Winter's Path: (A Seasmoke Friends Novel) by Kelly Moran

Author:Kelly Moran [Moran, Kelly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: KDP
Published: 2016-08-01T18:30:00+00:00

Jenny

On Friday, when Matt was busy in a meeting, I carried the items I’d bought into his office, hoping to be in and out before he came back. I was still raw from our dinner on Wednesday night and couldn’t bear the thought of seeing him right now. He’d be at the bar tonight, but I’d have Rock and a hundred customers as a shield.

Taking down the degree certificates he’d hung on the wall, I put up the lighthouse print frame I found instead and moved his diplomas to the shelving unit behind his desk to display. The other shelves I decorated with a piece of driftwood, a clock, a lighthouse knickknack, some Atlanta Braves gear, and Carolina Panthers stuff. A picture of him with his parents and another with the Seasmoke gang finished it off. On the table in front of the window I set out a small potted cactus—if he forgot to water it routinely, it would be fine—and a crystal bowl with mixed seashells and pinecones.

Before I left, I put the invitation to my Alzheimers benefit on his desk. This would be five years running I’d led the support group and done the charity event, but the first year Matt had been in town for it. Not wanting him to feel guilty, I’d never mentioned it before. Hopefully, he’d be able to come next week, as it was the Friday after Thanksgiving and his parents might still be in town.

Satisfied, I snuck out and headed to the tavern. Two hours from opening, Rock had arrived at the same time as me and we started the routine of preparing for customers. He took down the stools, wiping the tables, while I cut oranges, lemons, and limes. He dumped ice in our cooling unit under the bar while I set out bowls of peanuts and pretzels. It was a compatible silence, a comfortable one.

Once finished, I sat on the bar, swinging my legs. “I have a new song I’ve been playing with for tonight.”

He grinned. “Let’s see.”

I pulled the folded piece of sheet music from my back pocket and passed it over. He read it in front of me, his smile slipping the farther down the page he got. By the time he was done and handed it back, a wrinkle had formed between his brows.

Leaning into me, he set both hands on the bar, caging me in. Face close to mine, he studied me. His size never intimidated me, though I suppose it should. But Rock was a seriously protective guy and a big teddy bear under all that muscle and testosterone. Former Army Ranger, he was tough as nails and intuitive as hell. So when he looked at me like he was doing now, as if he could read my mind, it made me squirm.

Slowly, he nodded. “Pretty personal lyrics there, Jen-Jen.”

I sighed. “Yep.”

“And he’ll be here tonight to hear you sing.”

If I sang it tonight. I was still debating. And that was kinda the point, to have Matt hear.

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.