A Life Less Ordinary by Victoria Bernadine Read Free Book Online

each other.”
    “Just
one question,” Zeke said.  He gestured at Rebecca and Daisy.  “Why aren’t the
two of you going instead?”
    “I
can’t be away for six months,” Rebecca replied, “that’s an eternity in the real
estate business.  Besides, my daughter’s going through a divorce right now and
I need to be here for her and my granddaughter.”
    “And
my husband and kids might have something to say about it if I were to leave for
six months,” Daisy said drily.
    “ Ah.  Okay.  Then a week
it is.”
    Manny
nodded, satisfied.
    Daisy
stepped up close to Zeke, getting into his personal space.  Her face was set,
blue eyes steely. 
    “Just
for the record, Zeke – Max and I didn’t find anything on you, but I’m telling
you something right now:  this is my baby sister you’re traipsing off with. 
Anything happens to her that she doesn’t want or like – and I’ll hunt you down
like the dog you are.  Got it?”
    Zeke stared at her for a moment, then, “ Traipsing ?”
    Daisy
took a step back but didn’t break eye contact.  “Just remember that.”
    He
nodded quickly, his eyes wide.
    Manny
cleared her throat uncomfortably.  “Well,” she said, her voice a bit higher
than usual, “now that that’s settled – let’s get back to work.”
    “Work?”
Zeke asked incredulously.
    “You
don’t have to, of course, but we,” Manny indicated Rebecca and Daisy, “have a
house to paint.”
    Zeke
hesitated, then shrugged and smiled.  “Why not?  I have nothing better to do
today.” 
    He
took off his jacket and ignored Rebecca and Daisy’s appreciative sighs,
although he shared a surprisingly comfortable and amused glance with Manny
before getting a pan and a roller.
    I’ll
bet he’d look almost as good as me if he took his shirt off, Harvey murmured.
    Go
away.
    ~~~~~
    Later
that night, Daisy sat at a slot machine in her local casino, playing without
paying too much attention to what she was doing.  She was thinking of Manny’s
road trip and trying to keep calm about it.  Zeke seemed like a nice guy
although... unhappy .  She’d asked Manny about it while they were making
coffee in the kitchen, and Manny told her Zeke had recently had some issues
with his girlfriend.  Daisy wondered if that meant Zeke would cut his trip
short – or back out entirely – if things changed with his girlfriend.  She
didn’t know which would be worse:  Manny leaving for six months with a
stranger, or Manny leaving for six months alone.
    Both
options made her shiver with apprehension.  Daisy had her family, her husband
and kids, and, of course, Rebecca, but Manny – Manny was her sister , a
different kind of bond than any of the others, and her only true link to the
parents they’d lost so long ago.  They had history that even Rebecca didn’t
share.
    “Why
the hell am I not surprised?”
    Daisy
started with a little screech, and stared, wide-eyed at her husband.
    “Jesus,
Hub – you scared me!”
    “Yeah,
because you can’t see anything but that damn machine!  As usual!”
    Daisy
gave an exasperated sigh.  “Don’t start.  Have you tracked me down just to give
me hell, or do you need me for something?  For a change,” she added sarcastically.
    “Don’t you start.  Did you forget?  Jakob played soccer tonight and Janika had
a volleyball game.”
    Daisy
sighed tiredly.  “No, I didn’t forget.”
    “Then
– look at me!” Hub hissed furiously.  She turned a bland face towards him but
kept playing her machine.  “Then why are you sitting here, instead of going to
their games?”
    Daisy
stopped playing and turned to face him fully. 
    “Because
they’re your children, too,” she snarled, “and you haven’t been to a single
game for either of them this year!”
    “You
could have just asked instead of – of – of taking a runner to the fucking
casino!  Again!”
    “I have asked you!  I’ve also told you and begged you and even tried
forcing you!  Shockingly, you’re