Lullaby of Love by Lucy Lacefield Read Free Book Online

at least attempt to talk to this girl it’s going to keep drumming in my head. I’ve got to find a way to run into her again— Jesus! —without actually running into her again .
    What’s wrong with me?
    How stupid did that sound?
    I let out a long breath, pushing away the thought of her and reaching for the phone I let drop beside me on the bed. It feels good to lie down.
    Kate and mom will be expecting a call from me any day now and it’s as good of a time as any to catch up for a minute.
    I dial the number. It only has to ring twice before Kate answers.
    “Hey sis.”
    “Dane!” The excitement in her voice picks up. “Hang on, okay?”
    “Sure.” I can hear her palm scratch across the mouthpiece, covering it as she yells for mom to come to the phone.
    “Mom’s on her way. How are things going out there?” She likes hearing about Yale. Even when the news sounds the same to me every time, but I indulge her. Other than coming out here to visit me, she’s stayed mostly near home to be with mom. When she decided to get a nursing degree she chose a small university only thirty minutes away to be home every night. Being left to feel like the man of the house since I was little, I owe her a lot. “We saw Coach Malloy at the steak house last night. He said he’s leaving Thursday to get to see you before your big meet this weekend. He says you’ll have no trouble against them again this year.” Kate gets really excited about the Yale/Harvard rivalry and that her brother has made the headlines the past two years. I make sure to send her all of the papers with track news—and she makes sure to show everybody back home, whether I like it or not. She’s made a book of the clippings that she puts with all of my trophies I’ve kept. Each time I get home she shows me the new additions to it.
    “Yeah. I heard from him a couple of days ago. It’ll be good to see him. How’s school?” I don’t want to feel like I’m the only one working hard. I know she works harder than I do just taking care of everything; the two of them there on their own.
    “School’s great! It’s going really well—no complaints. How about you? Were you able to get rid of Vince yet?” she teases, knowing I’m stuck with him until the end of the term.
    “Hardly.” If I say too much more I’ll get myself frustrated just thinking about it. Luckily he took a road trip to Florida over spring break and I spared them of his ways for the short time they were here.
    “That bad still, huh?” she asks with sympathy in her voice.
    “Just a couple of more months, I’ll manage. How’s Mom?”
    “She’s right here. Love ya Dane.”
    “Love you too, sis,” something sticks in my throat. It’s a long way from home, and a long time before I’ll be back again.
    “Honey! How are you?” I know mom, by now she’ll have been patiently pacing waiting her turn.
    “Hi Mom. I’m doing fine, just fine! Everything okay there?” I ask certain if something ever did come up Kate would call me immediately.
    “Sure! Everything’s good. We miss you honey! Do you need anything?” Their voices are all I need somehow to break up the monotony out here. My whole heart is in running, and representing an Ivy League school is a dream come true, but even then the demands get a little heavy at times.
    “I miss both of you, and no, I’ve got everything I need to get by. Thanks Mom.” I feel myself calming down from the day just talking to them.
    I switch the phone from one ear to the other and raise my arm back behind my head, stuffing it under the thickness of my pillow.
    “Dane?”
    “Yeah, Mom?”
    “Son, is there anyone special?” I could hear Kate’s protest in the background. Somehow I had gotten spared of that question when they were out here—I guess she thinks she’s being less invasive subjecting me to it on the phone only. I can’t remember one call home where she hasn’t felt compelled to pry about girls.
    “No, Mom. Don’t have