One of the Boys by Merline Lovelace Read Free Book Online

neat, we can always ask about it.”
    â€œOkay, but I hadn’t planned to make this a full-time occupation.”
    Maura smiled down at the girl to soften her words. She needn’t have worried. When it came to her hobby, Lisa was as single-minded as any teenager.
    â€œYou can’t quit now! Who knows what’s out there waiting for us. I bet I can do a whole term paper on this when I get back to school. My teacher will be so overwhelmed, he’ll recommend me for a scholarship to Harvard. You wouldn’t want to deny me the chance to go to Harvard, would you?”
    â€œHeavens, no.”
    Laughing, Maura clambered to her feet and joined Lisa for another wade in the bay. Bea gave them a long, steady look, as if wondering why any creatures in full possession of their senses would go splashing around when they could stretch out in the sun. Slowly, majestically, she laid her head back down, rolled on her side and shut the capricious humans out.
    Woman and girl shuffled happily through the shallow water for more than an hour. They didn’t find any special pieces, only a couple of small nondescript shards, but the paucity of treasures didn’t dim their high spirits.
    â€œYou’re a lot of fun for a grown-up,” Lisa confided ingenuously when they collapsed, wet and sandy, on the bank.
    Maura felt a little glow in her heart as she looked over at the smiling teenager.
    â€œAlmost as much fun as my dad.”
    The glow dimmed a bit.
    â€œWould you like to come over for a sandwich or pizza or something?”
    â€œI don’t think I’d better. Your father isn’t expecting guests.”
    â€œDad’s got a late flight tonight. He won’t be down for hours.”
    The loneliness behind the appeal tugged at her. Maura herself came from a large, loud, boisterous family that augmented its natural numbers with dogs, cats, turtles and the occasional rodent brought home by her brothers. She tried to imagine being an only child, especially one whose parents had separated. Lisa obviously adored her father and seemed happyabout her summers with him, but it had to be a lonely life for a child.
    â€œOkay, but only for a quick sandwich. Come on, Bea.” She scooped the boneless, lolling animal up in her arms. “We’re dining out tonight.”
    Â 
    Two hours later, Maura and Lisa sat cross-legged on the polished wood floor of Jake’s living room, the remains of a large pizza and several soda cans scattered around them. Bea occupied a large leather recliner in solitary splendor, calmly licking anchovy from her mouth and paws.
    â€œI’m stuffed,” Lisa groaned, slumping back against the leather couch.
    â€œMe, too. Whose idea was it, anyway, to order a deluxe?”
    â€œYours,” the girl giggled.
    â€œYeah, well, it was a dumb idea. Next time it’s a small, plain cheese.”
    â€œI love pizza,” Lisa confided. “I never get to have it at home because Mom is always watching her weight, but Dad and I pig out during the summers.”
    Wondering idly how many deluxes it would take to fill up Jake McAllister’s tall frame, Maura sipped her soda slowly and glanced around his home. Her gaze lingered on polished wood surfaces, rich leather furniture and a high-tech entertainment center set precisely in the middle of one wall. The opposite wall was filled with windows and gave a glorious view of the sun sinking into the bay in bloodred splendor.
    Everything was so neat, so orderly. A direct contrast to the boxes still piled up in Maura’s rented cottage. She was musing over the differences when the rumble of the garage door brought Lisa’s head around.
    â€œThat’s dad.”
    With a sense of inevitability, Maura folded the pizza carton and waited for Jake to make an appearance.
    â€œHi, Daddy. You’re back early.”
    â€œWe had to abort the flight because of a broken fuel pump,” he replied, his surprised