Her Unlikely Family Read Online Free PDF Page B

Michael nodded to the man. “Thank you, sir. Sorry to have caused you any trouble this evening.”
    â€œNo trouble at all. Added a little excitement to an otherwise boring night.”
    Michael’s night had been far from boring. And what now? Waiting in his car were two indignant females.
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    â€œFor the last time, no,” Lisa said.
    Michael sat across Josie’s coffee table—actually it was an old crate painted bright yellow—from his niece. They were at a standoff. He had said come home, she’d said no. Repeatedly.
    There seemed to be no middle ground. And he was exhausted.
    Against all odds, when they had arrived back at Josie’s house, she had invited him in to talk to Lisa. Since he had survived the ride home without any violent outbursts, he had assumed Lisa had settled down and would be reasonable.
    Apparently, she hadn’t, and wouldn’t. Out of desperation, he said, “Your grandmother said to tell you that you need to be back in school.”
    With a little snort and sarcastic laugh, she said, “Oh, okay. Then give me five minutes to pack.” Of course she made no move to cooperate. As she sulked, slouching in a tattered blue recliner, he studied the room. It was clean, but definitely not tidy. The decor was modern thrift shop.
    Then he noticed the walls. It seemed every inch of space was covered by the most eclectic collection of framed prints he’d ever seen. Watercolors, oils, photographs. Landscapes, flowers, portraits, posters, strange and unidentifiable—
    â€œHere’s your Coke,” the art collector herself said as she walked into the room from the kitchen.
    He pulled his attention away from the weird sketch. Except for that particular one, he rather liked the feel of the room.
    She handed him his drink. “I see you’ve been admiring my artwork.”
    He glanced at her sheepishly. “Yes.”
    â€œJust so you know, every piece has sentimental value.”
    â€œReally?
    â€œI know what you’re thinking,” she said, eyes sparking.
    â€œI’m sure you don’t.”
    â€œYou can’t believe I have such a hodgepodge hung up all over the place.”
    â€œNo, actually—”
    â€œYou don’t have to deny it, Uncle Michael. I could see it on your face, too.” With her forefinger, Lisa pushed up the tip of her nose. “All the Throckmortons are such snobs.”
    â€œLisa, don’t talk to your uncle that way,” Josie said.
    Michael stopped with the can halfway to his lips. The spit-fire waitress was full of surprises. He would have expected her to agree.
    Lisa appeared as surprised as he was. “I can’t believe you’re taking his side, Josie.”
    â€œI’m not taking sides at all. You just need to learn to respect your uncle.” She sat on the opposite end of the sofa from Michael. “Now, have you two solved anything?”
    â€œNo,” he said. “It seems we’re at an impasse.”
    Josie kicked off her work shoes and wiggled her stockinged toes. “Can I make a suggestion?”
    â€œGo for it,” Lisa said. “Anything that’ll help him see I’m never going back to that awful school where the teachers try to make us cookie-cutter copies of each other.”
    He pointed his finger at Lisa. “They’re trying to make you, at a minimum, fit for polite society.”
    â€œMike, talking like that isn’t going to help one bit,” Josie warned.
    Lisa grinned as if she’d won the skirmish. But he knew Josie was right.
    â€œSpeaking of the school…” Josie said. “Has Lisa told you about the kids mistreating her?”
    â€œShe claimed some girls on her floor have spread outrageous rumors about her. But I know their families and find it highly unlikely.”
    â€œYou don’t believe me.”
    â€œMaybe the girl that informed you of the situation misunderstood. Or maybe you