Read Online Viator (The Viator Chronicles Book 1) by Jane Ralston-Brooks - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jane Ralston-Brooks
Ads: Link
getting enough sleep.”
“Hmm.” Ed was heading toward the door. “I hope it gets better. See you in a bit.”
Erin went over some of the music for her lessons that afternoon. After a while she called Hannah.
“Bakery De Oro,” Hannah answered.
“Hi, it’s Erin. Are you still up for our walk?”
“Sure am. What time?
“How about a little after one o’clock? I’ll meet you at the bakery?”
“Sounds good.”
At one o’clock Erin buttoned her coat, stuffed her hands into her pockets, and walked the three blocks into the wind to the bakery. A few dark clouds scurried across the sky. Hannah had decorated the little shop in a Mediterranean style with rich colors, grape vines and trellises painted on the walls, and creamy white pottery on decorative shelves. Three small bistro tables with two chairs each sat in a corner by the windows, where patrons could enjoy coffee and a pastry with a view of her petunia-filled pots outside.
“Hi, Erin,” Hannah said when Erin pushed the door open. She pulled a worn leather jacket over her orange T-shirt and tossed her long, single braid over her shoulder. The two women hugged each other.
“Carlos, I’m going for a walk with Erin,” she called out.
Her husband came out of the back room, wiping his hands on his apron. “Hola! Que tal, Erin?”
“Muy bien. Como esta? Do you mind if I take Hannah away for an hour?”
Carlos grinned at her. “Only one hour. Mi querida has to make a special order cake this afternoon.”
“Okay, one-hour limit. Let’s go.”
As they walked down the street toward the waterfront Hannah said, “You’ve got to tell me all about your weekend. You saw Gary again? Tell me about him.”
“He’s a nice guy. He came over Saturday night and had dinner with us.”
“That’s what Aleesha told me. It sounds like you made a good impression on him. Does he have a chance with you?” Hannah said.
Erin gave her a sidelong look. “I’m going to see him again this weekend—we’re all going for a bike ride on Orcas,” she said. “I have such mixed feelings. I have to admit I do like him, though.”
“Is there anything wrong with that?” Hannah asked.
“I feel confused. He’ll talk about William, and I’ll feel so sad, then he changes everything, and I feel, um, like all I want is for him to kiss me.”
Hannah smiled. “And has he?”
“Yeah.” With her head down Erin continued, “I told him I needed to take it slow, but he said no, I didn’t. Then he kissed me. I was so surprised—it was so sexual.”
“Carlos was very physical right from the beginning. And you know how wonderful he is.”
Erin nodded. “There’s no denying that it felt good to be kissed,” she said, but she frowned as she thought about it.
Hannah laughed. “I’m not at all surprised.”
“In fact, part of what I don’t like about it is that it felt too good. I feel disloyal.”
Hannah gave Erin a brief hug. “But you’re not. It’s okay for you to enjoy being with someone.”
They continued their walk toward the water. The wind blew harder, smelling of fish and creosote, and they stopped a minute to watch the seagulls swooping over the bay. Two tall men ran past them, dressed in shorts and T-shirts. Erin and Hannah watched them until they turned a corner and were out of sight.
“I haven’t seen them before,” Hannah said. “I wonder if they’re new here.”
“Could be.”
“Runners. That reminds me, you know my friend, Jill? Remember her daughter, Carolyn? The sweet girl who’s on the high school track team?” Hannah said.
“I think so—a pretty, blond girl?” said Erin.
“Yeah. She told Jill she had a dream about you. It was so vivid that she almost thought it was real. I guess you saved her from some big bad monster.”
“Really?” Erin stopped walking; everything around her seemed to stop moving.
“Yes. Isn’t that funny? I wonder why she would dream of you? She was having nightmares for quite a while. Jill
“Hmm.” Ed was heading toward the door. “I hope it gets better. See you in a bit.”
Erin went over some of the music for her lessons that afternoon. After a while she called Hannah.
“Bakery De Oro,” Hannah answered.
“Hi, it’s Erin. Are you still up for our walk?”
“Sure am. What time?
“How about a little after one o’clock? I’ll meet you at the bakery?”
“Sounds good.”
At one o’clock Erin buttoned her coat, stuffed her hands into her pockets, and walked the three blocks into the wind to the bakery. A few dark clouds scurried across the sky. Hannah had decorated the little shop in a Mediterranean style with rich colors, grape vines and trellises painted on the walls, and creamy white pottery on decorative shelves. Three small bistro tables with two chairs each sat in a corner by the windows, where patrons could enjoy coffee and a pastry with a view of her petunia-filled pots outside.
“Hi, Erin,” Hannah said when Erin pushed the door open. She pulled a worn leather jacket over her orange T-shirt and tossed her long, single braid over her shoulder. The two women hugged each other.
“Carlos, I’m going for a walk with Erin,” she called out.
Her husband came out of the back room, wiping his hands on his apron. “Hola! Que tal, Erin?”
“Muy bien. Como esta? Do you mind if I take Hannah away for an hour?”
Carlos grinned at her. “Only one hour. Mi querida has to make a special order cake this afternoon.”
“Okay, one-hour limit. Let’s go.”
As they walked down the street toward the waterfront Hannah said, “You’ve got to tell me all about your weekend. You saw Gary again? Tell me about him.”
“He’s a nice guy. He came over Saturday night and had dinner with us.”
“That’s what Aleesha told me. It sounds like you made a good impression on him. Does he have a chance with you?” Hannah said.
Erin gave her a sidelong look. “I’m going to see him again this weekend—we’re all going for a bike ride on Orcas,” she said. “I have such mixed feelings. I have to admit I do like him, though.”
“Is there anything wrong with that?” Hannah asked.
“I feel confused. He’ll talk about William, and I’ll feel so sad, then he changes everything, and I feel, um, like all I want is for him to kiss me.”
Hannah smiled. “And has he?”
“Yeah.” With her head down Erin continued, “I told him I needed to take it slow, but he said no, I didn’t. Then he kissed me. I was so surprised—it was so sexual.”
“Carlos was very physical right from the beginning. And you know how wonderful he is.”
Erin nodded. “There’s no denying that it felt good to be kissed,” she said, but she frowned as she thought about it.
Hannah laughed. “I’m not at all surprised.”
“In fact, part of what I don’t like about it is that it felt too good. I feel disloyal.”
Hannah gave Erin a brief hug. “But you’re not. It’s okay for you to enjoy being with someone.”
They continued their walk toward the water. The wind blew harder, smelling of fish and creosote, and they stopped a minute to watch the seagulls swooping over the bay. Two tall men ran past them, dressed in shorts and T-shirts. Erin and Hannah watched them until they turned a corner and were out of sight.
“I haven’t seen them before,” Hannah said. “I wonder if they’re new here.”
“Could be.”
“Runners. That reminds me, you know my friend, Jill? Remember her daughter, Carolyn? The sweet girl who’s on the high school track team?” Hannah said.
“I think so—a pretty, blond girl?” said Erin.
“Yeah. She told Jill she had a dream about you. It was so vivid that she almost thought it was real. I guess you saved her from some big bad monster.”
“Really?” Erin stopped walking; everything around her seemed to stop moving.
“Yes. Isn’t that funny? I wonder why she would dream of you? She was having nightmares for quite a while. Jill
Similar Books
