Secrets Gone South (Crimson Romance) Read Online Free PDF Page B

fraught with drama that it ought to be taking a bow on Broadway. The only noises were diner sounds and Avery babbling to Jiffy.
    After a few minutes, Will spoke again. “All right, Arabelle. This is what’s going to happen. We aren’t doing this in front of the boy.”
    “Doing what?” she said dumbly. “We don’t have anything to do.”
    “Don’t insult my intelligence and don’t try to camouflage your own. You’re going to feed the boy. Then you are going to take him to Luke and Lanie’s on the way to my house. We’re going to have a talk.”
    “I am not,” she said sternly. “It’s cold. Avery has a schedule that does not include going to Luke and Lanie’s. It’s almost time for wind down play and a story and bed. That’s
all
we’re going to do tonight.”
    “You are wrong about that. Take him to his uncle and aunt. He can wind down and go to sleep there. I mean it.”
    “I can’t do that, Will!” Her voice was low but it came out in a hiss. “I can’t just show up and leave Avery at the farm with no explanation. That’s not like me. What would I tell them?”
    “I don’t care,” he said evenly. “Tell them I called and said I had a fever and you’re going to pay a house call because I’ve had a pain pill and can’t drive. Says so right on the bottle.
Do not drive or
operate heavy equipment.
Tell them you feel the need to go dance naked in the woods.” He leveled her with a hard gaze. “Tell them the truth. Or nothing. Just do what I say.”
    “No!”
    And beside Arabelle, her calm, sweet child who almost never cried began to whimper. Hating herself, she plucked him from the booster seat, hugged him, and kissed his chubby little cheeks.
    “It’s okay, baby. Nobody’s mad.”
    Avery held out his giraffe to Will. “Give Jiffy love,” he sobbed.
    Will looked at Arabelle, confused.
    “He hates strife. He wants you to hug and kiss his giraffe to show you aren’t mad.”
    Will took the animal and hugged it to him. “Look, pal.” He kissed Jiffy on the nose. “See? Everybody’s happy. Nobody’s mad.”
    Avery looked skeptical so Will went through the whole love routine again. Avery stopped crying, smiled, and reached for Jiffy.
    Will extended the giraffe across the table and nuzzled Avery’s neck with it. When Avery laughed, Will joined in.
    Then he stood and focused on Arabelle.
    “I should have known that,” he said quietly.
    “Known what?” she asked, though she did not want an answer.
    “That he hates conflict. What giving Jiffy love means. I had a right. I’ll see you in one hour.” He was careful to keep his tone soft and kind.
    “And if I don’t come?” She tried to match his tone.
    “You will.” He paused for a beat. “You’d better.”
    Before he left he extended his hand and she thought he was going to touch her but he bypassed her to ruffle Avery’s hair. “Bye, pal,” he said. “I’ll see you again.”
    Avery said, “Bye bye!” And blew a kiss.
    • • •
    Will sat in one of the four big rocking chairs on his front porch. He hadn’t made those chairs but they were of very fine workmanship—else he wouldn’t have allowed them on his porch. He had bought them from a young Seattle woodworker who was worthy of watching. Will had not yet found someone to mentor but he supported novice woodworkers by buying from them if their wares met his standards. A girl from Connecticut who specialized in spindle turning had once told him that it meant something when someone in their business could claim that Will Garrett had bought from them.
    He doubted that. He’d always thought it was stupid that a store in England would hang out a plaque that said the Queen bought her underpants there. Of course, he might be more particular about a chair than the Queen was about underpants.
    Damn! What was he doing thinking about rocking chairs anyway? Rocking chairs were meant to soothe babies. Was everything going to lead back to that for the rest of his life now?
    He