Love's Embers (Canon City Series) by Lauren Marie Read Free Book Online

Charlie Stone is back. He bought the old house next door to Gran’s.” She saw Jay’s head snap around to look at her and his eyebrows scrunched together.
    “You’re pulling my sore leg.”
    She shook her head and watched Jay turn back and put his elbows back on the boards.  “Did he say where he’s been all these years?
    “I haven’t really talked to him much. Gran said he went into trucking after he got out of detention. He’s been all over the United States. Now he’s going to start veterinary school in the fall up in Fort Collin’s.”
    “He always wanted to do that. Good for him. Is he staying at the old house?”
    “Yes.”
    “Holy shit, he must have some bad memories of that place. I can’t believe he went back there. Do you have any idea why?”
    “Gran said it was cheap. I know it’s a real fixer-upper. Who knows, maybe he’s turned into a masochist.” She shrugged and shook her head.
    “Why haven’t you talked to him? You two used to be thick as thieves.” Jay looked at her with his brown eyes.
    “I’ve tried, but he can’t seem to communicate well with others. I ask a question and he stares at me. It’s like he has post traumatic stress disorder or something.”
    “Lark, what happened between you two? You guys were always so close,” Jay asked.
    She looked at him and smirked. “Jay, why did you and Mandy Parker break up?”
    He stood up straight again and looked annoyed at her. “You don’t want to go there. Ever.”
    She raised her eyebrows and held her hands out with a silent question.
    “Okay, point taken. There’s nothing we need to discuss.” He frowned and looked back at the ice.
    Lark wished she knew what the problem with Charlie was, but she couldn’t even begin to guess and really didn’t feel the need to talk to him. “I’m going to go sit. If you need a player, let me know.”
    She went over to the bleachers and smiled at Nancy. Her four-year-old son, Jacob, waved at her. “Hi, Auntie Lark.”
    “Hi there, Jake. How’s it going big boy?” She sat down and gave him a hug.
    “It’s okay, I don’t get to play tonight because I’m too little. It sucks,” he said and gave her a raspberry.
    “Well, you can keep your mom and me company, all right?” She smiled as he nodded at her.
    “The kids are playing first tonight, then the adults,” Nancy said and cradled her nine- month-old in her arms.
    “I doubt I’ll play. I just needed to get out of the house for a bit.” Lark put her elbows on her knees and watched the kids run around on the rink.
    “Is everything all right on the home front?” Nancy nudged her shoulder.
    “Yeah, all is good.” Lark rubbed her eyes.
    “Gee, the tone of your voice says different.”
    Lark looked at her and shook her head. “Do you remember Charlie Stone?”
“Should I?” Nancy asked.
    Larked needed to remember Nancy was a couple years ahead of her in school and they didn’t know each other until they were in college. “Charlie was my age and we grew up next door to each other. He accidently killed his father when he was fifteen and wound up in detention.”
    “Oh right.” She nodded. “I do remember that. I didn’t know he was your neighbor.”
    Lark decided she didn’t want to go into the whole story tonight with Nancy. “It’s not important.”
    “Liar.” Nancy looked at her and rocked the baby.
    “We’ll talk about it later.”
    She stayed at the rink until after eight o’clock and then headed home before the adult game started. She pulled into the driveway and got out of her Bronco. As she looked up at the house, she decided to go for a walk. She was too wound up to talk to Gran and didn’t want to sit in front of her computer.
          ****
    As Charlie approached his front door, after he took Breaker for a walk, he heard a car door slam next door at Gran’s. He turned and saw Lark walk through the snow toward the river.
    She’d changed so much over the years, but in a way she’d stayed the same. He