Swinging on a Star Read Online Free PDF Page B

However, I barely got three words into my dissertation before Brock looked my way with a nod. “Actually, Bella, it sounds good to me. I always feel safer staying in a home than in a hotel. There’s less risk involved.”
    “Less risk?” Obviously Brock Benson hadn’t met the Rossis. He had no idea what he was agreeing to. Nor did he seem to care.
    Brock laughed. “The idea of a good home-cooked meal is almost too much to pass up. Do you have any idea how long it’s been since I’ve had homemade Italian food?” He explained that his midday meals were most often brought in by caterers, and his evening meals were almost always in some swanky L.A. restaurant. Never good home cooking. Then he went off on a tangent about how much he missed sitting around the dinner table in a family environment. How could I argue with that?
    “What do you think, Bella?” Marian gave me a hopeful look. “Is the Rossi bed-and-breakfast open for business? It’s just a week and a half, after all.”
    “Just a week and a half,” I echoed. “I . . . I . . .” Glancing into Brock’s eyes, I found myself saying, “I’ll ask Mama, but I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
    “Awesome!” Brock said. He turned to Rob with a smile. “See, I told you this was going to work out.”
    “I guess I could stay at the Tremont,” Rob said with a shrug. “And you could stay here.”
    “No way.” Brock shook his head. “Skip the hotel, Rob. I came to Texas to hang out with my best friend. We’ll both stay at their place.”
    “I . . . I guess.” Rob’s pursed lips let me know his take on this. Surely he hadn’t planned to spend the week before his wedding living in a house with the rowdiest family on Galveston Island. I had a feeling he was going along with this to make Brock happy. In fact, I had a feeling Brock Benson usually got his way in things. He just schmoozed folks until he got what he wanted. Quite a talent. Had he learned that in Hollywood, or was it some sort of hereditary trait?
    “Thank you, Bella.” Brock reached for my hand and kissed it. After I caught my breath, I nodded. He then nodded in Sophia’s direction.
    My sister looked as if she’d died and gone to the Hollywood version of heaven. I half expected a piped-in audio of “The Hallelujah Chorus” to fill the room and 3-D angels to appear on the walls.
    The bride-to-be turned to me with a look of pure contentment on her face. “Oh, Bella! How can I ever thank you? This is the perfect solution. I’ll sleep so much better knowing Brock is under your roof for the next week.”
    She might, but I sure wouldn’t. In fact, I doubted I’d sleep a wink. And how could I tell these fine folks that the Food Network crew would be pulling in with their trucks the day before the wedding? No, I’d better not broach that subject today.

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8
Everybody Loves Somebody
    On Friday morning, D.J.’s mom showed up at our front door unannounced. Now, I’d loved Earline Neeley for as long as I’d known her. All three months, in fact. She’d swept me into the fold and extended the love of Jesus time and time again.
    Best of all, she’d entrusted the heart of her son to me, a fact I did not take lightly. Still, I wasn’t sure why she’d chosen to grace us with her presence today. Galveston was a far cry from Splendora.
    I stood in the open doorway, trying to decide what to do. If I let her inside, she was sure to see Brock and give away our little secret. However, if I kept her standing on the veranda, she was sure to think I’d lost my mind and might encourage her son to have me committed. We certainly couldn’t have that.
    As I stood there toying with my decision, I tried to envision what Brock would make of Earline. She was a darling, no doubt about it, but the woman wasn’t exactly Hollywood material.
    Then again, maybe she was. At five foot two and two-hundred-plus pounds, she could easily be a character actor in a TV sitcom. And