Read Online The Summer's End by Mary Alice Monroe - Free Book Online

visiting them?”
    â€œThat’s right. McClellanville’snot too far from here. Thought I’d swing by and see Carson while I was in town. We became friendly at the Dolphin Research Center. She isn’t the type to remain a stranger,” he added with a short laugh.
    â€œNo.” Harper wished she had that talent. Carson had it, as did Mamaw. Harper was more reserved, like her Granny James. But Harper’s stomach fizzed a bit at what Taylor had just said about himself and Carson. So perhaps they hadn’t been romantically involved, after all?
    â€œWhat college did you go to?” she asked, going for a change of subject. Then held her breath, not knowing if he did go to college, not meaning to insult.
    â€œThe Citadel.”
    â€œHere in Charleston?”
    â€œIs there another?”
    â€œIsn’t that a military college?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWas it hard? I mean, I heard about the hazing and things they did to the freshmen.”
    â€œThe knobs. That’s what they call the freshmen. And, yes, it was hard.”
    â€œDid you miss out on the regular college life?”
    â€œNo. Fraternities were not my thing.”
    â€œMine, neither.”
    â€œWhere did you go?”
    â€œRadcliffe. There weren’t any sororities. But that didn’t stop them from having cliques.”
    â€œRadcliffe is an Ivy League, right?”
    â€œYup.” She saw he was impressed and cocked her head. “I went to good schools, got good grades. But getting into thoseschools is often a matter of who you know and how much your family will donate even more than how smart you are. My mother’s family has lots of connections. And deep pockets.”
    â€œSo you’re saying you’re rich?”
    â€œI’m saying my family is.”
    â€œWhere’s your family located? New York?”
    â€œYes and no.” She wondered whether to give him the long or short version of her history. She decided on the short. “My mother is English and her family, my grandparents, live in England. At Greenfields Park.”
    â€œIs that some kind of gated community?”
    She laughed. “No, the name of their property is Greenfields Park. We often call large estates parks in England.”
    Taylor looked amused. “Your family has a large estate in England?”
    Harper didn’t like where this conversation was going. “Just a great big house and, oh, some hundred or so acres.”
    He snorted with surprise. “Just a few hundred?”
    So, the long version, Harper thought to herself. “It’s a farm. Trees and great gardens and barns with cows and sheep . . . lots of sheep.”
    â€œA farm. Cool.”
    Taylor seemed at a momentary loss for anything else to say, and having exhausted basic introductory chitchat, Harper fell back on good manners. “Can I offer you something to drink? Coffee? Iced tea?”
    â€œTea sounds good. A beer would be better.”
    â€œSorry, but Sea Breeze is a dry house.”
    â€œTea it is.”
    When they entered the kitchen, she cringed at the state of the room.Dishes and pots and pans were stacked on the table, counters, any bare surface. The entire pantry was loaded in boxes on the floor. But the kitchen gleamed and smelled of pine soap.
    â€œI’ve been cleaning the cabinets,” she said in way of apology.
    â€œBig job.”
    â€œJust beginning, I’m afraid. After I finish organizing, I’d like to fix it up a little. Paint, at least.”
    â€œNow’s a good time, since you’ve already got the cabinets cleared.” He put his hands on his hips and took a sweeping assessment of the room. “It’s a great room. Lots of charm.” He walked toward the back windows, put his hands on his hips, and stared out. “And look at that view.”
    â€œYes.” She drew closer to join him at the window.
    Taylor turned and looked around the room again,