All-American Girl by Justine Dell Read Free Book Online

sweetie. I think there’s something here I can have you work on, if you don’t mind.”
    Jax’s eyes lit up. “What, Aunt Candy? What do you need me to fix? I’ll do a good job.”
    Candice ruffled the boy’s thick, black hair. “I know. Run along into the storage room, and you’ll see the dilemma sitting on the floor.”
    “Great!” Jax bounced through the doors to the storage room.
    Lance took a seat on a bar stool, smiling lazily. Candice turned a curious gaze to him. “Did he really drop Mr. Johnson’s cat in the paint bucket?”
    “Yup. Bright red.” He chuckled. “Mrs. Johnson was cursing about she would never get Snowball white again.”
    “Seems to me Jax is turning out to be an awful lot like his father. Can’t seem to keep himself out of trouble.”
    “Hey,” Lance said with a hint of amusement, “I wasn’t ever any trouble.”
    “Nothing you could be blamed for.”
    “Ha. I shouldn’t be too long, just some finish work. I’ll pick him up at your place after I’m done, okay?”
    “Sounds fine. He likes hanging around with his cool Aunt Candice anyway.”
    “Thanks, sis.” Lance walked to the storage room door.
    “By the way, did you give Samantha my number?”
    Lance rubbed his hand over his face, remembering the tight knot in his thigh where she’d kicked him. “Yeah, I gave it to her. I don’t know if she’ll actually call, though.”
    “Well, at least she knows I’d like to see her. That’s what matters.”
    “People change, sis,” Lance said reluctantly. He hadn’t told her about Samantha’s behavior and wondered if that was mistake. He’d seen the dazed and distant look in Samantha’s eyes firsthand—the same look he’d seen in the mirror several years before. “Just try and remember that when you see her.”
    “All right,” she said, clearly blowing off the warning. “Go say bye to Jax so you can get out of here.”
    Lance walked to the back room and found Jax sprawled out on the floor with square blocks of wood and nuts and bolts surrounding him.
    “Whatcha got there?” Lance asked as he bent down.
    Jax wrinkled his nose. “Not sure yet. Gonna find out.”
    “Well, have fun. I’ll be back to pick you up later. Be good.”
    “I will.”
    Lance kissed his son’s forehead. As he made to leave the back room, he heard Samantha’s unmistakable voice. Soft, sweet, with a hint of irritation. The spot in his thigh where she’d kicked him throbbed at the sound, as did the strange knot in his stomach.
    He pushed the door open a hair and peeked into the diner. Candice had her arms wrapped around Samantha, who looked like a raccoon caught in a trap. Samantha twisted free and took two steps to the side. She smoothed out her surprisingly dirty shirt, shook her head and said, “Oh…wow, I wasn’t really expecting that.”
    She wore the same strained expression now as when he’d gotten close to her at the hospital, as though she didn’t like people or didn’t want them near. He could sort of understand why Samantha would shy away from him. After all, she’d run away from Vermont—away from him—twelve years before. But shying away from Candice? That didn’t make much sense. They’d been best friends. He’d hoped Samantha would’ve welcomed her with open arms.
    He poked his nose through the crack in the door and kept a keen eye on Samantha as he strained to hear their conversation.
    “It’s so good to see you,” Candice said as she ushered Samantha into a seat at the counter. “Can I get you anything? Coffee, maybe?”
    “Sure.”
    Candice poured the coffee and set it in front of Samantha. “How have you been? You look…well, aside from the dirty clothes, you look great. Been working hard today?”
    Samantha gave a strained laugh. The knot in Lance’s stomach tightened.
    “Yes, well…I spent the day cleaning up Gram’s shop.” She rubbed her arms, looking uncomfortable that someone had noticed her appearance. Lance had to admit, her appearance