In Sentence Examples
He was such a wonderful person in so many ways.
Nurturing was in his personality.
He put a spoon in her hand.
I am not saying we live in a utopia.
As it came to a stop the conductor called out in a loud voice.
No, she's playing in her room.
He lives in the country.
I'm too warm in this one.
In Scotland there once lived a poor shepherd whose name was James Hogg.
In fact, he had given her strict orders not to lift anything.
AdvertisementThey looked a lot alike in some ways.
The shepherd soon lost sight of them in the darkness.
Alex had provided the money to remodel the home, but insisted that it stay in her name only.
There was not an ugly person in all the throng.
You are the sweetest boy in the world.
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Katie stared at the potato in her hand.
In that moment she cringed inwardly.
If he had been the only child in the family, things might have been different.
She placed the dish in the rack and glanced at Katie.
AdvertisementShe said in a cool tone.
With this thought in mind the girl took heart and leaned her head over the side of the buggy to see where the strange light was coming from.
The roast will be ready in about 15 minutes.
Felipa asked in surprise.
In other words, it's none of my business.
AdvertisementAlex was doing everything in his power to provide her with all the experiences of a natural mother.
In fact, at times she had been almost brutally clear that she was no longer interested in him.
I'll be up in a few hours.
March came in like a lion with a snow storm.
I'll be home in a few minutes.
Reluctantly she pulled away, her pulse and respiration in a race.
Jonathan came in as Carmen was setting the table.
Is Alex in the house?
And so, if she couldn't have it in her head, she'd put it into his.
In fact, maybe he didn't know her very well.
She leaned back in his arms.
I came in a charter helicopter.
Felipa asked in a surprised tone.
Carmen stopped washing the dish in her hand and stared at Mary in mute silence.
When the kids were settled in their room, she turned on Alex.
Apparently something had been discussed in her absence.
All right, but I don't like being kept in the dark about all this.
You can sit up, but you have to stay in there.
Alex told her to call him back if she didn't give birth in an hour.
There was a breath of danger in the very air, and every few moments the earth would shake violently.
In fact, what she felt was pity.
Take him along just in case.
The muscles in her legs were contracting painfully.
The roof beside them had a great hole smashed through it, and pieces of glass were lying scattered in every direction.
I don't like him, she added in a tone admitting of no rejoinder and raising her eyebrows.
She caught her breath and glanced at him in the mirror.
He looked up in surprise.
I knew because I was in love with you.
It wasn't in him to do that.
Destiny clung to her neck, coughing and crying in turns.
Carmen followed her gaze and was surprised to find Señor Medena standing in the doorway.
His tail was short and scraggly, and his harness had been broken in many places and fastened together again with cords and bits of wire.
No one did, because the Mangaboos did not wear hats, and Zeb had lost his, somehow, in his flight through the air.
He held them in his hand, and showed them to the boy.
And stop this necking before the kids come in.
In business transactions Alex was frugal with his money, but when it came to his family, he was generous.
That might be true, but there was no point in working at becoming a spendthrift simply because he had money.
In fact, that was a good way to make sure he didn't.
And yet, there was something about her that suggested she was in uncharted waters - maybe body language.
What's going on in that pretty head?
In the sea of faces, she didn't see Alex.
Señor Medena was the first boy in his family.
Señor Medena leaned back in his chair, his attention lost in thought.
Señor Medena was watching her again in that strange way, as if it truly mattered what she thought.
You're the person he wanted to put in the house.
In fact, at the party he had spent an unnecessary amount of time with the woman he almost married – and hadn't even introduced her.
The national weather forecast on television was calling for light snow in Arkansas.
Less than an hour after the phone call, Destiny woke up in a fit of coughing.
The nurse put her down in the bed and covered her.
The doctor will be in to talk to you in a few minutes.
He would want to know, yet if he did, he might try to drive in on icy highways.
She wanted to tell him how much she missed him - how much she wished he was there, but he might jump in the truck and travel dangerous highways.
