could do this the easy way or we could do it the fun way.” His voice had sounded like an older boy’s, low, smooth.
He’d glanced around the darkening backyard and up at the ancient tree that sheltered the part of the yard closest to the house.
“Wait here,” he’d said as he jogged off to his grandma’s garage. Two minutes later, he’d returned with a rope. He’d tossed it over a sturdy-looking branch, then had held on to both ends and lifted his legs off the ground to make sure it supported his weight. “I’ll go first,” he’d said. “Watch what I do, then follow me up.”
Maybe she should’ve chosen the easy way.
Before she could answer, he had hoisted himself up the trunk, using the rope for his hands and the trunk for his feet.
“Your turn.” He’d kept his voice quiet, which she’d appreciated.
Taking a deep breath, she’d grabbed the rope ends he’d sent down for her. She hadn’t wanted him to see her as a little kid who was afraid to join the adventure he’d started to save her.
To her surprise, he’d encouraged her in a soothing voice from above. Finally, she’d reached the lowest branch, the one Zach straddled. He’d pulled her up next to him.
“Not bad, for a girl.”
She’d thought she saw a smile, but the last ounce of light had vanished from the sky. Lindsey remembered savoring the euphoria of being all the way up there, alone, with Zach.
“The branch that juts out to the porch roof by your window is right above us,” he’d said. “Let’s go.”
When she’d lowered herself to the top of the porch, he’d steadied her briefly, his hands on her waist.
The window had been tougher to raise than either of them had expected. Finally, they’d managed to lift it enough for her to crawl through, just as headlights had lit up the garage door.
“My parents are home!” Her heart had raced in a panic.
The corners of his mouth had turned up as if this new development made it all the more fun. He’d met her eyes with his beautiful brown ones. “They won’t know I’m here. Just go down and scare your bratty sister.”
She’d scrambled in the window and had briefly leaned back through it to thank him, then had slammed it shut and rushed downstairs.
Later, when Lindsey had run back up to her room, Zach had been gone. She’d searched the tree branches and the yard below and had seen no trace of him. Even the rope had disappeared.
She’d had a crush on him ever since, if she was honest.
Lindsey felt certain he could learn to be a parent to Owen now. If only he’d step out from behind his blind insistence that his grandma and brother were fine.
CHAPTER NINE
T HE TOWN OF E LLINGTON didn’t have a lot going for it. The buildings on the main drag were in need of repair and some general care. Lone Oak had never thrilled Zach, but compared to this burg, it was like living in luxury.
It was the kind of place Josh would be drawn to, which was why Zach had cruised up and down the streets in search of his brother’s old blue rust-bucket for hours the other day. Today he headed for the Rat’s Nest first, hoping the guy who’d seen Josh before had more news for him.
He turned into the alley that ran behind the bar, then slowly pulled into one of the parking spots reserved for customers. It was more of an oversize pothole than a parking space. He got out and walked along the shabby brown brick exterior to the front entrance.
Inside, he stepped away from the door and let his eyes adjust to the darkness. There was nothing spectacular about this bar—it could be any one of a hundred small-town drinking dumps. Worn wood floor, dirty walls covered with beer and liquor signs, cheap tables and chairs.
Several tables were occupied, which said a lot about the town, considering it was just after four in the afternoon. Not lunch time, not happy hour, but plenty of drinkers. Who could blame them, living in a place like Ellington?
Zach glanced at each customer long enough to
He’d glanced around the darkening backyard and up at the ancient tree that sheltered the part of the yard closest to the house.
“Wait here,” he’d said as he jogged off to his grandma’s garage. Two minutes later, he’d returned with a rope. He’d tossed it over a sturdy-looking branch, then had held on to both ends and lifted his legs off the ground to make sure it supported his weight. “I’ll go first,” he’d said. “Watch what I do, then follow me up.”
Maybe she should’ve chosen the easy way.
Before she could answer, he had hoisted himself up the trunk, using the rope for his hands and the trunk for his feet.
“Your turn.” He’d kept his voice quiet, which she’d appreciated.
Taking a deep breath, she’d grabbed the rope ends he’d sent down for her. She hadn’t wanted him to see her as a little kid who was afraid to join the adventure he’d started to save her.
To her surprise, he’d encouraged her in a soothing voice from above. Finally, she’d reached the lowest branch, the one Zach straddled. He’d pulled her up next to him.
“Not bad, for a girl.”
She’d thought she saw a smile, but the last ounce of light had vanished from the sky. Lindsey remembered savoring the euphoria of being all the way up there, alone, with Zach.
“The branch that juts out to the porch roof by your window is right above us,” he’d said. “Let’s go.”
When she’d lowered herself to the top of the porch, he’d steadied her briefly, his hands on her waist.
The window had been tougher to raise than either of them had expected. Finally, they’d managed to lift it enough for her to crawl through, just as headlights had lit up the garage door.
“My parents are home!” Her heart had raced in a panic.
The corners of his mouth had turned up as if this new development made it all the more fun. He’d met her eyes with his beautiful brown ones. “They won’t know I’m here. Just go down and scare your bratty sister.”
She’d scrambled in the window and had briefly leaned back through it to thank him, then had slammed it shut and rushed downstairs.
Later, when Lindsey had run back up to her room, Zach had been gone. She’d searched the tree branches and the yard below and had seen no trace of him. Even the rope had disappeared.
She’d had a crush on him ever since, if she was honest.
Lindsey felt certain he could learn to be a parent to Owen now. If only he’d step out from behind his blind insistence that his grandma and brother were fine.
CHAPTER NINE
T HE TOWN OF E LLINGTON didn’t have a lot going for it. The buildings on the main drag were in need of repair and some general care. Lone Oak had never thrilled Zach, but compared to this burg, it was like living in luxury.
It was the kind of place Josh would be drawn to, which was why Zach had cruised up and down the streets in search of his brother’s old blue rust-bucket for hours the other day. Today he headed for the Rat’s Nest first, hoping the guy who’d seen Josh before had more news for him.
He turned into the alley that ran behind the bar, then slowly pulled into one of the parking spots reserved for customers. It was more of an oversize pothole than a parking space. He got out and walked along the shabby brown brick exterior to the front entrance.
Inside, he stepped away from the door and let his eyes adjust to the darkness. There was nothing spectacular about this bar—it could be any one of a hundred small-town drinking dumps. Worn wood floor, dirty walls covered with beer and liquor signs, cheap tables and chairs.
Several tables were occupied, which said a lot about the town, considering it was just after four in the afternoon. Not lunch time, not happy hour, but plenty of drinkers. Who could blame them, living in a place like Ellington?
Zach glanced at each customer long enough to
Similar Books
