Read Online The Proposal at Siesta Key by Shelley Shepard Gray - Free Book Online Page B

few minutes ago.” Looking from one parent to the other, she held up the note they’d left. “I see you went out for pizza.”
    Her mother shrugged as she set her purse down on the kitchen counter, then picked up a dishrag and started wiping the already spotless counters. “We did. It sounded like a good idea. We haven’t been out to supper in ages.”
    â€œI can’t remember the last time we went out for pizza,” Penny mused. “I wish I would have known you were going.”
    Her father said nothing, merely glared at her.
    That’s when Penny knew that they had gone out without her on purpose. And neither of them was holding a pizza box. It seemed they hadn’t brought home any leftovers for her, either.
    Furthermore, she knew her mother wasn’t going to give her a hug and share how worried she’d been. Her father wasn’t going to ask about Penny’s day. He wasn’t going to ask how the job search had gone or if she’d gotten one.
    In short, they were going to make certain she knew that they were not happy with her. They were also waiting for her to apologizefor going against their wishes. Waiting for her to promise never to stray again. But if she did those things, she’d have to give up the small measure of confidence she’d gained.
    Which would be incredibly painful.
    As her stomach began to rumble, giving a not-so-subtle reminder that she hadn’t eaten anything of substance since breakfast, Penny made another huge decision. Instead of sitting at home, going hungry and begging for their understanding, she turned around and walked back out the front door. She would go over to the Kaufmanns’ house to see if Violet was there. And if she was, Penny was going to see if she’d like to join her for supper. It wasn’t too late. Most restaurants would still be open.
    Once outside, Penny noticed that the sun was just beginning its slow descent toward the horizon and it wouldn’t be long before the solar-powered streetlights flickered on, one by one. A tremor coursed through her.
    For so long, she’d been ruled by her fears and memories. She’d let herself be guided by her father’s warnings and her mother’s pain. And though she would never have said that she’d had a comfortable existence, that’s what it had been. It was like she’d been stuck in a very plush, very cozy old couch: comforted on all sides, leaving enough room only for a shaft of sunlight and the minimum amount of oxygen.
    Now, she was surrounded by air and the evening and possibilities. It was going to be up to her to make friends, acquaintances, and who knew—perhaps even enemies. No doubt, she was setting herself up for extreme happiness and utter fear. But they would be fresh experiences, fresh as the burst of orange blossoms next to Miss Beverly’s front door.
    It seemed this day was going to be filled with firsts.

CHAPTER 9
    O h! Pinecraft looked just like the postcards her aunt Beverly had sent her.
    As Patricia—Tricia to all who knew her—stared out the window of the Pioneer Trails bus, she was happy that she’d at last taken up Aunt Beverly’s long-standing invitation to pay her a visit. She was even happier that she’d decided to come without warning.
    Surely unexpected visitors were the best ones.
    When the bus driver carefully pulled into the parking lot around what had to be dozens of folks there waiting, she scanned the area, looking for her aunt. Her aunt had written that it was rare for her not to greet the bus from Sugarcreek, even when she wasn’t expecting guests. Aunt Beverly said she enjoyed the social atmosphere that surrounded each arrival and departure.
    And then, all of a sudden, Tricia recognized her. Even though she hadn’t seen Beverly in over three years, she remembered the elegant way she held herself, how her chin lifted just so. And those bright, striking green eyes that