California's Calling (Hunt Family Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

He stepped back and looked at the three of us as a group. "Are you the ones staying with me?"
    "If that's okay," Evan said.
    "I'm looking forward to having you!" Cub said. "I have two single beds and a couch up for grabs."
    "That'll be perfect," Mia said. "As long as Evan gets the couch."
    Evan made a silly face at her like he wanted to protest, but he was obviously just kidding.
    "We should probably head out," Laura said. "I'm sure you're all exhausted."
    "We'll meet you guys here for breakfast," Ben said looking at Cub.
    "Eight o'clock?" Cub asked.
    "Eight-thirty will be fine if you can't get the ladies up and out for eight."
    Ben asked if he could pray, and of course we all agreed. He thanked God for our safe travels, the wedding, and family, and asked a blessing for our work efforts. We all exchanged hugs and wishes for a peaceful night's rest before going our separate ways.
    Evan, Mia, and I got in Cub's truck, and everyone else got into Rachel's parents' van. Cub's truck was a single cab with a bench seat, and the four of us had to cram next to each other to get the door closed. It just happened that Mia got in first and was plastered next to Cub.
    She glanced at me and mouthed, "I’m sorry," once she realized what the seating situation was.
    I made a quick facial expression that said, why would you even be worried about it ?
    "Charlotte's a poet." Mia said, once we were on the road.
    I pinched her leg. The road was bumpy, and Cub had big tires on his truck. There was a ton of road noise, so I prayed he hadn't heard. I literally said a prayer asking God to please let him not have heard as I continued pinching her leg.
    "What'd you say?" he asked.
    My leg pinching intensified once I realized my prayers had been answered . I couldn’t let her repeat it. I pinched so hard that she said, "Ouch!" as she shifted even closer to Cub. "Stop," she whispered, looking at me like I was insane.
    "You stop," I said.
    "What were you saying?" Cub asked.
    "Charlotte's a poet," she repeated without the slightest hesitation.
    "Are you?" Cub asked, glancing at me quickly before putting his eyes back on the road.
    "Not really," I said. "I just like poetry."
    "I like it, too."
    "We heard about your dog," Evan said.
    "Oh good, I'm glad you know I have a dog," Cub said. "I forgot to mention it in case any of you were allergic."
    "We were all raised with dogs," Mia said.
    "Her name is T.S. Eliot. I just call her Tess so she won't get embarrassed in front of her dog friends."
    "What kind of dog is she?"
    "She's a mix, but she's got some German Shepherd in her, I think." He peeked over Mia at me again. "Have you written anything, Charlotte?" He had a deep voice, and the slightest hint of an accent, and the sound of him saying my name made my heart stop for a second.
    "She was an English major at UCLA," Mia said. "With emphasis on creative writing. She's got notebooks full."
    "Yeah, what happened to that?" Evan asked. "Aren't you doing something else now?"
    "Interior design," I said. "I would have been finished by now, but I had to backtrack on some of my classes."
    "Why'd you switch?" Cub asked.
    I hesitated for several long seconds contemplating what I wanted to say. Part of me wanted to just go ahead and tell the truth. Not that I would give details or anything, but I could at least say…
    "Failed relationship," Mia said, in a matter of fact tone.
    I let out a humorless laugh when I heard her say it, but honestly, I wasn't surprised. That's just how Mia was… real and honest. She knew I wouldn't be hurt from them knowing, so she answered the question for me.
    "Heartache makes for good poetry," Cub said.
    We drove in silence for a minute. All you could hear was the fwamp, fwamp, sound of the tires on the dirt road as we stared dazedly out of the windshield.
    "He was my professor," I said finally.
    "Nu-uh!" Evan said.
    "Why didn't you just transfer to a different school?" Cub asked instantly.
    I laughed. "Mia asked me that same thing," I said.