Read Online The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks - Free Book Online Page A

They had each other to dance with; Mike had to sit at the table alone half the time, reading beer labels as he peeled them off the bottles. And when Emma did ask him to dance, which she'd done regularly tonight, Mike would head to the floor, his head hung low, hoping to God that no one would see him dancing with his sister.
    Sister. Sister-in-law. Whatever. Technicalities weren't important at a time like this. When she asked, it still made him feel as if his mother had offered to go with him to the prom because he couldn't get a date.
    This was not the way things were supposed to be tonight. Julie was supposed to be here. Julie was supposed to be the fourth wheel. Julie was supposed to be the one dancing with him, smiling over a drink, laughing and flirting. And she would have been if it wasn't for Richard.
    Richard.
    He hated that guy.
    Didn't know him. Didn't want to know him. Didn't matter. Simply thinking the name caused him to scowl, and he'd been scowling a lot, all evening long.
    Watching his brother carefully, Henry finished the last of his Coors and set the bottle off to the side.
    "I think maybe you ought to cut back on that cheap beer you're drinking," Henry commented. "Looks like it's giving you gas."
    Mike looked up. Henry was smirking as he reached for Emma's bottle of beer. She'd gone off to the bathroom, and considering the ever-present lines in a crowd this size, Henry knew she might be a while. He'd already ordered another to replace it.
    "I'm drinking the same stuff you are."
    "True," Henry said, "but you have to realize that some men can handle it better than others."
    "Yeah, yeah . . . keep talking."
    "My, aren't we in a mood this evening," Henry said.
    "You've been riding me all night."
    "Considering the way you've been acting lately, you deserve it. We had a great dinner, I've been engaging you with my sparkling wit all night long, and Emma's been making sure that you're not always sitting alone at the table like some loser whose date just stood him up."
    "That's not funny."
    "It's not meant to be. I'm simply speaking the truth. Think of me as your very own burning bush. When in doubt, when you need answers, you come to me. For instance-you need to lighten up about this. You're letting it ruin the whole night."
    "Look-I'm doing my best, okay?"
    "Oh," Henry said, cocking an eyebrow, "I see. Sorry. I guess I'm just imagining all the deep sighs."
    Mike pulled the rest of the label off his bottle and crumpled it into a ball. "Yeah, yeah. You're a funny guy, Henry. You should head to Vegas with your act. Believe me, I'd be the first to pack your bags."
    Henry leaned back in his seat. "Aw, c'mon. I'm just having a little fun."
    "Yeah-at my expense."
    Henry held up his hands, looking innocent. "You're the only one here. Who else can I pick on?"
    Mike glared at him before turning away.
    "All right, all right . . . I'm sorry already," Henry said. "But listen-I'll say it again. Just because she's out with Richard doesn't mean that you've lost your chance forever. Instead of moping around, use it as a challenge. Maybe this should inspire you to ask her out."
    "I was planning on that."
    "You were?"
    "Yeah. After we talked on Monday, I decided to do exactly what you said. Tonight was supposed to be the night."
    Henry studied him. "Good," he finally said, "I'm proud of you."
    Mike waited for more, but Henry stayed silent.
    "What? No jokes this time?"
    "No reason to make jokes."
    "Because you don't believe me?"
    "No, I believe you. I have to, I guess."
    "Why?"
    "Because I'll get to see you do it."
    "Huh?"
    "The gods are with you, little brother."
    "What the hell are you talking about?"
    Henry raised his chin, nodding in the direction of the door.
    "Guess who just walked in?"
    Richard stood beside Julie just inside the door as she craned her neck, looking for a place to sit."I didn't realize it would be so crowded," Richard shouted over the noise. "Are you sure you want to stay?"
    "C'mon-it'll be fun. You'll