Read Online Running Lean by Diana L. Sharples - Free Book Online
Authors: Diana L. Sharples
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cooking in there. Don’t bother fixing anything for me, please.”
Of course she’d say that
.
Mom disappeared, and Calvin watched Stacey bounce the baby on her knees. Bounce, bounce, bounce. Over and over. Emily giggled and squealed, but if Stacey didn’t stop soon, she’d find herself with a lapful of barf.
That’ll give her a reason not to eat
.
Calvin looked at the drawing again, trying to recapture the joy it had given him, then slid the folder carefully onto the coffee table.
“Ah b-b-b-brr!” Stacey rubbed noses with Emily, the baby’s chubby wrists held secure in her slim fingers. Finally she stopped moving, her quickened breath whispering through her smile. Her green eyes sparkled in the sunlight streaming through the front windows, tiny rectangles dancing in them as Emily jiggled on her lap.
Healthy eyes. Bright, honest smile.
He really needed to get over it. He’d misjudged her and wascausing trouble between them when she was only having some kind of monthly trouble, like she’d said.
Calvin grinned back. “I can’t believe you did that drawing in one day.”
She lifted her shoulders in a cute, exaggerated shrug. “You like it?”
“It’s awesome. I’m going to ask Mom to pick out a frame for it.”
She nibbled her lower lip in delight as her knees bounced again.
Calvin moved closer to Stacey and lifted the baby off her lap. “Down you go, Emmy. My turn to play with Stacey.” He set his little sister on her feet, gave Stacey a quick kiss, then rescued the drawing as Emily palmed her way around the coffee table.
Mom came back into the living room carrying a peach-colored stoneware plate in one hand, and a lime green one in the other. “Thought y’all might like a snack,” she said, setting the plates on the coffee table.
Chocolate chip cookies covered the peach plate, while on the green plate Mom had arranged apple slices in a neat star pattern around a little cup of caramel sauce. Mom gave an apple slice to Baby Emily, then shot an imploring smile at Stacey.
“Apples, honey. Fresh from the store yesterday. Good for you. And those cookies? Baked them myself from scratch last night.”
Stacey seemed to shrink into the sofa a little. She fingered her hair, pulled a hunk of it in front of her mouth as if to make a protective screen against the food. Her trembling embarrassment overflowed onto Calvin. His mother wouldn’t come out and say that Stacey was too thin. She’d just provide the solution coated in sweetness.
Stacey brightened. “Wow, Mrs. Greenlee. You made those last night and you’re cooking again today? Do people around here ever let you sleep?”
Mom grinned. “Feeding a family this size takes a lot of doin’. Iget my reward when people enjoy what I make. So you enjoy those cookies!”
She hustled away, and Calvin felt like giving a low whistle. Mom had put Stacey in a tight spot. Eat, or insult. Calvin reached for a cookie and bit into it. He wiggled his eyebrows in appreciation.
Stacey stared at him. The trembling sensation Calvin had picked up on a moment ago increased, like a low current of electricity vibrated between them. He mostly felt his own nervousness, but a flicker of movement in her eyes, and an unsteady whisper of a breath passing between her lips, showed the tension wasn’t his alone. They were locked in an unspoken standoff.
I’m watching you. Eat the cookies
.
He’d happily be wrong about her, if only she would eat.
Stacey pulled herself up from the corner of the couch at last, and reached out to take a cookie from the plate. She nibbled at it, confessed softly that it was indeed good, and actually finished it. She followed it with an apple slice, while Calvin held her hand on the cushion between them and privately rejoiced.
He was just about to sneak a little closer to Stacey, maybe steal a kiss, when Peyton let the front door slam as she left for the store. With that, chaos broke loose inside. The boys upstairs yelled, sounding as if
Of course she’d say that
.
Mom disappeared, and Calvin watched Stacey bounce the baby on her knees. Bounce, bounce, bounce. Over and over. Emily giggled and squealed, but if Stacey didn’t stop soon, she’d find herself with a lapful of barf.
That’ll give her a reason not to eat
.
Calvin looked at the drawing again, trying to recapture the joy it had given him, then slid the folder carefully onto the coffee table.
“Ah b-b-b-brr!” Stacey rubbed noses with Emily, the baby’s chubby wrists held secure in her slim fingers. Finally she stopped moving, her quickened breath whispering through her smile. Her green eyes sparkled in the sunlight streaming through the front windows, tiny rectangles dancing in them as Emily jiggled on her lap.
Healthy eyes. Bright, honest smile.
He really needed to get over it. He’d misjudged her and wascausing trouble between them when she was only having some kind of monthly trouble, like she’d said.
Calvin grinned back. “I can’t believe you did that drawing in one day.”
She lifted her shoulders in a cute, exaggerated shrug. “You like it?”
“It’s awesome. I’m going to ask Mom to pick out a frame for it.”
She nibbled her lower lip in delight as her knees bounced again.
Calvin moved closer to Stacey and lifted the baby off her lap. “Down you go, Emmy. My turn to play with Stacey.” He set his little sister on her feet, gave Stacey a quick kiss, then rescued the drawing as Emily palmed her way around the coffee table.
Mom came back into the living room carrying a peach-colored stoneware plate in one hand, and a lime green one in the other. “Thought y’all might like a snack,” she said, setting the plates on the coffee table.
Chocolate chip cookies covered the peach plate, while on the green plate Mom had arranged apple slices in a neat star pattern around a little cup of caramel sauce. Mom gave an apple slice to Baby Emily, then shot an imploring smile at Stacey.
“Apples, honey. Fresh from the store yesterday. Good for you. And those cookies? Baked them myself from scratch last night.”
Stacey seemed to shrink into the sofa a little. She fingered her hair, pulled a hunk of it in front of her mouth as if to make a protective screen against the food. Her trembling embarrassment overflowed onto Calvin. His mother wouldn’t come out and say that Stacey was too thin. She’d just provide the solution coated in sweetness.
Stacey brightened. “Wow, Mrs. Greenlee. You made those last night and you’re cooking again today? Do people around here ever let you sleep?”
Mom grinned. “Feeding a family this size takes a lot of doin’. Iget my reward when people enjoy what I make. So you enjoy those cookies!”
She hustled away, and Calvin felt like giving a low whistle. Mom had put Stacey in a tight spot. Eat, or insult. Calvin reached for a cookie and bit into it. He wiggled his eyebrows in appreciation.
Stacey stared at him. The trembling sensation Calvin had picked up on a moment ago increased, like a low current of electricity vibrated between them. He mostly felt his own nervousness, but a flicker of movement in her eyes, and an unsteady whisper of a breath passing between her lips, showed the tension wasn’t his alone. They were locked in an unspoken standoff.
I’m watching you. Eat the cookies
.
He’d happily be wrong about her, if only she would eat.
Stacey pulled herself up from the corner of the couch at last, and reached out to take a cookie from the plate. She nibbled at it, confessed softly that it was indeed good, and actually finished it. She followed it with an apple slice, while Calvin held her hand on the cushion between them and privately rejoiced.
He was just about to sneak a little closer to Stacey, maybe steal a kiss, when Peyton let the front door slam as she left for the store. With that, chaos broke loose inside. The boys upstairs yelled, sounding as if
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