Love On The Brazos by Susan Leigh Carlton Read Free Book Online Page B

you for a few minutes?”
     
    “Well sure, honey.  You want to go outside?”
     
    “Yes, let's.”  Once they wereout of hearing range on the front porch, she turned on him with a fury.  “How dare you show up here after eighteen months without a word and invite yourself to my home and start this crap?  I cannot believe the unmitigated gall you have.”
     
    “What do you mean?  I apologize for being so obstinate at a time when your father was ill.  I should have known better, and I’d like a chance to make it right.”
     
    “Ill?  My father had a stroke.  He is still partially paralyzed on one side, and you say “ill”.”  Jody’s voice had risen in volume and tone. 
     
    Her mother came to the door and asked, “Jordy is everything all right?”
     
    “Yes mother, everything is okay.  Hank was just leaving.”
     
    “Well, okay.  Nice seeing you again, Hank.”  She went back in and closed the door.
     
    “Get this straight, Hank Webster.  There is no making things right.  All you were thinking about was the place where you thought you could do better, not what I needed.  It never occurred to you I was hurting and needed you.  But noooooo.  You wouldn’t move to Houston, and that was it.  You were right about one thing.  That was it.  Now get off my porch and leave.  I never want to see or hear from you again.  Ever.”
     
    “Jeez, you don’t have to be so hateful about it.  I care about you.  I want to be there for you and you for me.”
     
    “No, Hank, not now, not ever.  Now leave.”
     
    She went back into the house and closed the door emphatically.
     
    She went into the family room, with fire coming from her nostrils and steam from her ears.  If she had been watching closely, she might have caught the twinkle in her father’s eyes.  Is everything all right, dear?” It was nice of you to invite him out and nice to see him again.”
     
    “Nice?  Mother, I didn’t invite him, he invited himself and hung up before I could tell him no.  I can’t believe him.  Hinting we might get back together.  As if!  He isn’t a hundredth the man Michael is.”  She looked over at her father.  The twinkle was more obvious now.  What are you smiling about?”
     
    “I always thought you could do better than him.  I always did think he was shallow, but you didn’t see it.  I’m proud of you honey.  I like Michael.”
     
    “I do too, Daddy.”
     
    * * *
     
     
     
    The next morning
     
    Jordy took out her iPhone and punched a number she had on speed dial.  When Michael answered the phone, she said, “Good morning, Michael.  How are you this morning?”
     
    “I’m fine and you. Ms. Carlyle?”
     
    “I am doing very well, thank you.  You’ll never guess who called me yesterday?”
     
    “Justin Bieber?”
     
    “No, silly.  Good old Hank called.  He came out last night.  He wanted to talk and he was hinting around about us getting back together.”
     
    Jordy felt a distinct chill come through the phone lines.  “Is that so?”
     
    “Yes, that’s so.  I had a mean nasty thought about calling you and yelling help.”
     
    “But you didn’t.  What did you do instead, if I may be so bold?”
     
    “I chewed him out, and then ordered him off my porch with directions not ever to call or bother me again.”  The chill evaporated, replaced by warmth.
     
    “Well good for you.  What prompted all of this?”
     
    “The way he was hinting, I think things must not be going so well, and he thinks maybe the grass is greener here.  If so, I think he’s been chewing on loco weed.”
     
    “Can you break away for lunch today?”
     
    “I don’t think so, but what about tonight?”
     
    “You don’t have something going with good old Hank?”
     
    “I’ll break it.” 
     
    “Pick you up at seven, okay?”
     
    “Terrific.  See you then.”
     
    Later…
     
    “I’m not in for Hank Webster,” Jordy told the operator.
     
    “He’s called