Heat Wave (Riders Up) by Adriana Kraft Read Free Book Online Page B

if you are up, again at eight to be sure you made the
bus, and stop by in the evening. You are welcome to stay overnight at her home
any time. And on the weekend, Carolyn, you will be with Barbara and her family.
And Johnny, you’ll go home with David. Do you have all of this down?” Maggie
rubbed the tips of her fingers across her temples. “Emergency numbers are on
the fridge. The number where we will be staying—Travers—is at the top of the
list.”
    Both children
rolled their eyes toward the ceiling.
    Ed sat mesmerized
by Maggie’s incessant chatter. He’d not witnessed this side of her before.
    She caught him
staring at her. “Oh,” she stuttered. “I guess we’ve been over this a few times
already. Was I rattling on?” She reached over to ruffle her son’s hair. “Why
didn’t you stop me?”
    “A tornado couldn’t
stop you when you get nervous and fidgety, Mom,” Carolyn chastised.
    “Yeah,” Johnny
teased, “sometimes you talk so fast my ears can’t keep up with you.”
    Ed laughed aloud. It
was a comfortable family. Each individual had foibles, but was remarkably
tolerated by the others. Had it always been that way, or did part of the
camaraderie come because of having to deal with the death of a husband and
father?
      “Well, I hope you’ve
had some fun over of my concern,” Maggie protested easily. “It’s just that I’ve
not been away this long since…” Her eyes widened and became misty. “I know,
Carolyn, you’re a teenager. And neither one of you wants a babysitter. I wish I
could take you with us. But you can’t miss that much school this close to the
end of the school year.”
    “Mom, we’ll be
okay,” Carolyn insisted. “We’ll have to send Mrs. Murphy home to get rid of
her. And you know Hank isn’t going to come and go without checking in on us. He’s
almost family.”
    “You’re right, dear.
I forgot to mention I’ve instructed Hank whenever he is planting or mowing to
take a moment and see how you’re doing. Okay,” she said with a lopsided grin. “No
more lecturing. You know I love you. You’re just growing up too fast. I’ll try
not to worry again until we’re driving out of the driveway.”
    Ed sat back and
relaxed as tension dissipated around the table.
    ”Can’t wait till
you get back,” Johnny yelped. “I still can hardly believe it. Racehorses!”
    Maggie looked hurt.
“You sound more eager to see the horses than me and Ed.” She smiled at her son.
“But it will be great fun to see them in our paddocks.”
    “Don’t think anyone
knows how much work these animals are going to require,” Ed grumbled, draining
his cup of coffee. “There will be plenty of jobs for everyone.”
    “Fantastic!” Johnny
shouted.
    Carolyn remained
quiet.

 
     
    CHAPTER FOUR
     
     
    “Well, now that the
guys are in the city, Eddie’s down for his nap and Lester and Sammy won’t get
home for another three hours, we have the place to ourselves,” Cassie Travers
said, smiling broadly at Maggie, who sat at the kitchen table finishing her
lunch coffee. “What would you like to do?
    “Oh, you’ve been so
helpful already,” Maggie said, looking over at the redhead putting leftovers
away. “It’s just nice being here. I’ve been away from my kids for as much as
two weeks, but that’s when they go to camp. I’ve never gone off and left them
like this. That’s different.”
    Cassie nodding
knowingly. “Yeah, it is.” She filled a cup with black coffee and sat down across
from Maggie. “Sometimes I’ll travel with Clint. And you know what? The kids
seem to survive quite well. I suspect yours are doing fine, too.”
    “Yes, I’m sure they
are. Carolyn is quite capable and Mrs. Murphy will likely be a nuisance
checking on them. And of course Hank—he works part-time for me planting and
harvesting—he’ll always find a reason to stop and ask how things are going. No,
I’m sure they’re doing fine…I’m less certain about me.”
    Maggie