Read Online Three Days of Rain by Christine Hughes - Free Book Online
Authors: Christine Hughes
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tonight.”
Abby sank onto the nearest chair and placed her head between her knees. John sat beside her and rubbed her back. Neither had any words to share.
Danny stepped up to ferret out the information from Finlay.
“When you say ‘tried to kill herself’ you mean with drugs or pills or something?”
“No, Danny. She told Jake everything was his fault and then proceeded to slit her wrists right in front of him. Jake jumped on top of her to stop her but she’d already done the damage. He got all cut up in the process, too, what with all the glass on the floor.
“She’s being admitted now, Jake’s with her. I gotta tell you, I ain’t never seen Jakey so upset. I think he believed her when she told him she did it because of him. He won’t leave her side. I’ll go get someone to show you to her room.” Finlay stopped and turned back around to look into four shocked faces. “I really am sorry.”
***
“Mr. Olsen, you okay?”
John looked up to find Jake standing in front of him.
“You okay?” Jake repeated.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Must’ve lost track of time.”
John had lost track of two hours, Jake noticed. He wasn’t terribly concerned though. He knew exactly what and who had taken the minutes from him. Unfortunately, they were all haunted.
“I finished the second boat. If you’d like, I can come back and do the third tomorrow. But right now, I am beat.”
Still recovering from his thoughts, John shook his head. “You don’t need to do that, Jake. I’ll have some of the guys do it on Monday. No need to waste your entire weekend here. You go home and take some time for yourself.”
“Okay, but you’re sure you’re all right?”
“I’m about as okay as you are, Jake.”
John walked away from him and disappeared into the building. Jake walked back to his truck, threw his bag in the bed, and headed home.
CHAPTER 8
The next morning, Jake awoke more refreshed than he had in a long time. For the first time in two years, Maddie hadn’t haunted his dreams. She was still there, he knew. She just had given him the night off and, for that, he was grateful.
He began his day as usual with a few stretches and push-ups. As he laced up his sneakers, he thought of Lily. A small smile played on his lips. Despite himself, he enjoyed her company, even if she was a pain in the ass. No. That wasn’t fair. She wasn’t really a pain in the ass. She was just someone he wasn’t prepared for. Not that anything would ever develop. From what he’d heard, she was only in town through the end of the summer. Still, it was nice to have a friend who knew nothing of his past, of his pain.
He opened the door of his house only to find Lily stretching in the front yard, this time in a sports bra and bright yellow running shorts. A braid replaced the loose ponytail from yesterday and he couldn’t help but look at her appreciatively.
“Hey! Since yesterday wasn’t a total disaster, I figured you wouldn’t mind a running partner today. Look, I even brought my iPod so we can run in silence!”
She’s crazy, he thought as he smiled to himself. “I guess I wouldn’t mind if you tagged along.”
“Well, thanks for the invitation.”
“I thought you invited yourself.”
“Same, same. You didn’t say no, now did you?”
She had the best smile. Her teeth were just a little bit crooked and her summer skin glowed golden. And her eyes. To Jake, her eyes looked like the deepest warmth he’d ever seen. And as he noticed all of this, the tiny something in his stomach got a little tighter. “No. I guess I didn’t. You all stretched?”
“Yup. I got here about fifteen minutes ago. I figured I’d get a head start.”
“How’d you know I’d run today?”
“I didn’t. I just thought I’d take the chance.”
“And what if I didn’t?”
“Who knows? Look, you wanna sit here and debate about the what-ifs all day or do you wanna put a hurtin’ on those muscles?”
“You’re crazy. Let’s
Abby sank onto the nearest chair and placed her head between her knees. John sat beside her and rubbed her back. Neither had any words to share.
Danny stepped up to ferret out the information from Finlay.
“When you say ‘tried to kill herself’ you mean with drugs or pills or something?”
“No, Danny. She told Jake everything was his fault and then proceeded to slit her wrists right in front of him. Jake jumped on top of her to stop her but she’d already done the damage. He got all cut up in the process, too, what with all the glass on the floor.
“She’s being admitted now, Jake’s with her. I gotta tell you, I ain’t never seen Jakey so upset. I think he believed her when she told him she did it because of him. He won’t leave her side. I’ll go get someone to show you to her room.” Finlay stopped and turned back around to look into four shocked faces. “I really am sorry.”
***
“Mr. Olsen, you okay?”
John looked up to find Jake standing in front of him.
“You okay?” Jake repeated.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Must’ve lost track of time.”
John had lost track of two hours, Jake noticed. He wasn’t terribly concerned though. He knew exactly what and who had taken the minutes from him. Unfortunately, they were all haunted.
“I finished the second boat. If you’d like, I can come back and do the third tomorrow. But right now, I am beat.”
Still recovering from his thoughts, John shook his head. “You don’t need to do that, Jake. I’ll have some of the guys do it on Monday. No need to waste your entire weekend here. You go home and take some time for yourself.”
“Okay, but you’re sure you’re all right?”
“I’m about as okay as you are, Jake.”
John walked away from him and disappeared into the building. Jake walked back to his truck, threw his bag in the bed, and headed home.
CHAPTER 8
The next morning, Jake awoke more refreshed than he had in a long time. For the first time in two years, Maddie hadn’t haunted his dreams. She was still there, he knew. She just had given him the night off and, for that, he was grateful.
He began his day as usual with a few stretches and push-ups. As he laced up his sneakers, he thought of Lily. A small smile played on his lips. Despite himself, he enjoyed her company, even if she was a pain in the ass. No. That wasn’t fair. She wasn’t really a pain in the ass. She was just someone he wasn’t prepared for. Not that anything would ever develop. From what he’d heard, she was only in town through the end of the summer. Still, it was nice to have a friend who knew nothing of his past, of his pain.
He opened the door of his house only to find Lily stretching in the front yard, this time in a sports bra and bright yellow running shorts. A braid replaced the loose ponytail from yesterday and he couldn’t help but look at her appreciatively.
“Hey! Since yesterday wasn’t a total disaster, I figured you wouldn’t mind a running partner today. Look, I even brought my iPod so we can run in silence!”
She’s crazy, he thought as he smiled to himself. “I guess I wouldn’t mind if you tagged along.”
“Well, thanks for the invitation.”
“I thought you invited yourself.”
“Same, same. You didn’t say no, now did you?”
She had the best smile. Her teeth were just a little bit crooked and her summer skin glowed golden. And her eyes. To Jake, her eyes looked like the deepest warmth he’d ever seen. And as he noticed all of this, the tiny something in his stomach got a little tighter. “No. I guess I didn’t. You all stretched?”
“Yup. I got here about fifteen minutes ago. I figured I’d get a head start.”
“How’d you know I’d run today?”
“I didn’t. I just thought I’d take the chance.”
“And what if I didn’t?”
“Who knows? Look, you wanna sit here and debate about the what-ifs all day or do you wanna put a hurtin’ on those muscles?”
“You’re crazy. Let’s
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