Purling Road - the Complete Second Season: Episodes 1-10 by M L Gardner Read Free Book Online Page A

now. I expected her to have a few drinks and be fine. I’ve seen her do it a dozen times over the last few years. I never expected it to set her off like that.”
    “With Arianna, a few is fine. But anything past a few, there’s something that disconnects in her mind. Common sense leaves the room.”
    “Last night it left the county,” Claire said, shaking her head. “I don’t ever want another girl’s night again.”
    “Don’t say that. I happen to think you need them every now and then. Not like last night,” he added quickly. “Definitely something more subdued next time.”
    “I don’t want to think about a next time. What’s worse, I don’t know how much of last night she is going to remember. I don’t know if she’s going to be angry at us for bringing Maura into it.”
    “I’m going to wager she won’t remember much past the first bottle of bourbon.”
    “Why does she do this, Aryl? I thought she was different. I thought she’d changed. I don’t miss this version of Arianna.”
    He squeezed her hand, staring at their laced fingers. “I know why she did it then, and why she’s doing it now,” he said softly, “to run away from life when life gets to be too much to take.”
    “Like you did?” she asked with a knit brow. She’d never considered the similarities.
    He nodded. “As if our life’s implosion wasn’t enough, now she’s got her hands full with Ethel, the kids, Caleb being home and taking this chance on his farm. Frankly, I’m surprised she was able to handle this much before she broke.”
    “Aryl, the problems with Ethel and the kids, and even Caleb aren’t going to go away. They are still there this morning, and she still has to deal with them.”
    “I know. I think she knows that too—which is why she really went out of her way to get as far away from reality as she could last night. Relaxing wasn’t enough. She needed to forget it entirely.”
    “But will she do it again? Especially after having a taste of it?” She touched his face. “You know how hard it is once you get a taste,” she whispered.
    “Only time will tell,” he said. “She needs her friends. She needs support. We’ll keep an eye on her.”
    “And if it looks like she’s headed down that road?” Claire asked.
    “Then we intervene. We find Arianna’s version of being tied to a tree .” He smiled. “Let’s go. Caleb needs my help with the house today.”
    Her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth.
    “Don’t worry, I told you I’d keep this secret and I will.”
    She walked into his arms, and he held her closer than he had in months.
    The ice that shrouded their relationship lately had broken, and for that, Aryl was very grateful.
     
    ***
     
    Claire went straight to her garden, not quite ready to see Arianna. She sent Aryl to feel out the situation. The door was open, and Aryl walked into an empty, quiet kitchen. He helped himself to a cup of coffee, adding cream and sugar, behind him the dragging footsteps of a very hungover Arianna thumping down the stairs. She groaned as she sat down.
    Aryl set the coffee cup on the table with a hard thud. Arianna’s face pinched.
    “Got a headache?” he asked, fighting a smile as he sat across from her.
    Arianna pinched the bridge of her nose, her eyes squeezed tight. “Something like that.”
    “You should take some aspirin.. We’ve got a busy day ahead of us. Lots of hammering and pounding and yelling.”
    She dropped her hand, red, swollen eyes glaring at his twitching grin.
    “Go to hell, Aryl.”
    He sat back with a mock frown. “Feisty. If I didn’t know better, I’d say the old Arianna was rearing her ugly head.”
    Her stone hard face and silence admitted nothing. Only Aryl could see it admitted everything.
    Caleb poked his head in the kitchen door. “Can I get your help with something,” he asked Aryl. Cool eyes slid over Arianna, and he said nothing to her.
    “Sure,” Aryl said, standing quickly. “You can have that,” he