Read Online Under Currents by Elaine Meece - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elaine Meece
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steps, and tapped lightly on her door.
When she opened it, her face appeared hard.
“Is something wrong?” Caleb asked.
“No.”
“How's Ally?” He shifted the bag containing the ice cream and cones behind his right leg, hoping she wouldn’t notice. He’d obviously caught her at a bad time or maybe the officer had convinced her to stay away from him.
“She’s fine.” She started to close the door.
“Is she asleep yet?”
“Yes, and Scott’s asleep too. I’m about to watch a movie.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come over.”
As he turned to leave, she asked, “What’s in the bag?”
“Chocolate ice cream and cones. I thought a treat might make Ally feel better. When I got home, you had a visitor. Everything all right?”
“Frank Grear dropped by. He wanted to let me know there aren’t any leads on who’s been vandalizing my place. It doesn’t surprise me.”
“Something will turn up.” Since she didn't mention that their argument had been about him, Caleb decided not to say anything about Frank’s warning to stay away from her. Hopefully, that’s all it had been.
“Wanna watch the movie with me?”
“You sure you want company?”
“Yeah, if you’ll share your ice cream. I have a weakness for chocolate. Please stay. I didn’t mean to sound rude.”
He wiped his feet off on the rug and entered, immediately breathing in the aroma of the fried chicken she’d cooked earlier. What he wouldn’t give for a home-cooked chicken dinner with all the trimmings.
“Go in the den while I fix the ice cream. The movie’s about to begin.”
Caleb sat on the sofa and studied the room. The hummingbird figurine he’d given Julie sat on a shelf beside a picture of the kids. A wedding photo of Julie and Jeremy stood on the mantel. He fought being envious of a dead man.
Julie returned with the cones. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” Caleb carefully took one from her not wanting to drop any on her blue sofa.
“Funny you brought ice cream over.” She sat in a large floral chair across from him and propped her feet upon the ottoman. “I’d just wished for some.”
“Great timing.” Caleb’s gaze raked over her long legs before turning toward the television. “What are we watching?”
“It’s an old one from the eighties. Maybe you’ve seen it. An Innocent Man with Tom Selleck.”
“Prison movie, right?”
She blushed. “We can watch something else.”
“Nah, I can handle it.”
Rather than watch the movie, he concentrated on Julie’s tongue twirling around the ice cream. A painful erection rose as a result, making him uncomfortable. Lord, almighty. Maybe he’d cruise the truck stops after the movie and pick up a hooker. But then something entered his mind. It wasn’t just any woman he wanted. It was Julie.
You can’t have her.
He forced himself to watch the movie. But when it came to the scene where Selleck was being beaten, the horrors of prison life flashed through Caleb's mind and made his stomach twist in knots. He remembered some of the beatings he’d endured. His breathing became difficult and his mind fogged up with fear. A fine sweat beaded up on his forehead. His lungs deflated, and he gasped for air.
He thought he could handle this, but it hit too close to home. Too close to the life he’d lived for ten years.
“I can’t watch this.” He stood. “Sorry. Keep the ice cream."
♦♦♦
Julie’s chest constricted when she saw the pain etched across Caleb’s face. How could she have been so inconsiderate? So insensitive? “Caleb, I’m sorry,” she shouted. “Wait.”
The backdoor slammed. He was gone.
Why hadn’t she realized that the movie might disturb Caleb? She looked out her kitchen window and spotted him, sitting on his back porch.
She had to go apologize.
Julie grabbed her keys, locked her door, and walked through the damp grass to Caleb. She sat beside him on the step, placed her hand on his back, and rubbed gently.
He
When she opened it, her face appeared hard.
“Is something wrong?” Caleb asked.
“No.”
“How's Ally?” He shifted the bag containing the ice cream and cones behind his right leg, hoping she wouldn’t notice. He’d obviously caught her at a bad time or maybe the officer had convinced her to stay away from him.
“She’s fine.” She started to close the door.
“Is she asleep yet?”
“Yes, and Scott’s asleep too. I’m about to watch a movie.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come over.”
As he turned to leave, she asked, “What’s in the bag?”
“Chocolate ice cream and cones. I thought a treat might make Ally feel better. When I got home, you had a visitor. Everything all right?”
“Frank Grear dropped by. He wanted to let me know there aren’t any leads on who’s been vandalizing my place. It doesn’t surprise me.”
“Something will turn up.” Since she didn't mention that their argument had been about him, Caleb decided not to say anything about Frank’s warning to stay away from her. Hopefully, that’s all it had been.
“Wanna watch the movie with me?”
“You sure you want company?”
“Yeah, if you’ll share your ice cream. I have a weakness for chocolate. Please stay. I didn’t mean to sound rude.”
He wiped his feet off on the rug and entered, immediately breathing in the aroma of the fried chicken she’d cooked earlier. What he wouldn’t give for a home-cooked chicken dinner with all the trimmings.
“Go in the den while I fix the ice cream. The movie’s about to begin.”
Caleb sat on the sofa and studied the room. The hummingbird figurine he’d given Julie sat on a shelf beside a picture of the kids. A wedding photo of Julie and Jeremy stood on the mantel. He fought being envious of a dead man.
Julie returned with the cones. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” Caleb carefully took one from her not wanting to drop any on her blue sofa.
“Funny you brought ice cream over.” She sat in a large floral chair across from him and propped her feet upon the ottoman. “I’d just wished for some.”
“Great timing.” Caleb’s gaze raked over her long legs before turning toward the television. “What are we watching?”
“It’s an old one from the eighties. Maybe you’ve seen it. An Innocent Man with Tom Selleck.”
“Prison movie, right?”
She blushed. “We can watch something else.”
“Nah, I can handle it.”
Rather than watch the movie, he concentrated on Julie’s tongue twirling around the ice cream. A painful erection rose as a result, making him uncomfortable. Lord, almighty. Maybe he’d cruise the truck stops after the movie and pick up a hooker. But then something entered his mind. It wasn’t just any woman he wanted. It was Julie.
You can’t have her.
He forced himself to watch the movie. But when it came to the scene where Selleck was being beaten, the horrors of prison life flashed through Caleb's mind and made his stomach twist in knots. He remembered some of the beatings he’d endured. His breathing became difficult and his mind fogged up with fear. A fine sweat beaded up on his forehead. His lungs deflated, and he gasped for air.
He thought he could handle this, but it hit too close to home. Too close to the life he’d lived for ten years.
“I can’t watch this.” He stood. “Sorry. Keep the ice cream."
♦♦♦
Julie’s chest constricted when she saw the pain etched across Caleb’s face. How could she have been so inconsiderate? So insensitive? “Caleb, I’m sorry,” she shouted. “Wait.”
The backdoor slammed. He was gone.
Why hadn’t she realized that the movie might disturb Caleb? She looked out her kitchen window and spotted him, sitting on his back porch.
She had to go apologize.
Julie grabbed her keys, locked her door, and walked through the damp grass to Caleb. She sat beside him on the step, placed her hand on his back, and rubbed gently.
He
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