Read Online Promises to Keep by Char Chaffin - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Char Chaffin
Ads: Link
Whatever it is, I think it goes way deeper than just being snooty because I want to be with you and not Catherine Cabot.”
“It’s because our family is poor. Your mother thinks I’m not good enough for you.” Defeat, angry pride, maybe both, colored her voice. She heard it for herself.
“It doesn’t matter what she thinks. It never did. And I’m not a minor any longer. Maybe I can’t legally drink yet, but I can vote, and I can marry the girl I love.” Travis cupped her face between his hands and kissed her, deep and long. Her fingers grasped his wrists as she returned the ardent kiss.
As their lips parted, he huskily assured, “She can’t make me give you up. She can’t stop us from getting married, not now, and not ever.”
When Travis kissed her, Annie believed him. When he held her in his arms and the wild beat of his heart pounded against hers, she felt safe, protected, focused.
She told herself she was silly to feel such panic and dread, crazy to think Ruth Quincy could ruin their future. Travis was legally an adult. Her folks would welcome him with open arms.
While snow fell all around them and coated the windshield, Annie reveled in Travis’s embrace. They’d plan their future together, regardless of his mother’s bad opinion of her and her family.
Finally he eased away and rested his cheek against hers. “I love you so much. I wish we could stay together all night. I don’t want to let you go, but I have to take you home. I don’t want your folks to worry.”
She nodded and slid back into her seat.
When they reached Annie’s house, he insisted on going in with her to explain their lateness to her folks. They tiptoed up the steps and through the front door. Except for a lamp glowing in the living room, the downstairs was dark and empty.
In the kitchen, her mother had left the light on over the stove and there was a note propped against the saltshaker on the table. Annie picked it up and read, “‘Went to bed. Pie in the fridge if you’re hungry. Hope you had fun, love, Mama.’ They didn’t wait up. I wonder why? They won’t even know I’m late, Travis.”
He slung an arm around her shoulders. “They trust us. Hey, don’t look so sad,” he admonished as she raised confused eyes to his. “This is a good thing. They don’t think you’re a baby any longer, and your mom left pie. Life is good. Let’s eat.”
She laughed at his eagerness as he opened the fridge. Shoulder to shoulder at the table, they dug into the crumbly blueberry pie and ate right out of the pastry plate. When she looked up and grinned at him through a mouthful of berries, Travis grinned back.
Life was good.
Chapter 9
Humming softly, Martha stepped into the dark kitchen, only to stifle a shriek of surprise at the sight of Travis seated in the shadows at the table, hunched over a mug of coffee. “Travis Quincy, you about scared ten years off me, and I guarantee I can’t afford to lose even one!” She felt for the switch on the wall and flooded the kitchen with light. “What are you doing up so early?”
“Morning, Martha. I’m loading up on caffeine. I’m going to need it.” He knuckled the sleep from his eyes. “I’ve been up since four, thinking about everything. I’m not letting another day go by without finding out why Mother hates Annie so much.”
Martha stifled a sigh as she moved to his side and brushed a hand through his tousled hair. “Honey, you sure you want to do this? What would it solve other than to get your mama so angry?” She pulled out the chair closest to him, then sat down and laid her palm on his arm. Beneath the faded Newport Academy sweatshirt he wore, his muscles were tense.
She chose her words with care. “Travis, your mama isn’t going to change her mind, just because you make her admit the reasons for not liking your gal. You know that. Your mama is who she is. She loves you and she wants the best life has to offer you. If she thinks that best isn’t your
“It’s because our family is poor. Your mother thinks I’m not good enough for you.” Defeat, angry pride, maybe both, colored her voice. She heard it for herself.
“It doesn’t matter what she thinks. It never did. And I’m not a minor any longer. Maybe I can’t legally drink yet, but I can vote, and I can marry the girl I love.” Travis cupped her face between his hands and kissed her, deep and long. Her fingers grasped his wrists as she returned the ardent kiss.
As their lips parted, he huskily assured, “She can’t make me give you up. She can’t stop us from getting married, not now, and not ever.”
When Travis kissed her, Annie believed him. When he held her in his arms and the wild beat of his heart pounded against hers, she felt safe, protected, focused.
She told herself she was silly to feel such panic and dread, crazy to think Ruth Quincy could ruin their future. Travis was legally an adult. Her folks would welcome him with open arms.
While snow fell all around them and coated the windshield, Annie reveled in Travis’s embrace. They’d plan their future together, regardless of his mother’s bad opinion of her and her family.
Finally he eased away and rested his cheek against hers. “I love you so much. I wish we could stay together all night. I don’t want to let you go, but I have to take you home. I don’t want your folks to worry.”
She nodded and slid back into her seat.
When they reached Annie’s house, he insisted on going in with her to explain their lateness to her folks. They tiptoed up the steps and through the front door. Except for a lamp glowing in the living room, the downstairs was dark and empty.
In the kitchen, her mother had left the light on over the stove and there was a note propped against the saltshaker on the table. Annie picked it up and read, “‘Went to bed. Pie in the fridge if you’re hungry. Hope you had fun, love, Mama.’ They didn’t wait up. I wonder why? They won’t even know I’m late, Travis.”
He slung an arm around her shoulders. “They trust us. Hey, don’t look so sad,” he admonished as she raised confused eyes to his. “This is a good thing. They don’t think you’re a baby any longer, and your mom left pie. Life is good. Let’s eat.”
She laughed at his eagerness as he opened the fridge. Shoulder to shoulder at the table, they dug into the crumbly blueberry pie and ate right out of the pastry plate. When she looked up and grinned at him through a mouthful of berries, Travis grinned back.
Life was good.
Chapter 9
Humming softly, Martha stepped into the dark kitchen, only to stifle a shriek of surprise at the sight of Travis seated in the shadows at the table, hunched over a mug of coffee. “Travis Quincy, you about scared ten years off me, and I guarantee I can’t afford to lose even one!” She felt for the switch on the wall and flooded the kitchen with light. “What are you doing up so early?”
“Morning, Martha. I’m loading up on caffeine. I’m going to need it.” He knuckled the sleep from his eyes. “I’ve been up since four, thinking about everything. I’m not letting another day go by without finding out why Mother hates Annie so much.”
Martha stifled a sigh as she moved to his side and brushed a hand through his tousled hair. “Honey, you sure you want to do this? What would it solve other than to get your mama so angry?” She pulled out the chair closest to him, then sat down and laid her palm on his arm. Beneath the faded Newport Academy sweatshirt he wore, his muscles were tense.
She chose her words with care. “Travis, your mama isn’t going to change her mind, just because you make her admit the reasons for not liking your gal. You know that. Your mama is who she is. She loves you and she wants the best life has to offer you. If she thinks that best isn’t your
Similar Books
