Read Online Ride the Fire by Jo Davis - Free Book Online

do you ever recall seeing me dressed like this?”
    “Not often,” she replied, eyeing the outfit. “Never, in fact.” Her mother was always dressed in nice pants for work, or pressed jeans. She always looked gorgeous and polished, even on a modest budget.
    “Well, you might see me like this more often. I had a little extra in the kitty, so I bought myself a membership to that new gym in town!”
    Eve’s mouth fell open. “Seriously? I thought sweating was against your religion or something.”
    “Let’s just say I have a new outlook on life.”
    “You don’t need to lose any weight.”
    “I’m building up muscle and toning what I’ve got.”
    Her mother glanced away and Eve narrowed her eyes. “What’s really going on? Fess up.”
    “There’s nothing to confess. Yet.”
    She frowned. “Mama . . .”
    “Oh, all right, Miss Nosybody. Remember I told you that we got a new pastor at church three weeks ago?”
    “Right. So?”
    Her mother stared at her like she was dense. “Come on, child. Don’t tell me you’re even more out of practice at man-hunting than your mama.”
    “You’re sweet on the pastor and want to get into shape?” That made sense.
    “You’re getting warmer.” Her sly smile was the tip-off.
    “Oh! He works out at the gym! You sneaky devil,” she said, amazed at the older woman’s subtle pursuit. “I can’t remember the last time you showed interest in anyone. This man must be something special.”
    “He is.” Amelia’s voice softened. “You know who the Rock is, right? Dwayne Johnson?”
    Eve’s eyes widened and she laughed. “No way! He’s that hot?”
    “Mmm, and then some,” her mother confirmed with a dreamy sigh. “He’s a big, beautiful hunk of a man, single, close to my age, and he’s sweet as a teddy bear. Now, if he’d just notice me . . .”
    Wrapping an arm around her mother’s shoulders, she gave her a quick hug. “He’d be a fool not to fall all over a stunning woman like you. And if he doesn’t, he isn’t worth the ground you walk on.”
    She kept her tone light, but she wanted this for Mama. Badly. If anyone deserved a healthy dose of romance, it was this incredible lady who’d worked so hard and raised her only child alone.
    “Now, give me that wrench and sit down while I fix the pipe.” She plucked the tool from her mother’s hand. “And then you can tell me all about the pastor. . . . What’s his name?”
    “Tyson Sherrill.”
    Eve crawled under the sink, fixed the leak in less than five minutes, and was sitting at the table with Mama immediately after. Sipping iced tea and listening to her mother detail Tyson’s virtues, of which there were many. In fact, God Himself might have sent the man down from on high, perfect as he sounded. But it was good to hear Mama happy and hopeful of getting a date.
    And it kept Mama from returning to the topic of Drake Bowers and grandbabies. If that happened, she might ferret out her daughter’s true feelings for a certain captain, who would be anything but husband material in her mother’s eyes.
    Husband material? Good God, where did that come from?
    Because Sean would never be her man, lover, husband, whatever.
    And the knowledge saddened her so much she fought to keep her tears inside, hidden from the woman who knew and loved her best.

4
    1985

    “I met the prettiest girl when I was home on leave, Jesse. Her name is Tracy.” Sean smiled, heart giving a little thump at the memory of his week in Chattanooga. He couldn’t ever remember being this excited about dating one person, and he just knew Jesse would be happy for him.
    “Yeah? That’s nice.” Jesse took aim with the rifle and peppered the targets with bullets, all in the kill zone.
    “Nice? That’s it? She’s a goddess!”
    “Whatever you say.”
    Frustrated, he lined up his own shot. “Shit, I thought you’d be happy for me.”
    “I am, if that’s what you want.”
    “But?”
    Jesse sighed. “In my experience, including my own