In the background she heard Alex ask him who he was talking to.
She was cleaning the coffee pot and Alex was reclining in a chair at the table, enjoying the last cup of coffee.
In a way, it was hard to believe it had been that long.
Even Mrs. Reynolds pitched in with some stuffed animals - a giraffe and horse.
Carmen was making the bed while Destiny slept in.
She gathered it in a hug and smelled deeply of it.
As April slipped into May and the last threat of frost passed, she began planting them in the garden.
It was wandering in circles and looking around.
Next minute there was a roar and a sharp crash, and at her side Dorothy saw the ground open in a wide crack and then come together again.
Yet, look where she would, Dorothy could discover no bells at all in the great glass hall.
A middle-aged man, handsome and virile, in the uniform of a retired naval officer, was speaking in one of the rooms, and a small crowd was pressing round him.
I'll be in the kitchen... when you get decent.
When Carmen's father died, she thought she was alone in the world, yet all these people had been there for her.
On the other hand, the dream was in her head, not his.
This came in by currier a few minutes ago, sir.
I should have shown it to you in private - prepared you for it.
In a quiet room with no one looking on, she managed to get her emotions under control by focusing on Destiny.
I think a few days cleaning in the stable would pay for it.
Alex wasn't interested in Dulce.
He had a lot of friends in Texas.
She put a hand to her mouth and glanced around for something to be sick in.
You'd better stay in out of the weather... and get some rest.
Jonathan rarely asked for anything and the idea of having someone in the house playing music was appealing.
There, too, after a fit of temper, I went to find comfort and to hide my hot face in the cool leaves and grass.
There is no play in them, for this comes after work.
But then, he had reason - in his head - to believe it wasn't his.
They should be doing an ultrasound in a couple of weeks.
If you want something different, why don't you trade them in on something else?
He had indicated enough times that he would like to see her in something a little more feminine and fashionable.
I just didn't see any point in spending money on new clothes when my old ones still had a lot of wear in them.
When they finally got on the plane, she and Jonathan had a window seat - Jonathan in front of her.
Outside of this being her first trip in an airplane, the rest of the flight was uneventful.
Felipa looked to be in her early twenties and had a sunshine smile that made Carmen feel welcome.
Her dark shining hair was pulled back loosely with bejeweled combs and hung in loose curls down her back.
Felipa didn't seem to notice anything unusual in his attitude, so maybe he had always treated them that way.
She searched his face for some indication of comprehension, eventually finding it only in his voice.
It was impossible to know what was going on in Señor Medena's mind by observing his expression.
For the remainder of the trip to the ranch, Alex remained in a good mood.
The maroon tapestry mirrored highlights in the rich hardwood floor.
His gaze sought Carmen and the sides of his mouth turned up in a warm smile.
Actually, she hadn't thought how it looked to others - and there had never been any doubt in her mind that she was fortunate to have Alex.
Alex smiled down at him in a reassuring way.
They danced for a few minutes in comfortable silence, and finally he spoke again.
Dulce appeared at Carmen's side, dressed in a dark blue gown with a high collar.
Mom used to say that people suspected in others what they had experienced or what they would do in the other person's shoes.
I have a roast in the oven.
Maybe some of it was soaking in.
His bittersweet chocolate gaze wandered over her face in search of something, or maybe he was digesting the information.
He picked at a thread on the couch, his mind obviously lost in deep thought.
There's nothing you can do about this and there's no point in burdening you with it.
He'd been in a grumpy mood since he got up.
Hopefully he would be in a better mood after they got back home.
The Alex she met and fell in love with was confident and generally happy.
She flipped the phone shut and put it back in the sheath.
Choking down fear, she climbed inside and sat down in the luxurious leather seat.
No wonder he was upset in the stair room.
There was no reason for him to think his father might be romantically interested in her.
Jonathan was in his room watching television.
She found Felipa and Destiny in the dining room where they were having an ice cream snack.
She wasn't looking forward to being in the room with Alex right now - especially so with the children there to listen.
