Promise Cove (A Pelican Pointe Novel Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

can handle a hamme r , a s a w .. . and I can handle that sande r . ” Ey ei n g the condition of the p l ace, he added, “ B ut at th i s p o in t , I do n ’t think y ou can afford t o be t oo p ic k y . M u r p h y s a y s y ou ’ ve g o t a deadline approachi n g . ”
    “ M u r p h y ’ s g o t a b ig mouth . ” H er shoulde r s slumped a g ain— v i s ibl y . S he s ighed a g ain. “ I t ’ s a s ma l l t o w n. Y ou’ l l find that out s oon enough. N o thi n g but bu s ybodi e s who k now eve r y thi n g a bout y our bu s in es s. I ’ m J or d an by the w a y . J or d an P h il li p s . ” Bounci n g her d augh t e r , she added, “ A nd th i s i s H u t t o n . ”
    “ N ick H a r r i s . ” H e w a t ched her face for a n y s i g n of recognition at the nam e . S urel y , Sc o t t had mentioned him in h i s let t e r s hom e . B ut when she appeared more d i str es s ed and deeper in though t , he realized the name meant nothi n g t o he r . W h at now? he wondered. The woma n did n ’ t s ee m t o h a v e a n y ide a wh o h e w a s . H e w a s n ’ t sur e wha t t o d o . H e had coun t ed on her recognizi n g h i s nam e . S hould he mention how he k new Sc o t t , blu r t out here and no w , admit w h y h e ’ d come t o P elican P o in t e in the fi r st p l ace? H e sucked in a quiet breath. S he looked s o vulner a ble s itti n g there w ith the b a by o n he r l a p . H e r e y e s s t il l gl i s t e ne d w it h t ea r s . H e ’ d w itn es s ed th e woma n ’ s breakdo wn ove r a sande r . W ha t woul d sh e do if he dredged up pain f ul memo r i e s a bout her dead husband now ? S h e ’ d s t a r t c r y i n g a g ain , that ’ s wha t . H e did n ’ t s e e a n y rea s on t o t a ke the chanc e . H i s cour a ge plumme t ed.
    A s h e w a t c he d he r face , N ic k k n e w sh e w a s weighi ng he r o p tions . H e coul d t e l l ho w in t entl y sh e s t udie d hi m over th e t o p o f th e b a b y ’ s head . H e did n ’ t b l am e he r . H e w a s a st r a n ge r r idi ng a H arle y . F o r a l l sh e k n e w h e coul d b e a s e r i a l k il le r . H e racke d h i s b rai n fo r ins p i r a tio n . W h a t could h e s a y tha t migh t rea ss ur e he r tha t sh e coul d t r u s t him ? B u t the n w h y shoul d sh e t r u s t a t o t a l st r a n ger ? S uddenl y , he blu r t e d ou t , “ I ’ d s t a y i n t o w n , wor k her e du r i ng th e d a y, go bac k to m y roo m a t nigh t i f t h at’ l l mak e y o u mor e comfo r t a bl e . ” I t w a s th e onl y thi ng h e coul d of f e r .
    “ Y ou are n ’t f rom around her e . ” I t w a s n ’t a qu e s t io n .
    “ L . A . ”
    “ T her e i s n ’ t an o the r p l ac e t o s t a y i n t o wn . T h e C ove i s i t . ”
    H e k new the minu t e she made up her mind a bout hi m . S he s t ood up w ith pu r p os e, sat the b a by on her hi p . “ W e l l, M r . H a r r i s, I ’ m in k ind of a f i x r ight no w , d e spe r a t e e ve n . I ’ l l p a y y ou the g o i n g r at e for a ca r pen t e r . ” S h e ’ d h a ve t o find out e xa c tly what the g o i n g r at e w as.
    “ Y ou do n ’ t … ”
    S he held up a s t ubbo r n hand. “ A s s o on a s I open, w e ’ l l s ettle u p . K eep t rac k o f y our wor k , y our hou r s . I n the mean ti me, ther e ’ s a s t udio apa r t m ent in the back over the g ar a g e . I t i s n ’ t muc h . I n fa c t , it ’ s a dum p . ” W ith a ne r vou s l a ugh she added, “ F rankl y , it ’ s a m e s s . B ut I could g iv e it a thorough cleani n g and s ee what I could do t o get it li v a b l e whil e H ut t o n ’ s t a k i n g her af t e r noon na p . ”
    “T h a t ’ d be f i n e . W h i le y ou clean the p l ace, I ’ l l f i n i sh sandi n g the porch, repair that ra i li n g . H ow would that be?”
    S he s t ood u p , g l ared in the dire c tion of the sande r . “ Be m y g u e s t . T h i s porch w il l r o t before I go near that thi n g