Ramona and the Renegade by Marie Ferrarella

Author:Marie Ferrarella
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2011-12-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

The two-story house looked unusually dark to Mona as she and Joe drove toward it. As if the life, the heart, had been siphoned out, leaving the shell.

That morning, as she and Rick had driven away from the house on their way to Doc’s and the wedding, the sun had been bright overhead and the air had been pregnant with the promise of a new beginning. Rick had been so nervous that she’d volunteered to drive.

She was happy for him while sad for herself. But the main thing was that Rick deserved to be happy. He’d always put her and their grandmother first, becoming the man of the house way before a male should have to even consider taking on the role.

In all the excitement and rush this morning, she hadn’t thought to leave a light on for tonight when she returned alone. Hadn’t thought about how dark and gloomy it would seem to come back to a house where there was no one to respond to the sound of her voice.

She thought about it now.

Joe drove his Jeep up to front of the old house. Stopping, he pulled up the hand brake, put the vehicle into Park and turned off the ignition. Only then did he look in Mona’s direction. He sensed rather than saw the tension roaming through her.

“We’re here,” he said when she made no move to get out.

She glanced at him. “You really didn’t have to tell me that. I do recognize the house.”

Mona took a deep breath, not wanting to go inside just yet. Once she shut the door behind her, that was it. She would be alone with her thoughts and right now, especially with her mother’s sudden reappearance, she really didn’t want to have time to think. Tired, she still felt way too wound up to fall asleep.

The night loomed before her like an unfriendly stranger.

She supposed that she could find something to do to keep busy until she felt ready to go to bed. There were still boxes that she’d shipped from Dallas when she’d relocated. This would be a good time to unpack them.

Settling in at Doc’s Animal Clinic had gone far better. She’d already shelved all her references books and brought in a few things to personalize her space. But when it came to this house where she’d been raised, she had only unpacked the bare necessities.

Subconsciously, she supposed that pointed to her feeling that she was just a temporary guest and that she needed to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.

She was lost in thought, not reaching for the door handle. Joe interpreted it the only way he could. Mona didn’t want to be alone tonight. “You want me to go in with you?”

Joe’s low voice cut into her thoughts, bringing her back to the Jeep and the fact that she was still sitting in it. Shaking free of the mood that had all but wrapped itself around her, she looked at Joe, doing her best to appear bright-eyed and alert.

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