Breakdown by Katherine Amt Hanna

Author:Katherine Amt Hanna [Hanna, Katherine Amt]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Speculative Fiction, (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
ISBN: 9781612184111
Publisher: 47North
Published: 2011-04-24T04:00:00+00:00

* * *

Chris left his fish in the kitchen with Grace. He found Pauline in the barn, brushing down one of the horses. She looked up as he approached.

“Ah, did you catch anything?”

“A couple small ones,” he said. “Wes and I had an interesting chat.”

“Oh? What did you talk about?” she asked, brushing out the horse’s mane.

Chris crossed his arms. “Sex.”

Pauline’s eyes flew open and her mouth formed a little O.

“How did that come up?”

“He asked me. Hasn’t anyone ever talked to him? Hell, he didn’t know anything.”

“He’s only thirteen—”

“I knew all about that stuff by the time I was twelve.”

Pauline fidgeted. “Yes, you’re right, of course. I should have thought of it, had George deal with it. But at least he felt comfortable enough with you to ask. Thanks for taking care of it.” She chuckled. “Well, not what you planned on, eh?”

Chris would have found it amusing if it weren’t for what else they’d talked about. He didn’t smile. Pauline caught his mood.

“What is it?” she asked, trying to get serious.

Chris looked hard at her. “He told me some gossip, too.”

“Oh. About?”

“Us, of course. Mrs. Bainbridge hopes you’re smart enough to make me marry you before you let me into your bed.”

“Damn her,” Pauline muttered. “I’m sorry, Chris. I’ll have a word with her.”

“But Mrs. Harrington and Mrs. Stone and several others apparently feel you’re not the sort to hold out.”

Chris saw the pink creeping onto her cheeks before she turned her face away.

“Look, if me being here is going to cause problems for you—”

“Don’t be ridiculous! Why should I care what silly old ladies gossip about? It’s just talk. I’ll set them straight.” She returned to brushing, her face set hard, her strokes bordering on vicious.

Chris watched her until she looked up at him.

“What else?” she asked, as if steeled for something more.

Chris considered the question and decided to take the plunge.

“They said Michael broke your heart. Did he?”

Surprise flitted across her face, and she tossed her head with feigned indifference.

“More than once. He’s a good friend, but a lousy boyfriend.” She pretended to concentrate on a tangle in Molly’s mane. “Eventually, I stopped feeling sorry for myself and accepted whatever he had to offer. More’s the pity. Took me far too long to get a spine.” She took a deep breath, stood up straighter, and looked at Chris.

A few ugly thoughts about Cooper gave way to the thought that her eyes got darker when she was angry, and the way she pursed her lips in determination was undeniably attractive. Chris blinked, cleared his throat.

“All right,” was all he could manage, and he left her there and went to clean the fish.

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