Lost in You: Petal, Georgia, Book 2 by Lauren Dane Read Free Book Online

thing. I didn’t think so at first.” He laughed. “I didn’t have any skills. Well, not any that would have given me a job instead of time in the state pen.”
    Nathan looked to her with a smirk.
    “How long have you been back?”
    “Two years. I knew I’d come to Petal eventually. I landed in Dallas a while. Worked in a friend’s shop where I filled out my training with cars and trucks. Why did you decide to be a teacher?”
    Beth watched as Nathan and Joe talked. Nathan was an interesting man with a big giant heart. He liked Joe. She could totally tell. It was more than the fact that they’d known each other when they were young. It made her feel more comfortable around Joe, and in the end, it would help her plan as well. Nathan was a good judge of character.
    “The whole time we were coming up, there were times when I really just wanted to throw in the towel. Shit was bad at home. I didn’t have the time for homework when we were trying to survive.” Nathan ate for a while before he continued. “But those times when it wasn’t Tate kicking my butt all the way to school, it was a teacher who reached out. Who cut me some slack, or who gave me a book that inspired me, who pushed me hard to do my best. I wanted to be that for other kids.”
    Beth loved that story. Nathan, for all his jokes and that gorgeous face, was a person who wanted to give back. It pleased her to no end that he was such a great role model and such a repudiation of the people who had given them life and abused and neglected them.
    “All you Murphys have done well for yourselves. It’s nice to come back home and see your friends living good lives.”
    “Tate wouldn’t have allowed anything else.” Their older sister was far more a mother to them than a sister. She’d taken the brunt of the abuse, had skipped a lot of school to clean houses and pick up side work to keep them fed. She made sure they all went to school, wouldn’t have tolerated anything else. They had a strong family and Tate was at the heart.
    “For a gal so tiny, she’s pretty ferocious.” Joe grinned.
    “She totally is. And now that she’s got babies? Even scarier. It’s sort of awesome how people scurry out of her way when she’s on a tear.” Beth smiled, full of love at the thought of her sister. “I forgot to ask you the other day. How’s your sister?”
    “She’s good. Lives in Maine with her husband and kids. He’s an engineer. She works part time now that the kids are in school.”
    They chatted a while until Lily came in with Chris.
    Beth had eaten her fill and stood to hug her friend. “I’m off. Take my chair. Hey, Chris.”
    Chris blushed bright red and waved.
    “Let me walk you home and I’ll come right back.” Nathan stood.
    “I’m perfectly capable of walking five blocks to my apartment. It’s light outside. Also, it’s Petal.” Beth pushed him back into his chair.
    Joe stood. “I’ll give you a ride. I need to get home anyway. Buck gets lonely.”
    Nathan gave her a look and she rolled her eyes. A ride home from Joe was way better than hanging out with Nathan. She’d gotten her time in with her brother and that was great. But her plan was getting Joe alone as much as she could. She hoped Nathan read in her features that if he messed this up she’d draw on his face with a permanent marker when he was sleeping.
    Lily smiled all serene-like, reaching out to pat Nathan’s hand. “I’m so glad you’re still here, I’m starved.”
    Beth shot her a grateful look. “Appreciate the lift. At least I won’t melt now.” She bent to kiss Nathan’s cheek. “Thanks for dinner.”
    “You coming to Tate’s tomorrow?”
    “As if I’d miss dinner at Tate’s?” Her sister had a weekly dinner for their ever-growing family. All the Murphy siblings were there without fail, and quite often at least several of the Chases were there too. The yard was big, kids ran all over the place. A good time was had by all.
    “Love you.”
    She