Dulce lifted her head and managed to reclaim some semblance of pride in spite of the situation.
I wasn't the one who wanted to come here in the first place.
In fact, he must be struggling to float on the ocean of problems this family represented.
That thought ushered in another.
Alex paused at the door to their bedroom, a tray of coffee in his hands.
Glancing down at her sandaled feet, it occurred to her that she was hardly dressed for a walk in the woods.
I guess I got in a hurry.
There was no point in stalling now.
Two hundred years ago there lived in Boston a little boy whose name was Benjamin Franklin.
Someone knocked on the door and when she answered it, a man brought in their luggage.
Alex walked in and closed the door to the other bedroom.
Felipa met them in the main room downstairs.
In the first place, he didn't consider this home.
Señor Medena leaned back in his chair, watching Alex.
In fact, it was ludicrous - but it still hurt.
If his family had lived in the United States for centuries, why didn't they learn to speak proper English?
Only his profile existed in her quest.
His gaze wandered over her face in that familiar way.
When the band came back Alondra and Felipa danced Flamenco in duet.
In spite of the uncomfortable sleeping accommodations and the situation, she fell asleep almost instantly.
Carmen found Alex relaxing in a chair next to the bed in their room.
She dropped the picture in his lap and watched his reaction.
If he wants to keep this estate in the family, he'll have to leave it to his daughters.
Glancing in the mirror, he straightened his jacket and tucked the tie back down into his vest.
Alex spoke to her reflection in the mirror.
Marked on it in bold letters were the words "Baby A" and "Baby B".
These babies might not be in her womb, but they did belong to Alex.
With the photos in her hands, the fertilized eggs were a thing of the past.
The ultra sound photo brought back a vivid memory of Alex watching the screen as the baby moved in her womb.
Sitting her in her chair, she glanced around the table.
After supper they all gathered in the room with the tree.
Maybe he was thinking about what his father would say or do when he came in.
Besides, there was nothing to be gained in either case by saying anything – to either of you.
In fact, he'd probably be horrified to know he slipped and did it now.
That evening Alex and Dulce were standing in the entrance room.
Dulce had hands on her hips, leaning slightly forward as she spoke to him in Spanish.
Later that evening in their room Carmen asked him about the exchange.
She let the conversation drop that night, but early the next morning Dulce caught him in the hallway and it was clear that she didn't think anything was settled.
Dulce remained in a sour mood, and left the group as soon as possible.
Then, on Christmas morning when everyone is awake, we lounge around in our night clothes while we open presents.
Alondra and Felipa were watching her intently, and even Señor Medena seemed to be interested in what their life was like at home.
I lost track of time until Alex came along and revived my interest in the ranch.
Sometimes Alex and Jonathan play soccer, and sometimes we all go for a ride in the buggy.
Like Alex, it was impossible to guess what was going on in his mind by the expression on his face.
He glanced up and smiled when she came in, his gaze drifting from her to the door.
He might never say anything to Jonathan about it, but Jonathan would know in other ways how he felt.
I am in the middle of it right now - only I don't know what I'm in the middle of.
Señor Medena took her elbow in his hand and led her down the hall.
In other words, when he shook himself free of his current family, he would come to Dulce.
She silently folded them and put them in the suitcase while he watched.
She continued to pack in silence.
There was no point in dredging up the past again.
Then he turned away and rubbed the back of his neck in that way he did when he knew he was wrong but wasn't sure why.
Aside from his solemn expression, there was nothing in the way he acted with the children that might indicate anything was wrong between them.
If Dulce hadn't chased him so hard, would he have fallen in love with her?
Who could say what might have been if the smallest thing had been different in their lives?
With that in mind, she went downstairs to collect her valuables.
Alex was lounging with one shoulder against the wall on the other side of the family room when Carmen walked in.
Carmen smiled, basking in the warmth of his attention.
By the time she finished bathing and dressing Destiny, Jonathan was in bed.
In any case, there was nothing that couldn't wait to be discussed at home.
