The Year of Chasing Dreams by McDaniel Lurlene

Author:McDaniel, Lurlene [McDaniel, Lurlene]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: dpgroup.org, Fluffer Nutter
ISBN: 9780375986765
Amazon: B00I1ZJIN6
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Published: 2014-07-22T04:00:00+00:00

Eden lingered in bed, stretched, reached for Garret, then remembered he was upstairs in another room. She sighed. It was the first morning she’d awoken without him beside her in many weeks. They’d slept together at his house throughout the long process of telling friends and family goodbye while waiting for tickets and Garret’s visa. Even on the long flight from Australia, they’d slept holding on to each other. Eden formed dark thoughts toward Alice Faye, felt contrite and quickly erased them, realizing the woman still embraced the Southern morality code: propriety above all else. Even Gwen, not always the best reflection of motherhood, had complained about appearances when Eden had moved in with Tony. Eden knew there had been other reasons for her objections, but with Garret, it was different. They were madly in love, and being in each other’s arms every night had only strengthened their bond.

“It is what it is,” she told herself, and tossed off the covers. Olivia’s former room was just as she remembered it—quaint and cozy, decked out with lace pillows and old quilts and highly polished mahogany furniture over a hundred years old. And despite not being able to have Garret in the room with her, it felt wonderful to be back. To be home. She saw the alarm clock, realized she’d overslept, dressed quickly, and hustled downstairs to the kitchen where all except Jon sat around the table talking and drinking coffee.

Garret got to his feet, kissed her soundly. “Ciana’s mother thinks I talk funny,” he said, seating Eden and going for coffee.

“No way,” Eden teased. “He speaks four languages, including Aussie.”

Alice Faye had turned bright red. “I didn’t say funny. Just different.”

“You only need to know a few phrases, Mom,” Ciana said. “ ‘G’day’ is good morning or good afternoon or good evening—”

“ ‘Short black’ and ‘long black’ refer to the size coffee you want to buy,” Eden interjected.

“A ‘bloke’ is a man,” Ciana added.

“A ‘sheila’ is a girl—”

“ ‘Billy boil’ is a teapot of hot water.”

“ ‘Ear bashing’ is something a nonstop talker does—”

“And in the south we say ‘kiss my grits’ when people are heckling you,” Alice Faye announced with a flourish.

Everyone laughed. Alice Faye went to fixing breakfast, and soon the smell of bacon mixed with the aromas of coffee and baking biscuits. Garret turned to Ciana. “My bunk mate was gone when I woke up. Maybe I was snoring.”

“Jon went to tend to the horses. He’ll have breakfast with us,” Ciana said.

Jon did, but as soon as he was finished, he headed back to the barn. Eden poked Garret. “Go see if he needs any help. Ciana and I are going to settle in for a nice long chat. Lots of catching up to do.”

Ciana had barely closed her bedroom door when Eden pounced. “What happened to you? Did you think I might not notice your bruises? Or the way you favor your right side?”

Ciana stretched out on her bed gingerly, leaned against the headboard. “Gee, and

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