but she simply wasn’t interested. Although she liked him, already, she didn’t want to encourage him. “No. No father,” she said, offering no other information.
“Any chance he’ll show up unannounced?”
“No.”
“Good. Anytime you need anything—a shoulder to cry on, moving out of the Hempstead’s, dinner—just give a call.”
Dennis’ kindness and his flirtation was a balm to her bruised ego after her breakup with Charles, but she wasn’t ready to jump into a relationship anytime soon.
“Thanks. I think I’ll be okay.” Although, help with the moving out part could prove useful if Chad’s temper didn’t improve. A man with a pickup truck would come in handy.
“Maybe we could do dinner sometime,” he said “How about next week after you get settled?”
Gabriella hesitated. “I don’t think so, Dennis. But, thanks.”
“Dinner isn’t a commitment, you know. Besides it’ll give you a chance to get away from Chad for a couple of hours.”
“I’ll consider it. Right now I have too much going on. Perhaps once things settle down.”
“You got it. I’ll check back with you in a few days.”
He shook her hand as if they had just finished closing a deal, except he hung on to her hand a bit longer than a deal called for.
“What’s going on here?” Chad asked. He looked directly into Gabriella’s eyes as if she was involved in something underhanded. His mood hadn’t improved over the past hour and the sour look on his face spoke volumes.
The man needed to get a life. And she didn’t think any amount of coffee was going to help.
“Just shaking on a deal,” Dennis said, a lopsided grin covering his face. He looked at Gabriella and winked before turning back to Chad.
“Depends on the deal and who’s involved,” Chad commented, the scowl on his face deepening.
“Lighten up old buddy,” Dennis said. “This has nothing to do with you. It’s strictly between this beautiful young lady and me. Back off.”
Chad’s lips thinned, his back straightened. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. After the way he’d acted at the fender-bender, and the other day at his parents’ house, she was surprised and puzzled to see him at a loss for words.
She stepped back wondering just how tight their friendship was, and if Chad was trying to warn Dennis off.
“Right,” Chad said. “Right.” And with a quick nod of his head, his dark hair tumbling down across his forehead, he turned toward their truck. “We’re ready to go. Meet you back at the house to unload.”
“Don’t mind him,” Dennis said. “Never did like it when I cut in on his lady friends or beat him to a better deal. I do it just to rile him up a bit now and then. Doesn’t hurt to be humbled once in a while.”
“I’m hardly his lady friend.”
“I know Chad like a brother. Been friends all our lives. I even rescued his sorry self from the lake when we were kids. He
“That everything? Want to do a double check and make sure we have it all?” Dennis asked. He shut the tailgate on the back of his truck, while Chad tossed the dolly up into the back of Sean’s already full truck-bed.
The whole process had gone more smoothly than anticipated. Despite the cold weather, the snow had held off and the winter sun warmed everything as it sparkled off the snow.
“I’m all set. There are a few personal items I’ll put in the back of my car, along with Nina. Thanks so much for your help. Dennis, it was nice meeting you. Sean, thanks for your help. I’ll see you at the Hempstead’s.” she said.
Sean got in his truck, waved, and took off down the street.
“No problem,” Dennis said. “I noticed there’s no ring on your finger. Does this mean the father is not in the picture?”
Gabriella was taken aback by Dennis’s forwardness. He was a handsome man with his sandy blonde hair and his dimpled cheeks, but she simply wasn’t interested. Although she liked him, already, she didn’t want to encourage him. “No. No father,” she said, offering no other information.
“Any chance he’ll show up unannounced?”
“No.”
“Good. Anytime you need anything—a shoulder to cry on, moving out of the Hempstead’s, dinner—just give a call.”
Dennis’ kindness and his flirtation was a balm to her bruised ego after her breakup with Charles, but she wasn’t ready to jump into a relationship anytime soon.
“Thanks. I think I’ll be okay.” Although, help with the moving out part could prove useful if Chad’s temper didn’t improve. A man with a pickup truck would come in handy.
“Maybe we could do dinner sometime,” he said “How about next week after you get settled?”
Gabriella hesitated. “I don’t think so, Dennis. But, thanks.”
“Dinner isn’t a commitment, you know. Besides it’ll give you a chance to get away from Chad for a couple of hours.”
“I’ll consider it. Right now I have too much going on. Perhaps once things settle down.”
“You got it. I’ll check back with you in a few days.”
He shook her hand as if they had just finished closing a deal, except he hung on to her hand a bit longer than a deal called for.
“What’s going on here?” Chad asked. He looked directly into Gabriella’s eyes as if she was involved in something underhanded. His mood hadn’t improved over the past hour and the sour look on his face spoke volumes.
The man needed to get a life. And she didn’t think any amount of coffee was going to help.
“Just shaking on a deal,” Dennis said, a lopsided grin covering his face. He looked at Gabriella and winked before turning back to Chad.
“Depends on the deal and who’s involved,” Chad commented, the scowl on his face deepening.
“Lighten up old buddy,” Dennis said. “This has nothing to do with you. It’s strictly between this beautiful young lady and me. Back off.”
Chad’s lips thinned, his back straightened. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. After the way he’d acted at the fender-bender, and the other day at his parents’ house, she was surprised and puzzled to see him at a loss for words.
She stepped back wondering just how tight their friendship was, and if Chad was trying to warn Dennis off.
“Right,” Chad said. “Right.” And with a quick nod of his head, his dark hair tumbling down across his forehead, he turned toward their truck. “We’re ready to go. Meet you back at the house to unload.”
“Don’t mind him,” Dennis said. “Never did like it when I cut in on his lady friends or beat him to a better deal. I do it just to rile him up a bit now and then. Doesn’t hurt to be humbled once in a while.”
“I’m hardly his lady friend.”
“I know Chad like a brother. Been friends all our lives. I even rescued his sorry self from the lake when we were kids. He
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