They would be there tomorrow night, so there was no point in making the remaining vacation time unpleasant.
Carmen and Destiny dressed mother/daughter style in red/green/yellow plaid blouses and hunter green jeans.
Breakfast was a quiet meal, with Dulce absent and Señor Medena lost in thought.
The morning passed in a pleasant way and soon it was time to leave.
Señor Medena said goodbye to them at the house, but Alondra and Felipa rode with them in the Limousine to the airport.
Alex was in a good mood and it was a pleasant trip - until Felipa made a comment about Tessa's visit the night before.
In fact, maybe that was why Dulce didn't come to breakfast.
At his nod, she leaned back in her seat.
Within a few minutes the plane was dipping and rising in a way that made her stomach roll uncomfortably.
She fell asleep again and didn't wake until they reached NXA in Arkansas.
Alex collected their luggage and had it loaded in the car.
Alex sat up and leaned over her, speaking softy in a voice that was little more than a whisper.
He slid an arm under her and gently took her hand in his, planting a warm moist kiss in the center of the palm.
The humor in her eyes summoned the dimple under his eye and lifted his brows.
Morino came in after Tessa left and Señor Medena left.
I guess I'd wonder too, if I were in your shoes.
In the darkness, Alex found her and pulled her into his arms.
And if so, would they be able to fit three people comfortably in the front seat?
In any case, Alex hadn't actually concealed his financial status.
It was in his nature, and it was something that wasn't going to change.
In fact, if she confronted him now and then, he might be more inclined to volunteer information before she found out about it.
When Alex came home that evening, Jonathan was in his room painting and Destiny was topping off her nap.
He sat down in a chair and methodically placed the cup on the table, his gaze fixed to it.
He picked up the coffee cup and leaned back in his chair, eyeing her thoughtfully.
It was neither good nor bad in her mind back then - it simply was.
When we were in Texas, I got the feeling that Señor Medena loved Alex - that he was saddened by the way Alex rejected him.
Why hadn't she thought of his comment in that context?
In fact, I think Uncle Fabrice had him convinced that he couldn't sell a cheeseburger to a starving man.
It seemed like hours in the emergency room before the diagnosis.
Her eyes were large and imploring as she was wheeled down the hall to a room in the pediatric ward.
They ate and then she put the remaining food in the refrigerator for Alex.
We ate supper and put the rest in the refrigerator for you.
Carmen dozed in the chair a few times off and on until about midnight.
It was only two thirty in the afternoon, but she didn't want to go back to sleep.
They have her in pull-ups now and she's not happy about that.
No, if one of us has to get snowed in up here, I'd rather it was me.
A few minutes later they came in and got Destiny to take her for more x-rays.
A feeling of panic grew in her as she reached for the button to summons a nurse.
A few minutes later the nurse came in.
Carmen swallowed a lump in her throat and blinked tears from her eyes.
Carmen handed Destiny the doll and she wrapped it in her arms.
Every breath rattled, and she coughed in her sleep.
Felipa waved a hand in dismissal.
You should have seen her when he came in carrying a doll.
I don't want to be in the middle of your feud.
If he was in bed under the current circumstances, he must be sicker than he was letting on.
He said Destiny's fever had broken and if she continued to improve, they would take the tent off her bed in a few days.
After he recovered from the stabbing, the Doctor said he had scar tissue and would be susceptible to pneumonia in the injured lung.
He's at home with Jonathan and he can't come in because Destiny might catch what he has.
On the other hand, Alex needed to be in a position where he was forced to actually talk to his father.
Eleven months earlier Alex had her bred to a handsome Appaloosa stud in Indiana - via AI.
Alex was away on a call when she discovered Princess in labor.
She started to put the pillow down and caught the movement in the mirror from the corner of her eye.
They stood there for a moment, watching their image in the mirror.
His gaze wandered away in reflective thought.
The snow melted, leaving in its wake a harvest of spring flowers.
Maybe it was therapeutic for him in some way.
