Read Online To Love a Way of Life by Natalie Hart - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Natalie Hart
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ahead of herself could she get? She knew she shouldn’t blame herself for the thoughts that made her feel happy, but what would Patrick think if she told him any of this? She didn’t even know if he wanted kids.
The car was packed and after breakfast she was ready to go. She decided to push thoughts of families and dressing little girls in pretty sundresses far from her mind so she put on some Iron Maiden in her car. She was singing along as loud as she could with Bruce Dickinson, then almost had to pull over for laughing with the second song on the playlist: “Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter.“ It seemed even the Gods of metal were on the side of starting a family, although they were taking a slightly different approach.
As the city gave way to green fields, and as the main double roads gave way to quiet country roads Emma’s mind relaxed more and more. This would be a beautiful place to raise a child but she would just deal with helping her clients, and getting to know and maybe even love Patrick first.
She parked up in the village before she got to Patrick’s lane. She went into the small shop, and took three ice-creams from the freezer, one for her, one for Patrick and one for Stan. The one for Stan had no chocolate and she knew he’d be disappointed by that. He’d get over only having a vanilla ice-cream pretty quickly, the look of his goofy slobbering face devouring the ice-cream brought a smile to Emma’s lips.
She walked up to the till, five Euros in her hand ready to pay.
“You must be Emma,” the woman said. She was young, she looked like she was in the final year of school or maybe just after starting university. Emma figured it was a summer job.
“I am.” Emma smiled.
“Patrick’s been in a foul mood since you left. He must really miss you.” Emma thought she could detect a hint of jealousy in the girl’s voice. If the young women of Ballyhane thought Patrick was a catch then Emma knew she was onto a good thing.
“I’m sure an ice-cream will cheer him up,” Emma said.
“Is the third for Stan?” She asked.
“Yeah, does he like plain vanilla?”
“That dog will eat anything, I’ve treated him twice over getting the gawks from eating so much.”
“You’ve looked after Stan?” Emma asked.
“I’ve interned with the vet for three summers. I want to work with smaller animals but it’s mostly farm animals around here.”
“You might have to move to a city,” Emma said.
“Having a choice of takeaways that deliver is my dream,” she said. “Pizza, burgers and chips, Thai, Indian, Noodles, Japanese—“
“I have wondered about that.”
“Only the Chinese delivers, we have a menu. I think they’ll go as far as Patrick’s, and a tip will get them further.”
Emma handed over the money. The ice-creams came to €3.38.
“Keep the change,” Emma said. “Put it towards a night out when you’re in college.”
“Thanks!” The young woman beamed. Emma knew what it was like to be a broke student. She might not have earned anything in months, but only being able to afford crackers and noodles after a night out was not a nice way to live for anyone, even students.
Emma rested the ice-creams down on her passenger seat and drove up the roadway to Patrick’s house. There was no sign of him at the door but Stan greeted her. He must have sniffed the ice-cream.
Emma called out to Patrick but there was no-sign of him. She unwrapped the two ice-creams and set one on the ground for Stan. He bit into it. She worried he’d get brain freeze but he seemed happy enough.
Emma sat on a barrel and kicked her legs, she was happy to back in the countryside. Patrick emerged from the house, his face was grave and serious but when he saw Emma his downturned look broke into a wide smile. He was so cautious with his moods Emma got a kick in her stomach from seeing him smile.
“I’ve missed you,” he said as he walked over to her. He held her elbow and before Emma had a chance to
The car was packed and after breakfast she was ready to go. She decided to push thoughts of families and dressing little girls in pretty sundresses far from her mind so she put on some Iron Maiden in her car. She was singing along as loud as she could with Bruce Dickinson, then almost had to pull over for laughing with the second song on the playlist: “Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter.“ It seemed even the Gods of metal were on the side of starting a family, although they were taking a slightly different approach.
As the city gave way to green fields, and as the main double roads gave way to quiet country roads Emma’s mind relaxed more and more. This would be a beautiful place to raise a child but she would just deal with helping her clients, and getting to know and maybe even love Patrick first.
She parked up in the village before she got to Patrick’s lane. She went into the small shop, and took three ice-creams from the freezer, one for her, one for Patrick and one for Stan. The one for Stan had no chocolate and she knew he’d be disappointed by that. He’d get over only having a vanilla ice-cream pretty quickly, the look of his goofy slobbering face devouring the ice-cream brought a smile to Emma’s lips.
She walked up to the till, five Euros in her hand ready to pay.
“You must be Emma,” the woman said. She was young, she looked like she was in the final year of school or maybe just after starting university. Emma figured it was a summer job.
“I am.” Emma smiled.
“Patrick’s been in a foul mood since you left. He must really miss you.” Emma thought she could detect a hint of jealousy in the girl’s voice. If the young women of Ballyhane thought Patrick was a catch then Emma knew she was onto a good thing.
“I’m sure an ice-cream will cheer him up,” Emma said.
“Is the third for Stan?” She asked.
“Yeah, does he like plain vanilla?”
“That dog will eat anything, I’ve treated him twice over getting the gawks from eating so much.”
“You’ve looked after Stan?” Emma asked.
“I’ve interned with the vet for three summers. I want to work with smaller animals but it’s mostly farm animals around here.”
“You might have to move to a city,” Emma said.
“Having a choice of takeaways that deliver is my dream,” she said. “Pizza, burgers and chips, Thai, Indian, Noodles, Japanese—“
“I have wondered about that.”
“Only the Chinese delivers, we have a menu. I think they’ll go as far as Patrick’s, and a tip will get them further.”
Emma handed over the money. The ice-creams came to €3.38.
“Keep the change,” Emma said. “Put it towards a night out when you’re in college.”
“Thanks!” The young woman beamed. Emma knew what it was like to be a broke student. She might not have earned anything in months, but only being able to afford crackers and noodles after a night out was not a nice way to live for anyone, even students.
Emma rested the ice-creams down on her passenger seat and drove up the roadway to Patrick’s house. There was no sign of him at the door but Stan greeted her. He must have sniffed the ice-cream.
Emma called out to Patrick but there was no-sign of him. She unwrapped the two ice-creams and set one on the ground for Stan. He bit into it. She worried he’d get brain freeze but he seemed happy enough.
Emma sat on a barrel and kicked her legs, she was happy to back in the countryside. Patrick emerged from the house, his face was grave and serious but when he saw Emma his downturned look broke into a wide smile. He was so cautious with his moods Emma got a kick in her stomach from seeing him smile.
“I’ve missed you,” he said as he walked over to her. He held her elbow and before Emma had a chance to
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