That Summer Thing by Pamela Bauer

Author:Pamela Bauer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

BETH COULD SEE by the look on Charlie’s face that he had misread the situation. He was staring at her as if she’d been seducing Howard Fishburn, rather than trying to evaluate his shoulder sprain. She didn’t quite understand how anyone could aggravate a shoulder injury by demonstrating the mambo, but then Howard had been dancing rather exuberantly when he’d cried out in pain.

“Nathan, wait for me in the truck,” Charlie ordered the teenager.

“We’re not leaving already, are we?” he protested.

“You don’t have to leave,” Beth spoke up, but Charlie paid no attention.

“Just wait in the truck, Nathan.”

“But you said I could watch the music video awards,” the boy reminded him.

“I said wait in the truck,” Charlie repeated sternly.

With a dejected “all right,” the teenager dragged his feet and retraced his steps back to the pickup.

Beth glanced from Charlie to Howard and saw both men regarding the other suspiciously. Howard had a sheepish look on his face as he reached for the plaid sports shirt draped over the arm of the sofa.

“If I thought you needed privacy, I wouldn’t have brought Nathan over.” Charlie’s voice was curt as he watched Howard button his shirt.

Howard gave Beth a puzzled look. “I’m sorry. Did I miss something here?” He extended a hand to Charlie saying, “I’m Howard Fishburn, and you are…?”

“Charlie Callahan. Beth’s ex-husband.”

Beth could see that Charlie’s words took Howard by surprise. They hadn’t gotten around to discussing previous relationships, and she’d allowed him to assume that she’d never been married. To his credit, he retained his composure as he said, “It’s nice to meet you.”

Charlie shook his hand, but said nothing. The way he stood there with that grim look on his face gave the impression that he felt he had been wronged.

Beth felt compelled to clarify the situation. “We divorced fifteen years ago,” she told Howard. “And until we inherited this boat this summer, we hadn’t seen or talked to each other since.” She glared at Charlie, wondering what he hoped to accomplish with his Sly Stallone stance.

Standing next to her ex-husband, Howard looked puny. Beth immediately chastised herself for even comparing the two men. What did she expect? Howard sat at a desk all day while Charlie did physical labor.

“Well, it’s obvious you two need to talk and I really should be going,” Howard announced, looking rather uncomfortable. Not that Beth blamed him. The proprietary way Charlie was standing on the boat would have made any man uneasy.

“We haven’t had our coffee,” Beth said, hoping her date for the evening would stay and Charlie would leave. It didn’t work that way.

“Maybe next time,” Howard said with a smile of regret. “Thank you for a lovely evening. And for taking a look at my shoulder.”

“Does it feel better?”

“Yes, much. You have a gentle touch,” he said, then took her hands in his and raised one of them to his lips. “I’d like to do this again next time I’m in Riverbend. The dinner part, I mean.”

Out of the corner of her eye Beth could see Charlie’s face tighten in disapproval.

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