The plants she had started in the house in March thrived.
When she was close enough to the house, she ran to the courtyard and slipped in through the back door.
Once inside, she locked the door and ordered Destiny to stay in the house while she called Alex.
It didn't take long for him to get home, and when he came in from the garage, he went directly to his gun cabinet and took out a rifle.
Carmen waited until after the children were in bed before questioning him.
It's nothing you want to be involved in, Carmen.
Maybe she was right, and if Alex hadn't been such a perfect husband in every other way, she might have done it.
She blinked to relieve the stinging in her eyes.
If I would be in danger, then so would you.
The only danger I'm in is financial.
One word was missing in all that...
There was no point in working herself up this way.
It shouldn't be any surprise, since that was what suffered when he had been troubled in the past.
Together they went to the kitchen and began putting the food in serving bowls.
When Alex returned to the table, he sat in the chair Carmen held for him.
He participated in conversation, but whenever it lagged, he watched her questioningly.
She melted in his embrace, returning his hungry kiss.
She gently broke the embrace and stepped away, smiling up at him in an inviting way.
When she returned, he was absorbed in the paper.
Carmen climbed off Alex's lap and took Destiny's soft little hand in hers.
They moved around the room; her head on his shoulder, her hand in his.
Carmen leaned back in his arms and smiled up at him.
He was watching her, a wry smile on his face and an amused twinkle in his eyes.
She relaxed in his arms, comfortable in surrendering to his lead.
Their relationship was no longer swathed in innocence.
Even Katie noticed the change in him and asked Carmen about the cause.
He's always been secretive, and whenever I ask him, he just tells me it's something I don't want to be involved in.
Those words stayed in her mind all afternoon.
Carmen had assumed breast feeding would be a natural thing, but as Matthew lay fussing in her arms, it seemed a major obstacle.
I think the milk is coming in.
A lump formed in her throat and tears spilled from her eyes.
In the weeks of natural stimulation, she had been the one who was embarrassed.
It wasn't as if she was in the habit of discussing such things - especially with strangers.
The nurse knocked on the door and then came in carrying a crying Natalie.
Whatever the case, Natalie began suckling as soon as the nipple was in her mouth.
It won't make any difference to you whether they are adopted or biological - not in how much you love them or how you treat them.
Savor it and stash it in your memory for safekeeping.
Later, in their room, Alex explained.
Maybe that was how it was in any marriage.
Sharing their problems was a step in the right direction.
Carmen and Felipa were engrossed in feeding the twins.
Alex handed him the cream and sat down in his chair.
They sipped their coffee in silence for a few minutes and then Señor Medena spoke.
You have your children in your home.
Well, for starters, I'd have had to compete with every other guy in school.
Her heart skipped a beat and then began to pound in her ears.
She sat down obediently in the chair and crossed her legs.
She glanced up at Howard, who immediately chimed in.
Spots flickered in her eyes as she leaned back.
Candy spilled across the coffee table and a glass bowl was shoved in front of her mouth.
Connie looked at her in the mirror.
Come on, let me in.
Only low brush could grow in so small a space... no trees to prevent a vehicle from plunging into the forested mountain ranges below and beyond.
The car remained solidly in place.
She tentatively lifted a foot into the front seat, and knew a moment of panic when her sandal heel caught in the hem of her dress.
Realization washed over her in alternating waves of pain and numbness.
She collected a handful of the material in modest protest.
Had her family known the same terror in their last moments of life?
She jumped up and gasped in horror as it slid forward.
She counted the seconds in tense silence, waiting for the sound of an explosion, but the only sound was a car approaching from below.
His mouth twisted in that wry smile again.
He was a big man, in good condition.
Lisa stared in mute horror.
An unidentifiable expression lurked in his dark features as he nodded.
We'd better go in the back way or Mom will have my hide.
She had nearly run him down, slapped his face and taken him away from his work in less than twenty-four hours.
As if she hadn't been a burden in enough ways, now she had Mrs. Giddon upset with him.
