A Path Less Traveled (A Miller's Creek Novel) by Cathy Bryant

Author:Cathy Bryant [Bryant, Cathy]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: WordVessel Press
Published: 2010-10-20T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

Trish gasped at the time displayed on the Morganville National Bank marquis. She’d never make it home in time. Scurrying to her parked Suburban, she pitched her portfolio, day-planner, and purse into the passenger seat. Though it was only early June, the inside of the car was an oven. She sniffed. Something in the backseat was definitely cooked. Eew! With sweat beading on her forehead, she zipped out of the parking space and headed to the highway. So much for her resolution to prove to Andy she could be a mom and a businesswoman.

Their conversation on Saturday had left her feeling more inadequate than ever, but she was determined to prove him wrong. She could have a career without sacrificing her son. A car honked and cut her off. Her hands gripped the steering wheel. “Crazy driver!” She muttered the words and tapped her brakes.

There’d been nothing from Andy all week—no phone calls, no ball practice, no visits. After the picnic, they’d practically galloped all the way back to the barn, and he’d left in a hurry with a quiet mention to Trish that a friend had died.

She flipped on her blinker and edged into a turn lane. What was there about his past that he felt compelled to hide? The annoyance and hurt she’d felt on Saturday returned. He knew more about her current situation than her family, but clammed up after one question about his.

As she topped the hill, a long snake of cars came into view. Just great. Her frustration mounted, then she remembered her promise to Bo to count to ten when she felt angry. She took a deep breath. One. Two. Three. Where was her cell phone? She rummaged through her purse contents with her free hand, alternately searching for the phone and keeping an eye on the traffic. Her fingers curled around something rectangular. She pulled out a container of breath mints, popped one in her mouth, and continued to dig. Found it! She hit speed-dial.

“Dad, sorry I’m late. I’m running behind, but I’m on my way.” Traffic crept to a standstill, and her air conditioner now spewed the rancid odor of car exhaust. Four. Five.

“I was supposed to be somewhere ten minutes ago.” He sounded grumpy.

Maybe her good news would put him in a better mood. “I lined up two clients in Morganville.”

“Hmph.”

So much for that idea. Six. Seven. “I’m stuck in traffic, but it’s starting to move.” If five miles an hour was considered moving.

“You’re in Morganville? Still?”

She grimaced. “I’m sorry. Listen, Bo needs to be at the ball field at 5:30. Could you get him dressed? That way when I get there I can take him straight to town for his game.” She, on the other hand, would be in a business skirt, heels, and pantyhose. Not fun in ninety-degree heat.

“I’ll get him dressed, but we’ll be at Beth’s. Bye.”

The phone clicked. Mama Beth’s again? Like a cluster of spiders, uneasiness tickled her spine, but she forced it away and scratched her neck.

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