Read Online Under the Moon's Shadow by T. L. Haddix - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: T. L. Haddix
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than of you.”
“What did you expect my days were like? Get up late in the mornings, wander into the office, write a little, meet with some people and kiss cheeks, then come home and party all evening? Throw in a little ambulance chasing and law enforcement harassment?”
As that was a fair approximation of what he’d thought, Ethan flushed with guilt. “Since we’re being honest, yes.”
Shocked, Beth didn’t say anything until they pulled up to her apartment building ten minutes later. Her voice was very quiet when she spoke. “Is that the impression I give people?”
Ethan hastened to reassure her. “No. Not at all. It’s just my own misperception. And I’m sorry.”
She didn’t respond, just opened the door and got out. Ethan caught up to her at the entrance to the building, but she still didn’t speak. While they waited for the elevator, he stepped in front of her and tipped her chin up. Beth slapped his hand away and took two steps back.
“Don’t. Just don’t,” she said as the car arrived. “You can’t pretty this up.”
When she angrily wiped away tears, Ethan cursed under his breath and rubbed his forehead, following her onto the elevator.
“I’m sorry.”
“Yes, you certainly are.” Upstairs, as she unlocked the apartment door, she stopped. Taking a deep breath, she spoke over her shoulder without looking at him. “I would really appreciate it if you would stay out of my way for the rest of the evening. And Jason’s going to have to make other arrangements for the rest of the week.” She left him to lock the front door and went into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.
For an instant, he almost followed her, demanded they hash things out, but then common sense kicked in. “You’ve screwed things up badly enough already, stupid. Keep your mouth shut before you make it worse,” he told himself.
Going into the kitchen, he opened the refrigerator. Beth had stocked it back fully, including a few of the microbrews Chase liked. Grabbing one, he pulled the lid off with a vicious twist. He would have preferred whiskey, but since the beer was all that was available, he’d make do.
Chapter Ten
The noise of the printing press was deafening as the week’s Free Trader was being printed Monday afternoon. Beth was in the back with press foreman Saul Williams, sharing a bag of chips and two bottles of orange soda, a ritual they had established when she was a teenager. They would sit against the wall in scrappy but comfortable office chairs and demolish the salty snack while watching the presses, and by the time the bag was empty, any bad mood she had been in was usually gone.
It had been nine days since the break-in, a week since she’d had the falling out with Ethan. She had neither seen nor spoken to him since Tuesday morning. That he’d thought so little of her, of who she was, after having known her for so long, had really thrown her for a loop. It made her take a step back and look at herself, even though Ethan had sworn the problem was his.
Sitting there beside Saul, watching the paper roll through the large machines, she finally reached the mental place she needed to be to deal with the blow. Saluting him with her bottle, she stood and headed back to the newsroom. As she walked, she saw Alicia heading toward the pressroom and sped up her pace. Beth knew the noise of the press bothered the young woman. Once the door was closed, she took off her protective headphones, hanging them on one of the hooks beside the door.
“What’s up?”
Alicia’s eyes fairly sparkled with curiosity. “You have a phone call, a mysterious woman. She wouldn’t give her name.”
Eyebrows raised, Beth hurried toward her desk. She picked up the receiver as she sat, punching the one blinking light. “Beth Hudson. May I help you?”
For a moment there was silence on the other end of the line, and then a woman spoke. “Beth, this is Zora Mongiardo. I work at the
“What did you expect my days were like? Get up late in the mornings, wander into the office, write a little, meet with some people and kiss cheeks, then come home and party all evening? Throw in a little ambulance chasing and law enforcement harassment?”
As that was a fair approximation of what he’d thought, Ethan flushed with guilt. “Since we’re being honest, yes.”
Shocked, Beth didn’t say anything until they pulled up to her apartment building ten minutes later. Her voice was very quiet when she spoke. “Is that the impression I give people?”
Ethan hastened to reassure her. “No. Not at all. It’s just my own misperception. And I’m sorry.”
She didn’t respond, just opened the door and got out. Ethan caught up to her at the entrance to the building, but she still didn’t speak. While they waited for the elevator, he stepped in front of her and tipped her chin up. Beth slapped his hand away and took two steps back.
“Don’t. Just don’t,” she said as the car arrived. “You can’t pretty this up.”
When she angrily wiped away tears, Ethan cursed under his breath and rubbed his forehead, following her onto the elevator.
“I’m sorry.”
“Yes, you certainly are.” Upstairs, as she unlocked the apartment door, she stopped. Taking a deep breath, she spoke over her shoulder without looking at him. “I would really appreciate it if you would stay out of my way for the rest of the evening. And Jason’s going to have to make other arrangements for the rest of the week.” She left him to lock the front door and went into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.
For an instant, he almost followed her, demanded they hash things out, but then common sense kicked in. “You’ve screwed things up badly enough already, stupid. Keep your mouth shut before you make it worse,” he told himself.
Going into the kitchen, he opened the refrigerator. Beth had stocked it back fully, including a few of the microbrews Chase liked. Grabbing one, he pulled the lid off with a vicious twist. He would have preferred whiskey, but since the beer was all that was available, he’d make do.
Chapter Ten
The noise of the printing press was deafening as the week’s Free Trader was being printed Monday afternoon. Beth was in the back with press foreman Saul Williams, sharing a bag of chips and two bottles of orange soda, a ritual they had established when she was a teenager. They would sit against the wall in scrappy but comfortable office chairs and demolish the salty snack while watching the presses, and by the time the bag was empty, any bad mood she had been in was usually gone.
It had been nine days since the break-in, a week since she’d had the falling out with Ethan. She had neither seen nor spoken to him since Tuesday morning. That he’d thought so little of her, of who she was, after having known her for so long, had really thrown her for a loop. It made her take a step back and look at herself, even though Ethan had sworn the problem was his.
Sitting there beside Saul, watching the paper roll through the large machines, she finally reached the mental place she needed to be to deal with the blow. Saluting him with her bottle, she stood and headed back to the newsroom. As she walked, she saw Alicia heading toward the pressroom and sped up her pace. Beth knew the noise of the press bothered the young woman. Once the door was closed, she took off her protective headphones, hanging them on one of the hooks beside the door.
“What’s up?”
Alicia’s eyes fairly sparkled with curiosity. “You have a phone call, a mysterious woman. She wouldn’t give her name.”
Eyebrows raised, Beth hurried toward her desk. She picked up the receiver as she sat, punching the one blinking light. “Beth Hudson. May I help you?”
For a moment there was silence on the other end of the line, and then a woman spoke. “Beth, this is Zora Mongiardo. I work at the
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