Then his face engaged in a smile that created little wrinkles around his eyes and grooves in his cheeks.
Listen, I got a summer job in the Mountains as a sitter and it includes room and board.
She beat a hasty retreat down the hallway, and paused breathlessly in the middle of her bedroom.
Snapping it open, she pulled out a dresser drawer and began tossing things in.
In such a hurry, she was bound to leave something behind that she would need later.
She unplugged it and tossed it in the bag.
Connie stared up at him in amazement.
Come in, Connie, and meet my new boss, Yancey Giddon.
It was Connie's turn to stare, and she did so in disbelief.
The only defense in that statement was honesty.
At noon he would come in from a path in the woods, eat and then return by the same path.
You know, I was brought up in these hills.
He reached out and took one of her curls in his big hand and studied it.
Her hair sparkled in the sunlight against the dark tan of his hand.
He dismounted in one graceful movement and started unsaddling Diablo.
After supper, they all spent their usual evening in the family room.
Giddon immediately became absorbed in a book, and Sarah worked on a sweater she was crocheting.
He seemed oblivious to anyone else in the house as he carried her down the hallway to her room.
That night, for the first time in more than a week, she tossed and turned in the bed, her sleep interrupted by memories of her family.
Your breakfast is in the microwave.
His bloodshot gaze wandered over her figure in a way that made her regret leaving her beach robe in the house.
The shear lust in them left her wishing he had looked elsewhere.
Anyway, I saw your boss in town, so I figured you were alone.
If Giddon and Sarah were both in town, then she was alone.
He glanced around the pool and lifted his upper lip in disdain.
He towered over them both, the muscles in his arms and shoulders straining against his shirt as he hooked his thumbs in the front pockets of his jeans.
She sucked in a quick breath and met his gaze steadily.
Lisa stared at Allen in disbelief.
He studied his cup of coffee, swishing the liquid around in it absently.
I'm sorry I was rude to you, and I know it's not your fault you look so good in that suit.
He dumped the rest of his coffee in the sink and left the room.
From now on, she would be sure she had her beach robe by the pool when she swam, just in case someone came by... especially Giddon.
His remark about how she looked in the swimsuit made it obvious that he saw her as something more than a baby sitter or maid.
Recovering in an ungraceful manner, she marched to her room, glad he wasn't around to laugh.
Combing it up into a pony tail, she bound it and eyed her image critically in the mirror.
Tammy and Sarah were in the kitchen when she returned, and Tammy was standing in a chair ripping the cover off some chocolate chip cookies.
Lisa tossed Giddon a towel and plunged her hands into the soapy water in the sink.
This was the same man who treated her so coldly earlier today, and she'd do best to keep that picture in her mind.
She glanced up quickly, feeling the color deepen in her face.
The worst thing was their terror of reaching the bottom of this great crack in the earth, and the natural fear that sudden death was about to overtake them at any moment.
Far below her she found six great glowing balls suspended in the air.
So he followed the Prince into the great domed hall, and Dorothy and Zeb came after them, while the throng of people trooped in also.
I belong to Bailum & Barney's Great Consolidated Shows--three rings in one tent and a menagerie on the side.
The Wizard reached out, caught the wee creature in his hand, and holding its head between one thumb and finger and its tail between the other thumb and finger he pulled it apart, each of the two parts becoming a whole and separate piglet in an instant.
But the five phenomena I chose to tackle in this book are among the great blights on humanity that I believe the Internet and technology will help solve.
But in the excitement of carrying me to church my father lost the name on the way, very naturally, since it was one in which he had declined to have a part.
He leaned back in his chair, observing Alex over the rim.
I wish it to be so with all who live in my home.
Señor Medena leaned forward, cradling the cup of coffee in both hands.
He didn't succeed in gaining custody.
In spite of the continual struggle for custody, he had felt more welcome at the Medena home than he had with his step-father's family.
Señor Medena was looking at him in a strange way.
