an annulment. In factââ
âSorry, but everything gets on my nerves latelyâthe clock ticking, the birds singing, the coyotes howling.â Eric swiped at the spot on his shirt and grabbed his coffee cup with a shaky hand.
âItâs no wonder, as little sleep as you get.â
He took a sip and glared at her like she was the enemy. âHave you been spying on me?â
âSpying? If you call having to close my door and put my fingers in my ears sometimes so I can block out the noise you make when you come in late and stumble up the stairs, I guess I have. And even when you finally make it to bed, you sound like youâre wrestling with the sheets. Thatâs how they look every morning, when I make your bed.â
Eric placed his cup on the table more gently than heâd yanked it up. âIâm afraid to sleep. I canât explain it.â
âAfraid? Of what?â
âThat something will hurt me if I let my guard down. I know that sounds silly.â He looked genuinely puzzled, and his pupils were dilated.
âBut you grew up here, youâve known these people all your lifeââ
âYou never can tell. The minute you turn your back on even something youâve done routinely, it can all blow up in your face. Damn it. Whatâs wrong with me? I need to find somebody to help Pop, not be more of a burden. Heâs got enough problems. Iâm afraid Iâll let him down like Iâve done with everybody else, including you.â
She really studied Eric. He wasnât a big-shot pilot any longer, but she liked him better now that he was finally leveling with her.
âDonât worry. Youâve given everybody more than you can imagine. Your dad told me just the other day how proud he is of you. And you arenât responsible for how I feel about women.â
For the first time since theyâd been in New Hope, he seemed to actually want to communicate with her. Heâd been acting strange since he showed up in New Orleans. Something was tearing him apart inside, but what? When they were in London he was so optimistic, so much fun. Hell, he was as serious as a funeral now. He had to be missing his mother more than sheâd thought.
He shook his head, as if making an effort to stay focused on her. âSo, Jaq, are you okay? Do you need anything? How do you like playing the busy housewife?â
She shrugged. âHaving servants most of my life hasnât exactly prepared me for farm life. Iâm trying hard not to kill you and your father with my cooking.â Maybe her teasing would improve his mood.
His grin looked forced. âItâs okay. Just fine.â Then his eyes clouded over again.
What was eating at him? Having an injured eye and being half-crippled right now were bound to give him nightmares. Maybe he missed the excitement of the War even more than she did or thought the locals would call him a lazy coward. How ridiculous. He was braver than most men and had the medals and scars to prove it.
He seemed to want to be left alone almost all the time. And she had no idea how to help him open up like he just had. She really didnât know him very well. Most men, except her brothers, were as foreign to her as the Bochesâand just as much of a nuisance.
She didnât know what to say or do, so she just sat here. Eric ran his fingers through his shaggy blond hair and looked like he was about to say something else. Then he pushed back his chair, tightened the laces on his heavy work boots, and headed for the door. He paused.
âI got a letter from my pal Dick the other day. If you want to read it, itâs on the counter. I glanced at it yesterday. I donât want any reminders of the War, but I want to keep in touch with him.â Again, he started to leave, but turned around.
âBy the way, why have you been staying here so much lately? Cleaning out my motherâs closets, scrubbing the floors.
Elaine Levine
M.A. Stacie
Feminista Jones
Aminta Reily
Bilinda Ni Siodacain
Liz Primeau
Phil Rickman
1802-1870 Alexandre Dumas
Neal Stephenson
Joseph P. Lash