West Wind by Madeline Sloane Read Free Book Online Page B

be," Rose replied, "but
it's a labor of love, darling. It's worth it."
    "I don't know if it's a blessing or a blight,
but I'm glad I have you and that you understand."
    "It's a blessing. Goodbye, dear."
    Sabrina turned off her cell phone and walked
to the window. She lifted the gauze curtain and looked at the
Warren River shimmering nearby. She relived her adventure,
marveling at all she'd accomplished in one day. Then her stomach
growled. Picking up her purse and leather coat, she headed out,
stopping in the lobby to ask the clerk for directions to a nearby
restaurant.
    "Preferably something close. Walking
distance," she emphasized.
    The man crinkled his forehead. "Well, there's
the donut shop, but that's not real food. If you go three blocks
that way, you'll come to a little bar called Maude's," he said,
pointing out the glass front door. "It looks like a dive on the
outside, but the food is great. It's early so there won't be a
crowd."
    "Thanks," she said, and strutted out the
hotel. She felt jubilant, she felt alive. She rarely had adventures
or took risks, and she had done both today. No matter the outcome,
she enjoyed finding the sailboat and she promised herself that she
would never regret it.
    She heard the music before she saw the bar.
It was a weather-beaten building with several motorcycles and
pickup trucks in the parking lot. A neon sign glowed in the window
advertising a beer from a small-town brewery not far from Eaton.
She opened the door and walked in.
    The interior was a contrast in light and
dark: well lit over the pool table where two men concentrated on
their game, dim along the far wall, lined with wooden booths. The
bar stools were filled with people Sabrina imagined were
"regulars." She nodded to the bartender and headed for an empty
booth. As she sat down, she plopped her purse on the table and
shrugged out of her coat.
    Across the bar, Jay West sipped his beer,
keeping his narrowed eyes pinned on the young woman. As soon as she
walked in, he noticed her. How could he not be aware of the exotic
beauty with dark hair and delicate features? He noted the slim
waist that accented her rounded jean-clad hips, and luscious
cleavage when she shrugged out of her coat. She smiled, her toothy
grin white against dark red lipstick, when the bartender stumbled
in his haste to bring her a menu.
    The girl was stunning, exuding refinement and
money. What was she doing in Warren and, more importantly, was she
alone?
    Nate, the bartender, nodded vigorously as she
handed him back the menu and asked for the popular Pennsylvania
lager and a cheeseburger.
    Jay's upper lip curled into a wolfish
grin.
    "Hey, are you listening to me?"
    Jay glanced at the heavy-set man on the stool
next to him. While Brett's wife, Shawna, held a scrapbooking
workshop at their house, he relaxed with a beer and dinner at
Maude's.
    "No," Jay replied.
    Brett looked around, curious until he spotted
Sabrina. "Whoa brother; she's out of your league."
    On the other side of the bar, Sabrina noticed
the tall man sitting on a stool. He was dressed in a faded black
T-shirt, and his rough, worn jeans rode up his ankles, revealing a
pair of scuffed work boots. Chestnut hair curled over his ears and
flipped up at the back of his neck. A dark lock strayed into eyes
framed with dark, flaring brows. It was a hip fashion that
pretentious executives paid stylists hundreds of dollars for, yet
this man's style sprang from nonchalance.
    High cheekbones slashed his face and a short
beard and mustache muted his mouth. A fisherman? Probably a
construction worker , she thought. Still, he's sexy .
    She grinned a bit too brightly at the
bartender, thanking him for the beer. Nervous, she hefted the
bottle and bumped her front tooth. Clunk.
    "Ouch," she murmured, rubbing her front teeth
with her index finger, worried she chipped one. She glanced at the
bar and met Jay's eyes. Was he smiling at her?
    She lifted the longneck beer and drank, her
throat undulating with each gulp.