Lightening flashed in the east and thunder rumbled a posthumous threat.
In the ensuing darkness, red and blue lights flashed his shadow on the wet grass.
The train crouched silent on the tracks in a feline pose, as if hovering over a kill.
I graduated two years ahead of her and didn't keep in touch.
A person could change a lot in a few years, especially when they were that young.
Lathum waved a hand in dismissal, his mind already firmly entrenched in another project.
He walked away with his clipboard in hand, barking some orders at another officer.
He'd like to believe in good and the happy-ever-after, but that innocence could never be retrieved.
In the hilly city of Fayetteville, that was a threat during any heavy rain.
Hopefully her family would be in the restaurant now – safe from any flooding on the highway.
In those last moments when it was too late, she had decided to go with them.
Dad was in a hurry to beat the storm, so she had said nothing as the car backed out of the drive.
Only Nick noticed her standing in the door.
It was a moment that lay in her stomach like a week-long hunger, regardless of the fact that they had been gone only minutes.
In spite of what Allen thought, no incriminating words had crossed her lips.
He had enough alcohol in his veins to believe he could drive, and too much pride to leave the party in the passenger seat.
The minute Howard had arrived; Allen was in his face, accusing him of stealing his girl.
In the week before his arrest, her attention had shifted to her siblings, Nick and Angela.
They would all get together and wash her old car, winding up in a gleeful water fight.
No one in her family ever questioned her innocence.
Still, that nagging feeling in her stomach didn't go away.
Maybe Nick and Angela would like to go with her to visit the old place in the mountains after she graduated.
A few weeks wouldn't mean the difference in paying for college, and she could use the time to relax.
He was still in jail.
May we come in?
Instinctively her fingers affirmed her hair was in order for the mug shot.
Codes mingled with names and addresses in a request for medical assistance.
Somewhere in the back of her mind Lisa knew it felt good.
When Len walked in, she was on her knees, clinging to the stool.
He glanced up briefly as Connie walked in.
In fact, now she felt nothing.
They hadn't seen her in church for a while and they were worried about her.
Lisa was making the beds one morning and Connie was in the bathroom brushing her teeth.
I'm going back to the old place in the mountains.
I know you've been preoccupied, but everyone else has noticed his interest in you.
Connie threw her hands up in defeat.
She sat up and reached for her robe, wondering who might be visiting at this time in the morning.
Well, are you going to let me in?
For the last time, Howard isn't interested in me.
If you put me in jail again, when I get out there won't be a safe place for you.
In the garage, she paused at the old car.
She should be looking for a replacement vehicle, but having another car in the garage would only be a reminder that there was no one left to drive it.
Dropping the bag in the back seat, she sank into the driver's seat.
As she passed a neighbor boy, he waved at her, his two missing front teeth displayed in a sweet smile.
In every brunette she saw Angela and Mom.
In every mirror, dust obliterated her past.
The radio channel played nonsensical songs from the 60's in a barely successful mission to lift her spirits.
Wildlife hid behind that wall of green, but it was too late in the day for them to be hopping out on the road.
The evening sun made eerie shapes in the forested landscape.
In fact she had avoided - even pushed away those who might want to claim close friendship.
Acquaintances were shallow and many, but if a person had one true friend in a lifetime, they were blessed.
The car spun around at the bottom of the hill, spraying gravel in a wild circle.
The car made one more circle in the road and then lunged at the cliff.
In fact, she had spent the last two weeks wallowing in self-pity.
Possibly in answer to her prayers, the front of the car climbed into the air.
There was no point in telling him she had intended to sleep in the car.
Her fingers found the door handle - just in case.
You're in a fix.
Not even a path had existed here when she lived in the area five years ago.
The long drive detoured around several large oak trees before it ended in a circle.
A gray brick house dominated the landscape, its ranch style sprawling in a U shape with a garage on one end.
In the middle of the circle was a large teardrop-shaped flower garden.
Never would she have guessed such a lavish home existed in these rustic mountains.
