Double In Read Online Free PDF Page B

basement. She hadn’t even given him and Reid
the chance to bid on the job. Stephens did good work, but their prices usually
outshot what Porter and Reid would do it for by several hundred or more. She’d
paid that several hundred just to keep from having to do business with Porter
and Reid. It had simply been one more indication of just how royally pissed she
was at them.
    She spun her stool around, her gaze landing on his, locking
and narrowing slightly. He didn’t tell her if he had his way they’d do the work
for free. Hell, they would’ve done it for Martin if he still owned the place.
She’d never go for it though. However, they could give her a rock-bottom bid.
    “I’ll think about it.”
    Porter supposed that was about all he could ask for at the
moment, so he didn’t press.
    “Are you going to be playing softball at Spring Field on
Saturday afternoons again this year?” Reid changed the subject.
    There was a standing game each week at the public softball
field. It generally began around the same time as regular softball season at
one o’clock on Saturday afternoons. Anyone could play and it was a great way
for athletic newbies in town to get to know people. Porter and Reid had gotten
Marsha involved her first year in Spring Valley.
    Marsha shrugged. “I’d planned on it. Donnie started setting
things up last week. He’s figuring he’ll start it back this weekend. It’s a
couple of weeks ahead of the normal schedule, but we’re getting warmer weather
earlier than normal, too, and everyone’s itching to get out.”
    “I hear you.” Porter propped an elbow on the bar. “I’m
itching to get out myself. I thought about hitting one of the trails this
weekend, taking a good, long hike.”
    “Is that why you two stopped showing up at Spring Field last
summer? Decided to ditch softball for the hiking trails?”
    Porter thought about saying yes, but it’d be a lie she’d
likely see straight through. They’d avoided Spring Field because they knew
she’d be there. It had all been part of giving her space, time to cool down.
They’d wanted to give her a safe haven of sorts, somewhere she could feel
comfortable going without worrying she’d run into them.
    Marsha nodded slowly when neither of them answered. “Yeah, I
figured as much. Thanks for not trying to take that from me, too.”
    The pain in her tone sliced at his heart. So much for
taking an hour to pretend. “Mars…” He let whatever he’d been about to say
trail off when she picked up the shot he’d served her and knocked it back in
one gulp.
    She eased the shot glass back down on the bar and stared
between him and Reid, the look in her eyes contemplative and weary. “What are
y’all up to?”
    Porter had figured it wouldn’t work, but he’d hoped they
could keep the casual conversation going a little longer. He wanted to ease the
tension he saw in the set of her slim shoulders. He wanted to knock down the
shields she’d constructed around herself and shatter all the defenses she’d
obviously built inside.
    Things rarely worked out as he hoped.
    He started to play dumb, but he knew that wouldn’t fly. So
he went for balls-out honesty. “It’s been a long year without you.”
    He wondered if she realized just how much he revealed with
that admission. The woman had gotten under his skin…bad. Maybe he hadn’t
realized just how badly until she wasn’t there anymore, but he’d known it then
and her absence had eaten at him, made him feel empty and even a bit lost.
    “You had plenty of years without me before we met.”
    “That’s the key. We didn’t know you then.”
    “I got the impression the last time we spoke you both wished
that never changed.”
    “I could never wish that,” he and Reid said in unison. They
exchanged a look and Porter knew what his brother was thinking. His wasn’t the
only skin she’d managed to get under. Reid wanted her, too. They may have
started out as friends, may have even treated her as a