Read Online River's Return (River's End Series, #3) by Leanne Davis - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Leanne Davis
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she do to stay ahead of her memories before they again came crashing over her?
But Shane Rydell kept coming over to chat with her, until it started to become… not so dreaded. She might even have put on fresh lipstick a time or two, or tugged a brush through her hair before she appeared on her deck. She shrugged it off as her normal, everyday vanity. She put makeup on to go to work, or to the store where she’d invariably run into people she knew, so why not in her backyard when she might run into Celia or Shane?
It was usually sunny this time of year, but extremely cold. On occasion, the rare balmy afternoon suggested that spring might find them soon, but it hadn’t yet.
“Well, I’m a free man,” Shane said as he took her deck stairs two at a time before flopping into the chair opposite her. It was still slightly away from the table just as he left it the last time he was over.
“Free? From what? Cheating? Have you finally realized the error of your ways?”
He just laughed as he put his monstrous feet up on the railing to rest. He always toted his own beers and took a liberal swig before wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. She turned her head when she felt herself staring at the beads of moisture on his upper lip. “Nope. Jack’s home. No more Mr. Mom for me.”
She couldn’t help her laugh. “Mr. Mom? You were lucky to make sure they were both still kicking every once in a while.”
“Not true. I cooked them dinner.” He paused as he tapped his fingers. Counting? Was he counting how many dinners he cooked? “Ten times. Yes. Ten dinners I cooked.”
“Well, considering they were gone for twenty-one nights, you managed to provide half of them. Impressive,” she said, unable to hide her smile. “So does that mean you’ll be gone tomorrow?”
He turned his head so his gaze was drifting over her yard. “Nah. Not tomorrow. Not sure when yet. I’m still working on a truck, and giving it a hella cool make-over. Might finish that first.” He shrugged, then sighed. “Then again, maybe I’ll head out tomorrow night. Never any way to know.”
“I can’t imagine. You just take off and leave? Anytime it strikes you?”
He smiled as if fondly thinking of an old friend. “Yup. Anytime I want, I’m gone. Outta here. Livin’ large.”
“But you don’t want to right now?”
He chewed on his lip in concentration before he shrugged and replied, “Guess not.”
“That’s because work can be very satisfying too. Work can become an adventure and the satisfaction of a job well done. And accomplishing something? I can’t imagine aimless trips down an endless road could mimic that kind of gratification. Do you ever get lonely?”
“No trouble finding company, teacher.” He wagged his eyebrows suggestively as he winked.
She shook her head. “No. I mean lonely for someone to give a damn about you? To ask how your day went? And if it didn’t go well, to care why not? A connection. Don’t you ever just yearn for a damn connection with someone?”
“Relationship, you mean?”
“Fine. If you must have a label. A relationship.”
He stared at her for a long moment, then shook his head. “No. Teacher, I don’t want a relationship.”
She gazed out over her yard, speaking softly as she remembered. So many things came to her mind. “You don’t know how good some relationships can be. They can roll all your adventures into one. The right person can make everything in the world matter more, and make sense. The right person can make you feel like you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. There is no more need for searching. No more untrodden roads that lead nowhere. There is only right here and now, living in the present, and that feels better than any freedom. It’s—”
“What ended yours?”
She stiffened as she turned her eyes to his. “What?”
His tone was deep and eyes probed hers. There was something almost sympathetic in his expression. “What happened to your
But Shane Rydell kept coming over to chat with her, until it started to become… not so dreaded. She might even have put on fresh lipstick a time or two, or tugged a brush through her hair before she appeared on her deck. She shrugged it off as her normal, everyday vanity. She put makeup on to go to work, or to the store where she’d invariably run into people she knew, so why not in her backyard when she might run into Celia or Shane?
It was usually sunny this time of year, but extremely cold. On occasion, the rare balmy afternoon suggested that spring might find them soon, but it hadn’t yet.
“Well, I’m a free man,” Shane said as he took her deck stairs two at a time before flopping into the chair opposite her. It was still slightly away from the table just as he left it the last time he was over.
“Free? From what? Cheating? Have you finally realized the error of your ways?”
He just laughed as he put his monstrous feet up on the railing to rest. He always toted his own beers and took a liberal swig before wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. She turned her head when she felt herself staring at the beads of moisture on his upper lip. “Nope. Jack’s home. No more Mr. Mom for me.”
She couldn’t help her laugh. “Mr. Mom? You were lucky to make sure they were both still kicking every once in a while.”
“Not true. I cooked them dinner.” He paused as he tapped his fingers. Counting? Was he counting how many dinners he cooked? “Ten times. Yes. Ten dinners I cooked.”
“Well, considering they were gone for twenty-one nights, you managed to provide half of them. Impressive,” she said, unable to hide her smile. “So does that mean you’ll be gone tomorrow?”
He turned his head so his gaze was drifting over her yard. “Nah. Not tomorrow. Not sure when yet. I’m still working on a truck, and giving it a hella cool make-over. Might finish that first.” He shrugged, then sighed. “Then again, maybe I’ll head out tomorrow night. Never any way to know.”
“I can’t imagine. You just take off and leave? Anytime it strikes you?”
He smiled as if fondly thinking of an old friend. “Yup. Anytime I want, I’m gone. Outta here. Livin’ large.”
“But you don’t want to right now?”
He chewed on his lip in concentration before he shrugged and replied, “Guess not.”
“That’s because work can be very satisfying too. Work can become an adventure and the satisfaction of a job well done. And accomplishing something? I can’t imagine aimless trips down an endless road could mimic that kind of gratification. Do you ever get lonely?”
“No trouble finding company, teacher.” He wagged his eyebrows suggestively as he winked.
She shook her head. “No. I mean lonely for someone to give a damn about you? To ask how your day went? And if it didn’t go well, to care why not? A connection. Don’t you ever just yearn for a damn connection with someone?”
“Relationship, you mean?”
“Fine. If you must have a label. A relationship.”
He stared at her for a long moment, then shook his head. “No. Teacher, I don’t want a relationship.”
She gazed out over her yard, speaking softly as she remembered. So many things came to her mind. “You don’t know how good some relationships can be. They can roll all your adventures into one. The right person can make everything in the world matter more, and make sense. The right person can make you feel like you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. There is no more need for searching. No more untrodden roads that lead nowhere. There is only right here and now, living in the present, and that feels better than any freedom. It’s—”
“What ended yours?”
She stiffened as she turned her eyes to his. “What?”
His tone was deep and eyes probed hers. There was something almost sympathetic in his expression. “What happened to your
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