Julia's Journey (A Coming Home Again Novel Book 2) by T.I. Lowe Read Free Book Online

thing I can focus on. Good. Mission accomplished. I
am slowly heading back to the RV, trying not to let the dizziness overtake me
completely. As our site comes back into view, I’m relieved to find Greyson
sitting outside dressed in baggy shorts and a long sleeve T-shirt with a ball
cap pushed low on his head. He has another shake in hand and bowl of some sort
of food placed in his lap.
    “Sleeping and eating. Is that all you’re going to do on this
trip, honey?” I ask as I plop in the chair beside him. I swipe his bottle of
water and slowly down the entire thing.
    He shovels a spoonful of oatmeal in his mouth and glares at
me. “Is starving yourself and exercise all you can do?”
    “Ouch. Play pretty,” I say in my sweetest voice.
    He pushes the shake in my cup holder. “Here. I’ve already
drank one.”
    I try to appease him and take a sip. It’s chocolate flavor
and is quite rich. I’m guessing this is around a two hundred calorie shake,
maybe three hundred. I drink this and I will be good for the day and maybe he
will lay off me. We sit in silence as he works his way through the oatmeal and
I nurse my shake.
    “Yoo-hoo,” we hear and both snap up our heads towards the
sound of Mrs. Betty’s voice. “You young’uns got supper plans?”
    I hold up my protein shake. “I’m good. Thanks.”
    “No ma’am,” Greyson pipes in at the same time.
    “Good. The both of you look to be in need of a good home
cooked meal. Stan and I would like y’all to have
supper with us around seven. That time good?”
    “Okay,” Greyson agrees. He stands and walks over to her.
“I’m Greyson, by the way.” He motions towards me. “And this is Julia.”
    “Well, it’s nice to meet you, young man. Julia and I spent a
good bit of time together yesterday.” Mrs. Betty smiles over at me.
    “Really?” Greyson looks back at me skeptically and I have to fight the
childish urge to stick my tongue out at him. It’s what he gets for sleeping so
much.
    “Why yes. Fifi is in love with
her.”
    “Well. She tends to be irresistible.” That sounded like a
compliment coming from Greyson Stone. Wow .
“ Fifi ?” he asks.
    “My Pomeranian,” she answers. The little fur ball tumbles
our way as if on cue.
    Greyson places his bowl on the picnic table and swoops up
the little thing. “I think I’m in
love.” He cuddles Fifi close to his face. Picture
perfect shot right there. “Well, if you are so kindly cooking us supper, the
least I can do is take care of your Fifi until then.”
He’s grinning. I can’t believe this little pooch has cheered him up so quickly.
What I would give to have been able to light him up like that. He annoys me and
I know I annoy him, but I never want him to hurt. Watching him, my eyes tear up
at knowing he has hurt recently, and there’s nothing I can do about it to make
it better. I’m scared I will just hinder him more, but right now I’m too
selfish to leave.
    Mrs. Betty laughs, breaking me out of my reverie, and heads
back to her camper. “Okay. But I expect you to return her at seven.”
    “Deal,” he says and eases back towards me. He sits his long self right down in the grass and starts frolicking with
that little white fur ball. She yaps at him playfully and licks his face every
chance she gets. He keeps giggling like a kid.
    “You look like a pansy, Stone,” I tease.
    He doesn’t bother to look at me as he tickles Fifi’s belly. “Tiny dogs make me happy. I could care less
what people think of me. Life’s too short to worry about nonsense like that.”
He stands and sweeps the little dog up in his graceful arms and begins walking
away from me.
    “Where are you going?”
    “Taking Fifi for a walk,” he says
over his shoulder with the little dog cradled to his chest. Lucky dog.
    “It works better if you actually let her walk.” I chuckle.
    “Nah. She’s good.” With that he heads to the lakeside trail.
    I guess I’m not invited, so I finish the shake and go get
cleaned