the other, ripping up the ancient carpet and pad.
“I’m donating this furniture to charity. I’ll call somebody and see if we can get it out of here by tomorrow or the next day.”
“I’ll take it,” Joel said. “We could do a little bartering. I get any furniture you want to get rid of and I’ll knock some money off my bill.”
“Sounds good to me, although Finn is taking the desk in the office.” She glanced at her wristwatch. “He should be coming to get it anytime now.” She’d mentioned last night at the barbecue that she wanted it out of her house and Finn had told her he would buy it from her. She’d insisted that if he hauled it away, that was all she wanted.
As Joel got to work ripping up the rug, Mariah went into the kitchen, where Tiny was curled up on a rug. As she sat at the table, the pooch limped over to her and gave a small whine.
Mariah reached out and scratched him behind theears. “I knew it was going to be like this, buddy,” she said. “You know how teenagers are. They want to spend time with you unless a better offer comes along.”
In this case the better offer had been the pool with Kelsey’s new best friend, Katie. “She’ll be home later this afternoon,” Mariah told Tiny, who sat for another minute of scratching, then went back over to his little rug and curled up.
I’d like to kiss you
.
Jack’s words exploded unbidden in her mind. What shocked her was for just a minute as she’d stood in front of him, she’d wanted him to kiss her. Maybe it was the result of the two beers she’d drunk, she told herself even though she knew better.
It hadn’t been the alcohol; it had been the man. The glint in his eyes had warmed her and the scent of him had stirred her on a lustful level she couldn’t remember feeling before. Oh yes, she’d wanted him to kiss her … badly.
A rap at the back door pulled her from her crazy thoughts and she smiled as she saw Finn. “How’s my girl?” he asked, and leaned over to kiss her cheek. He thrust two Tupperware containers into her arms. “Leftovers from last night. Hannah thought you might like them. Potato salad and that green bean salad that Kelsey liked.”
“That was so thoughtful,” she replied, and gestured him inside. She put the containers in the refrigerator, then turned back to face him. “I want to thank you again for last night. It was fun seeing everyone again.”
“It was fun, wasn’t it?”
“Hannah is great and your kids are darling.”
He grinned, that wide, open smile that had always managed to make her feel better no matter what the circumstances. “You know what I think? I think we’ve both overcome the crap of our youth very well.”
She nodded. Finn had no idea about what had really driven her from here. He didn’t know about her rape and the resulting pregnancy and even though he’d been her best friend in the whole world, she didn’t want him to know. She didn’t want anyone to know.
There was one reason she would forever keep the secret. Kelsey. She never wanted her daughter to know that she’d been the product of rape.
“I saw Joel’s truck parked out front. Maybe he’ll help me load up the desk,” Finn said.
“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind, but you might want to take a look at the old thing and see if you really want it,” she suggested.
He followed her into the office, where Mariah had packed up most of the things and all that was left was empty shelves and the desk and chair.
“Are you sure you want to get rid of it?” he asked as he ran a hand over the polished mahogany top.
“Positive. What am I going to do with it? Everything in the house is going.” She walked to the desk and found the tiny grooves that had been worn there over the years, grooves her fingernails had left when she’d been commanded to bend over and take her punishment.
“Then in that case I’d be glad to take this off your hands. Hannah has been wanting a nice desk for a corner of the living room
“I’m donating this furniture to charity. I’ll call somebody and see if we can get it out of here by tomorrow or the next day.”
“I’ll take it,” Joel said. “We could do a little bartering. I get any furniture you want to get rid of and I’ll knock some money off my bill.”
“Sounds good to me, although Finn is taking the desk in the office.” She glanced at her wristwatch. “He should be coming to get it anytime now.” She’d mentioned last night at the barbecue that she wanted it out of her house and Finn had told her he would buy it from her. She’d insisted that if he hauled it away, that was all she wanted.
As Joel got to work ripping up the rug, Mariah went into the kitchen, where Tiny was curled up on a rug. As she sat at the table, the pooch limped over to her and gave a small whine.
Mariah reached out and scratched him behind theears. “I knew it was going to be like this, buddy,” she said. “You know how teenagers are. They want to spend time with you unless a better offer comes along.”
In this case the better offer had been the pool with Kelsey’s new best friend, Katie. “She’ll be home later this afternoon,” Mariah told Tiny, who sat for another minute of scratching, then went back over to his little rug and curled up.
I’d like to kiss you
.
Jack’s words exploded unbidden in her mind. What shocked her was for just a minute as she’d stood in front of him, she’d wanted him to kiss her. Maybe it was the result of the two beers she’d drunk, she told herself even though she knew better.
It hadn’t been the alcohol; it had been the man. The glint in his eyes had warmed her and the scent of him had stirred her on a lustful level she couldn’t remember feeling before. Oh yes, she’d wanted him to kiss her … badly.
A rap at the back door pulled her from her crazy thoughts and she smiled as she saw Finn. “How’s my girl?” he asked, and leaned over to kiss her cheek. He thrust two Tupperware containers into her arms. “Leftovers from last night. Hannah thought you might like them. Potato salad and that green bean salad that Kelsey liked.”
“That was so thoughtful,” she replied, and gestured him inside. She put the containers in the refrigerator, then turned back to face him. “I want to thank you again for last night. It was fun seeing everyone again.”
“It was fun, wasn’t it?”
“Hannah is great and your kids are darling.”
He grinned, that wide, open smile that had always managed to make her feel better no matter what the circumstances. “You know what I think? I think we’ve both overcome the crap of our youth very well.”
She nodded. Finn had no idea about what had really driven her from here. He didn’t know about her rape and the resulting pregnancy and even though he’d been her best friend in the whole world, she didn’t want him to know. She didn’t want anyone to know.
There was one reason she would forever keep the secret. Kelsey. She never wanted her daughter to know that she’d been the product of rape.
“I saw Joel’s truck parked out front. Maybe he’ll help me load up the desk,” Finn said.
“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind, but you might want to take a look at the old thing and see if you really want it,” she suggested.
He followed her into the office, where Mariah had packed up most of the things and all that was left was empty shelves and the desk and chair.
“Are you sure you want to get rid of it?” he asked as he ran a hand over the polished mahogany top.
“Positive. What am I going to do with it? Everything in the house is going.” She walked to the desk and found the tiny grooves that had been worn there over the years, grooves her fingernails had left when she’d been commanded to bend over and take her punishment.
“Then in that case I’d be glad to take this off your hands. Hannah has been wanting a nice desk for a corner of the living room
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