Mom is fixing supper and I'm sure she has something you can wear in the morning.
She stared up at him in amazement as she absorbed his offhanded invitation.
He released her hand, but his eyes still held hers in a hypnotic trance that made her think of Dracula.
Her large brown eyes took in Lisa with surprise and she threw her son a questioning look.
I'll take her over in the morning to get her stuff out of the car.
Oh my, you're fortunate the car didn't go over the edge with you in it!
It's a long way to drive from Fayetteville, and then they'd have to bring you back in the morning.
And her house keys were in the car.
I haven't had any female company in months.
I be in fust gwade tomowow.
He picked up a newspaper and snapped it open, his attention instantly captured by something he found in its crinkled pages.
It ached in places there couldn't be muscles.
It had been in all the local papers, but she wasn't sure she could talk about it without getting emotional.
So you threw your clothes in a suitcase and ran away.
You said you lived in Fayetteville...
Again she saw Nick's face in the car window.
I'll lend you one of my night gowns and find some clothes for you to wear in the morning.
Lisa showered and crawled into the single bed in the guestroom.
She dressed hurriedly in the clothes Sarah had loaned her and ran fingers through her hair, wishing she had a comb.
She ate in silence, wondering how she could manage the hike to the car.
She had grown soft in five years of city life.
Giddon was silent, giving all his attention to his food, but Tammy watched Lisa with interest, twirling her fork in her eggs and squirming in her chair.
I think I'll work in the garden for a while, after I get my chores done.
The hostility in his voice and expression was unnerving.
He's a big horse, but I couldn't make him carry the two of us in that terrain.
Again she had allowed herself to be put in a precarious situation.
He could easily overpower her in a struggle or outlast her in a chase.
Far from the grouchy expression he had put on at the beginning of the ride, now his eyes flashed with humor, and his lips were twisted in a friendly smile.
By the time they reached the spot, the deer had vanished in the trees.
It was always exciting in an alarming way.
Like an Avon notice on a doorknob, the tracks in the mud were proof of an unobserved visit.
Chancing a glance at his face, she found him watching her in a strange way.
The battery in the lantern might be dead or the fall might have broken it.
He grabbed her arm, pulling her in another direction.
In fact, he was under no obligation to help her get back, either.
It felt good to be off her feet, even if only momentarily and in such a manner.
Better would be a long time coming, but she felt more in control of her emotions.
He was no gentleman, and she'd best keep that in mind.
In the end, there was no choice.
He started the engine and she clamped her arms around him, clinging to him as he spun the tires in a spray of pebbles and rocks.
She knocked his hand away and headed for the house in a stiff jointed hobble.
There was no point in arguing the issue.
In the shower, she lifted her face to the warm water.
The braids had to be untangled in order to shampoo the mud from her hair.
It was a strange feeling to realize she had been in a cocoon for weeks.
The auto charger was in the car, but she had a plug-in type at home.
I haven't been so entertained in years.
I promise to drop in and see you the very next time I'm up this way.
Make sure that is sometime in the near future.
In fact, Giddon was actually pleasant and entertaining.
When they reached the house, she invited him in for a cup of coffee.
She had some money tucked away in a cookie jar in the kitchen and she intended to pay him something, whether he liked it or not.
She glanced at the photo in his hand.
I've received too much sympathy in the last few weeks.
He shrugged, returning his attention to the coffee in his cup.
He swirled the coffee in his cup and lifted that piercing gaze to her face.
Living in that house and using the pool would be like a summer vacation, not a job.
It wasn't as if she had any part in becoming that way, nor did it make her a better person.
She met his regard with equal composer, in spite of the fact that the conversation was beginning to make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
She dropped her glass in the sink and took a step backward.
If he was going to start throwing things, she had no intention of staying there in the kitchen alone with him.
He slung the dishtowel over his shoulder and one long step brought him to a point where she was pinned in the corner of the counter.
He grabbed her shoulders, pulling her roughly against him and kissed her lips in a demanding way that roused more anger than anything else.