Read Online Those Cassabaw Days by Cindy Miles - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Cindy Miles
Ads: Link
sketchy.” He looked at Nathan. “Won’t know more until I run her on the diagnostics. Might be the alternator.”
Nathan simply stared at Matt. “God almighty, bro.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, then stared some more. “Not the Jeep, man. The girl. Emily.”
What was with his family? Why were they all hounding him about her? “Nathan, I don’t even know her,” Matt said. He rubbed his head with his hand. “She’s been here less than twenty-four hours. Jesus. I just went through this with Jep.” He started searching for a socket wrench in the toolbox, but slipped his brother a quick glance. “I got suckered into agreeing to help her fix her place up. I don’t belong here, hanging around doing odd jobs, and I damn sure ain’t a fisherman. So get off my back about her. You gonna help or nag me to death?”
A stupid grin stretched across Nathan’s face. “I prefer a good nagging any day.”
Matt just shook his head.
After running a few tests on Emily’s Jeep, Matt determined it was in fact the alternator and by 2:00 a.m., he and Nathan finished and closed up the shop. As they headed across the darkened yard, Nathan dropped an arm over Matt’s shoulders.
He gave him a shake. “It’s good to have you home, little brother,” Nathan said.
Matt slapped his brother’s back. “Good to be here,” he answered, although how truthfully, he wasn’t sure. Hell, he didn’t even know how long he’d be home. “You’ve been okay?” His brother had lost his fiancée in a drowning accident. And even as a rescue swimmer for the Coast Guard, Nathan hadn’t been able to save her. He had quit his job and moved back home to shrimp with Dad and Jep. And even Matt could see through Nathan’s mask of lightheartedness. Inside, he knew his older brother still grieved.
Nathan nodded as they hit the circle of light from the yard lamp. “Yeah, things are coming along.” He smacked Matt on the back of the head. “No worries here.”
Matt knew that meant his brother had more worries than he ever cared to share.
Once inside, Matt headed up the stairs to his old room and got ready for bed.
Lying in the dark, he stared up into blankness at the ceiling. The stillness of the room barely shifted with his slow, even breathing; his thoughts turned to his long-legged neighbor. Yeah, it was strange to see Emily after all these years. He recalled how she’d had so many plans for them both. They were going to grow up and stay best friends forever, first of all, and never, ever leave Cassabaw. Then after her parents were killed, she left. Not willingly, but she’d left all the same.
Left him .
He knew she’d had no choice; her grandparents had insisted on it. She was just a kid. But she never answered his letters, and he’d written dozens of them.
He knew it sounded stupid as hell, but his memory of the day she left was crystal clear. The pain had resonated within him for a long time after. He’d never told anyone, but it had.
Maybe that’d been part of the reason he’d joined the marines? To escape? Feel a little self-worth? Who knew.
Outside, crickets chirped beneath his window, and the yard lamp filtered in, casting an arc of light on the far wall. He and Emily had both inadvertently broken their promises and left Cassabaw. Yet both had ended up right back in the same place, at the same time. Home.
Emily Quinn. Em .
How in the hell was he ever going to get used to her being grown-up and living next door again?
Or, Christ. Being his boss ?
After what seemed like an endless night of tossing and turning, Matt finally punched his pillow, got up and made his bed. Jesus, it looked as though he’d had a UFC fight in the sheets. He’d made note of the tide times the night before and knew low tide would be at 7:23 a.m.—in an hour. He planned on checking out the damage to Emily’s dock—mainly the pilings—before the river started to rise. Rifling through his chest of drawers he found a ripped pair of
Nathan simply stared at Matt. “God almighty, bro.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, then stared some more. “Not the Jeep, man. The girl. Emily.”
What was with his family? Why were they all hounding him about her? “Nathan, I don’t even know her,” Matt said. He rubbed his head with his hand. “She’s been here less than twenty-four hours. Jesus. I just went through this with Jep.” He started searching for a socket wrench in the toolbox, but slipped his brother a quick glance. “I got suckered into agreeing to help her fix her place up. I don’t belong here, hanging around doing odd jobs, and I damn sure ain’t a fisherman. So get off my back about her. You gonna help or nag me to death?”
A stupid grin stretched across Nathan’s face. “I prefer a good nagging any day.”
Matt just shook his head.
After running a few tests on Emily’s Jeep, Matt determined it was in fact the alternator and by 2:00 a.m., he and Nathan finished and closed up the shop. As they headed across the darkened yard, Nathan dropped an arm over Matt’s shoulders.
He gave him a shake. “It’s good to have you home, little brother,” Nathan said.
Matt slapped his brother’s back. “Good to be here,” he answered, although how truthfully, he wasn’t sure. Hell, he didn’t even know how long he’d be home. “You’ve been okay?” His brother had lost his fiancée in a drowning accident. And even as a rescue swimmer for the Coast Guard, Nathan hadn’t been able to save her. He had quit his job and moved back home to shrimp with Dad and Jep. And even Matt could see through Nathan’s mask of lightheartedness. Inside, he knew his older brother still grieved.
Nathan nodded as they hit the circle of light from the yard lamp. “Yeah, things are coming along.” He smacked Matt on the back of the head. “No worries here.”
Matt knew that meant his brother had more worries than he ever cared to share.
Once inside, Matt headed up the stairs to his old room and got ready for bed.
Lying in the dark, he stared up into blankness at the ceiling. The stillness of the room barely shifted with his slow, even breathing; his thoughts turned to his long-legged neighbor. Yeah, it was strange to see Emily after all these years. He recalled how she’d had so many plans for them both. They were going to grow up and stay best friends forever, first of all, and never, ever leave Cassabaw. Then after her parents were killed, she left. Not willingly, but she’d left all the same.
Left him .
He knew she’d had no choice; her grandparents had insisted on it. She was just a kid. But she never answered his letters, and he’d written dozens of them.
He knew it sounded stupid as hell, but his memory of the day she left was crystal clear. The pain had resonated within him for a long time after. He’d never told anyone, but it had.
Maybe that’d been part of the reason he’d joined the marines? To escape? Feel a little self-worth? Who knew.
Outside, crickets chirped beneath his window, and the yard lamp filtered in, casting an arc of light on the far wall. He and Emily had both inadvertently broken their promises and left Cassabaw. Yet both had ended up right back in the same place, at the same time. Home.
Emily Quinn. Em .
How in the hell was he ever going to get used to her being grown-up and living next door again?
Or, Christ. Being his boss ?
After what seemed like an endless night of tossing and turning, Matt finally punched his pillow, got up and made his bed. Jesus, it looked as though he’d had a UFC fight in the sheets. He’d made note of the tide times the night before and knew low tide would be at 7:23 a.m.—in an hour. He planned on checking out the damage to Emily’s dock—mainly the pilings—before the river started to rise. Rifling through his chest of drawers he found a ripped pair of
Similar Books
