Ana of California by Andi Teran Read Free Book Online

into the room, pausing for a moment by the table before heading to the stove. Abbie was right behind him.
    â€œSoup and sandwich, Ana?” she asked. “I’m sure you’re famished.”
    â€œSure. I really appreciate it.”
    Abbie placed a tray of sandwiches on the table and brought bowls of soup ladled from a well-loved copper pot. The soup was thick and hearty, most unlike the thin soup from a can Ana was used to. She watched as Emmett tossed two sandwiches onto a plastic plate he’d fished out of the cupboard. He stuffed a paper towel into his back pocket before turning toward the table.
    â€œFive o’clock sharp,” he said to his plate.
    No one responded.
    â€œI’m talking to you.”
    He looked directly at Ana, waiting for her to meet his eyes.
    â€œFive a.m. out in the field,” he continued. “That means you’ll be standing next to me at that time, not walking out of the house. Wear comfortable layers, the sneakers you have on now, and find a wider brimmed hat.”
    â€œOkay,” Ana said, having forgotten she was already wearing a cap. She removed it quickly and smoothed down her hair. “Thank you.”
    â€œDon’t thank me yet. This is a trial period.”
    Emmett walked past the table and out the screen door, taking his dinner with him. A dog barked in the distance.
    â€œPlease eat,” Abbie said, sitting down next to her and taking a bite of a sandwich in hand. “These are good, right? The secret is extra crunch and a bit of caramelized onion.”
    Ana nibbled the sandwich, careful not to inhale it whole. She took a few spoonsful of soup, surprised by how it coated her throat with a savory sweetness, and told herself not to appear too eager or ravenous, despite how delicious it may be. The chimes of an old clock filled the kitchen.
    â€œYou must be tired from your trip,” Abbie said.
    â€œI’m okay,” Ana said, keeping her gaze down at her plate, taking a rest between bites. She was starving, but her stomach was clenched with nerves.
    â€œYou can barely keep your eyes open. I can show you upstairs if you’d like.”
    â€œThe food is great, really.”
    â€œYou’re not hurting my feelings if you’d rather get some sleep. I’m sure it’s been quite the whirlwind day. I’ll send you up with some oatmeal cookies. Who doesn’t want dessert for dinner?”
    Ana stood up abruptly, nearly knocking her head on the light fixture hanging above the table. She fumbled for her baseball cap before picking up her plate and reaching for Abbie’s.
    â€œShouldn’t I clear all this first?”
    â€œJust leave it here, hon,” Abbie said with the same warm smile. “C’mon. I’ll show you to your room.”
    Ana followed as Abbie led the way out of the kitchen, guiding them with a small plate of cookies in her hand. Ana couldn’t help but wonder if she was being put to bed early because of something Emmett said about the ride from the airport. It wasn’t the first time she’d been sent to a room—never hers, always shared—but either way, she was relieved to have time alone to ruminate on the day.
    Abbie stopped at the top of the landing and waited for Ana, who gazed down the long upstairs hall. It was lined on either side, top to bottom, with built-in bookshelves, tiny bursts of color popping from the multitudes of spines.
    â€œYou’re welcome to take any of these you’d like,” Abbie said. “I’d like to think of it as a lending library, but I don’t get many visitors up here anymore.” She snorted or swallowed, Ana couldn’t tell. “I mean, it’s pretty much just me in the house most of the time.”
    She gestured to the open door on the left. Ana followed her into the room, which was like walking into one of those wallpapered home stores she had visited once when living with a family in Pasadena. Though