Accompanying Alice Read Online Free PDF

stepped onto them “My mother used to say the same thing to me. Makes me feel right at home.”
    “Don’t,” Alice urged, and he grinned. Even through all that hair, he had a nice grin.
    As if she should notice.
    The fuzz on the small of her back rose, sent provocative messages helter-skelter through every nerve. For no appropriate reason at all, she suddenly felt connected to him, bound by something more than circumstance or the responsibility incumbent on saving his life. Her veins still tingled and her nerves rattled but, caught in his smile, she once again understood the legendary lure between schoolmarms and wounded desperadoes. She understood race car drivers
and the thrill of speed. She remembered what Allyn was looking for on the road to California.
    And that scared her. And thrilled her. And intoxicated her.
    She never remembered feeling so alive, so reckless. Not even when she’d given Matthew her virginity. This is how Becky feels when Michael looks at her, she thought, then stamped on the notion in shock. She shouldn’t be able to imagine how her son-in-law made her daughter feel—especially not when she was looking at a man who’d held her at gunpoint, ruined her morning, then trusted her with a whole lot of information she didn’t want to be trusted with
at all.
    Boy, had he rattled her cage.
    “Look,” she said uncomfortably, and he did. Looked her up and down, looked her patiently in the eye and dripped on the papers. Alice turned her back on him. It wasn’t right to feel the way he made her feel. It wasn’t safe.
    “Let’s get a few things straight,” she tried again, but the phone rang. Surprised, she looked at Gabriel, turned to the wall where the phone hung, automatically pointing a finger to keep him in place. “Wait,” she ordered.
    He reached for her wrist, aiming at her attention, captured both. “Careful what you say,” he cautioned. “I’ll be right here.”
    Alice swallowed, aware of him as she’d never been aware of anyone. She nodded and answered the phone to hear her eldest daughter’s absurdly pleased, slightly rebellious and more than a little nervous voice at the other end of the line. Forgetting Gabriel entirely, Alice-the-mother pressed a hand to her mouth in relief. “Lynnie? Where are you? Why haven’t you called? It’s been three days—I’ve been worried sick. You were supposed to call—collect.” Frightened
Mother Gambit Number One: attack and impose guilt.
    “Ah, Ma, get a life, will you? I’m fine. Jeez,” Allyn snapped.
    Alice shut her eyes at the automatic offense and swallowed Gambit Two. This was her child, her daughter, her life. She’s grown up now, Allie, she told herself. It’s time to let go. “I’m sorry, Lyn. I’m sure you’re fine. It’s just…” She looked at Gabriel. He gave her half a smile and
shrugged. “It’s just been really hectic around here.”
    “Oh, man. Becky told you she was pregnant and married, didn’t she? God, what a fool. I mean, I tried there, Morn, I did. I told her she should protect herself ‘cause Mike wouldn’t. I even went to the school dispensary to get her some condoms, but she wouldn’t take ‘em. Said Mike didn’t think it was ‘ natural .’ I told her I thought Mike was an immature jerk. I mean, it’s her body. I said, use your brain, Beck, look what happened to Ma. But she said she wanted
to be like you.”
    “Like me?” Something that felt like hysteria gurgled in side Alice. What was it her mother used to say about setting a good example and just wait till she had children of her own? Then the gist of Allyn’s tirade registered. “You knew?”
    Allyn made a sound of annoyance. “Who else was she going to tell?”
    Alice felt like strangling someone. It didn’t matter who, as long as she was an eighteen year old, hazel - eyed brunette named Meyers. “Me.”
    “Oh, right. Like, tell the person who’ll have the biggest hissy fit. Get real—”
    “God bless it, Allyn! I was