In Search of Grace Read Online Free PDF Page B

come around , and if he doesn’t , I will take him home with me . How was your trip?  Tell me all about it. ”  
                  Her spirits lifted with the embrace and in seeing her friend. F or the next several hours, Alex and Charles lingered outside on the stone patio in her backyard , eating , drinking and catching up on their time apart.  Alex spoke of her book signing and the many new people she had met. Through the course of the evening, she would hear hammering and noises from behind the gate, but each time Seth came into her mind she would brush him aside. 
                  During dessert, the hammering got louder and Charles finally had enough , dropping his fork on the plate .  “All right my diva, you have been holding out on me.  What are you NOT telling me about next door? ”
                  Alex smiled at his dramatics.  
                  “Someone purchased Betsy and Hank ’ s place I guess .  I met him yesterday.”
                  “ HIM?   Is he married? Is he cute ? Is he Gay? Tell me all about him . Here w e have been gabbing all evening on boring stuff , a nd you didn’t even mention this? ”   Charles feigned hurt .
                  Alex laughed .   “ Oh , I definitely don’t think he is gay, and I guess he is a little cute.”
                  Charles gave her a piercing stare for a long moment, then to Alex’s horror , watched as he snorted , pushing his big body up out of his chair before proceed ing to walk straight to the gate. A fter knocking , and without waiting for an answer , lifted the latch. Standing in the opening, Charles called out waving his hands in the air . “Y ouuuuu hooooo over there . ”
                  Alex cringed as Charles turned o n his most flamboyant of voices.  With elbows on the table, she dropped he r head into her hands not want ing to see the train wreck that she knew was about to happen but then unable to resist , peeked through her fingers.
                  Seth came into view , and walking over to Charles , held out his hand.  They s hook while each man siz ed the other one up .   Seth’s eyebrows rose and a rush of what could only be described as relief flowed through him when he realized that this was Alex’s dinner date.  A grin spread across his face.
                  “Good evening.  May I help you ? ” Seth ’s deep voice reverberat ed all the way to the pit in her stomach.
                  “ Oh , I just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood.  Can’t get too much information from my girl over there and thought I would check out the forbidden fruit myself , if you know what I mean.”  Charles’ voice dropping to a theatrical whisper was not fooling Alex.   He found this situation funny .
                  Seth’s eyes sparkled with amusement i nstantly lik ing the man standing in front of him .  His gaze turned to Alex , as they stared a t each other for a moment before turning his attention back to Charles responding to his comment . “ Yes , I think I do know what you mean . ”
                  For over 15 minutes, Seth and Charles spoke , their voices rising and lower in animated conversation.   O nce in awhile both men would burst out laughing at something said by the other .  The longer they spoke, the more irritated Alex got.  When it did not look like they were going to end the conversation any time soon , she got up, and loudly started to clear the table of the dishes .  Back and forth she went, e ach time slamming the screen door .  It did not seem to faze the m e n but it did Hamlet .  Unable to stand any more , he ran out the door and to Charles. 
                  “What the heck is that? ”  
                  Charles scooped up Hamlet into his big arms. 
                  “T his is Hamlet , and I think I