All Summer Long by Susan Mallery

Author:Susan Mallery
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: HQN
Published: 2012-07-31T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“I’M NOT COMPLAINING,” Patience said with a grin as she flopped down on the grass. She was flushed and her breath came in short gasps. “I heard that was the kiss of death in your class.”

Her long brown hair spread out around her. Her eyes were bright with amusement, even as she struggled to catch her breath.

“You make it sound like I beat them,” Charlie grumbled, keeping an eye on the recruits who were in the middle of their three-mile run around the track. With thirty-pound packs on their backs.

Although her focus was training the volunteers for the CPAT test, the town had a standing invitation to join in any outside exercises. There were usually one or two who came along to the stair training. This morning Patience had joined them for the first half of the three-mile run. She’d turned down Charlie’s offer that she, too, wear the thirty-pound pack.

“You’re tough because you have to be,” Patience said, sitting up, her breathing more regular. “Speaking as someone who might need the services of the fire department someday, I appreciate that.”

“Thank you.”

Charlie watched the runners, her expert gaze looking for signs of distress. She made sure her attention didn’t linger on Clay, which took a lot of self-control. Not only was he pretty to look at, every time she caught sight of him, her entire body sighed in appreciation for what he’d done to her and for her. Tiny, interior cells were busy sending thank-you notes and begging for a repeat performance.

“Maybe if you told them you had to work hard to get where you are,” Patience said. “Women have a lot less natural upper body strength. I’ve seen you in the gym. You bust your butt, so to speak. I can’t seem to get past the pink weights.”

Charlie laughed. The “girl” weights, plastic and in a delicate shade of pink, only went up to ten pounds each. Charlie worked with the standard set of free weights. They were black, rather than pink, and a whole lot heavier.

“I could show you a few things,” Charlie offered.

“I’d like that,” Patience told her, then glanced at her watch. “But not today. I have to get home. Lillie and I have our afternoon planned. Ice-cream sundaes followed by a movie. I know one day she’ll be a teenager and rather eat glass than be seen with me, but for now, I’m one of her favorite people.”

“Lucky you.”

“I think so.”

Patience scrambled to her feet, waved and headed toward her car. Charlie watched her go, wondering if she would have had as much courage as her friend. She supposed having courage wasn’t the actual point. Patience had handled what life had offered.

Although she’d been married, her husband had ducked out after an affair. Which left Patience raising her daughter by herself. Added to that, Patience’s mother, Ava, had MS. There were good days and bad days.

Patience could have turned angry and bitter. Instead she was upbeat, optimistic and kind. Ava was the same and together they were raising Lillie.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.