RYDER: A Standalone Military Romance (Blake Security Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

light of day, the cypress trees would be filled with heron and other birds and the shallow, murky brown water with just about every fresh water fish, reptile, and amphibian known to man.
    I turned off the main road and onto the bumpy dirt road that led along the bank of the swamp and out to Granny’s house. I bumped along for a couple of miles before the house came into view. As soon as my car topped the small dirt mound in front of it, I saw Granny’s head pop up from the porch. The porch swing behind her was still swaying as she hurried down to greet me. I’d only seen her two days ago, but every time I go away—even for an hour—Granny acts like we’re having a family reunion when I get back.
    I put the car in park and turned it off as she bounced down toward me. Her dark hair now streaked with long strands of gray was piled up in a loose bun on top of her head and swayed back and forth as she moved. My Granny is tiny, and when you look at her and me together, it’s almost impossible to believe I have any of her genes running through me. But even if I found out now that I didn’t, I wouldn’t care. Granny is my heart, and she always will be. 
    When she reached me, I smiled, and before I could say anything, she wrapped her arms around me. Her head only came up to my chest, and her arms were like spindles, but she was so strong from years of hard work that when she squeezed, I felt it.
    After a few seconds, I held her back and looked into her dark eyes. “Granny, why don’t you answer your phone?”
    She waved a wrinkled hand at me and said, “You know I don’t need none of them electronic contraptions. I tried to tell you before you went and spent all dat money on it.”
    I chuckled. “It’s just so I can check on you when I don’t have the time to drive all the way out.”
    “What you need to check on me for? Dis my home. I’m fine here.”
    I laughed again and put my arm around her and led her back toward the house. “I know you are, but I just don’t like knowing you’re out here alone.”
    “I spent seven years wit-out you, remember? Things were just fine. Even lived through dat hurricane.”
    As we went up the steps, I kissed the top of her head. She always smelled like strawberries. Every time I get a whiff of strawberries, no matter where I am, I think of Granny. “I know, but I’m home now, and it’s my job to worry.”
    She cackled out a laugh and let go of me as we went through the door. I had to duck to make it through. “Wat you want to eat?”
    “I’m not hungry, Granny. I just came to…”
    “I got some fresh boudin balls and some a dat dark gravy you love.”
    “I’m okay Granny, I had supper. I can’t stay too…”
    “You don’t want boudin balls ? I got some pig from yesterday’s cochon de lait .”
    A cochon de lait is a big Cajun party where they roast the slaughtered pigs all day while they drink and dance and play music. They are real proud of the fact that they find a way to use every piece of that pig, and I have to admit that it’s the best-damned pork in the world.
    “Okay, Granny, I’ll have just a little…” I didn't know why I bothered trying. Feeding me was her life’s work, and she was not about to let me take that away.
    “I get you sum of efferthing,” she said, already with a plate in one hand and a ladle in the other. A few minutes later a plate full of hot, spicy boudin balls and rich, dark gravy was set down in front of me. I knew that wouldn’t be it, and I wasn’t wrong. A giant-sized bowl of gumbo came next along with a heaping plate of the roasted pork and rice. I wasn’t the slightest bit hungry, but as soon as my taste buds got a whiff of it all, it disappeared into my big body like magic. The whole while Granny watched me eat, she smiled from ear to ear. Her enthusiasm might make you think I was a skinny, sickly thing if you couldn’t see me.
                  “So tell Granny what’s new, cher .”
    .