BooksBarbecue
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Chapters (88)
  1. Cover Page
  2. Front Flap
  3. Title Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. Back Flap
  88. Back Cover

“Okay, Mom, I’ll be fine. You and Mrs. Briggs have some hotline going … Yes, I’ll let you know if it gets worse … I promise … Talk to you later … Love you, too.” Dirk snapped his phone shut, threw it on the table, and smiled at Cleo. “We have a close family.” He rolled his eyes. “As you can see, not much that I do gets by my mother. But it’s great. My parents live about an hour from here so I see them a fair amount.”

Cleo smiled. “You’re lucky. My parents travel all over the world so I don’t get to see them much.”

“Do you have brothers and sisters?”

“No.”

“That must be hard to have no family around,” Dirk said softly.

“It’s lonely sometimes.” Cleo shrugged her shoulders.

“Well, sometimes I get lonely even when I’m with my family. But I guess you’re used to spending time alone. You must like it,” Dirk said teasingly. “You’ve barely come out of your cabin all week.”

Cleo made a face. “I told you I have work to do.”

“Connie?”

“Yes.”

“You’re very mysterious.”

“Why? Just because I’m working hard?” Cleo asked, enjoying the playful exchange. “Some people call that discipline.”

Dirk looked into her eyes. “You’re an intriguing little lady. A very cute one, too.”

“Well, shucks,” Cleo joked.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m kind of hungry.”

“Me, too,” Cleo said.

“You mind fixing us some lunch? I’ve got plenty of food in the fridge.”

Cleo smiled. “Sure. Why not?”

Dirk laughed and slapped his thigh. “You were scared of me!”

“No I wasn’t!” Cleo protested dramatically as she headed toward the kitchen. “You don’t scare me!” she said, laughing. “Not in the least!” With you I feel safe, she thought. Other things scare me, but I’m putting them out of my mind right now.

She started to poke through the refrigerator.

Dirk called from the couch. “What’s taking so long?”

Cleo laughed. “Oh, be quiet!” That does it, she thought happily. I’m living for the moment. I can’t be so afraid anymore.

If only she’d waited one more day to change her thinking …

40

Here goes, Scott thought as he pulled up to the security booth at the gated community of the couple he and Jillian had met the night before.

The guard opened the window. “Can I help you?” he asked, in a somewhat hostile tone.

“Hello,” Scott said cheerily, then gave his name. “I’m here to meet with the Binders.”

“They’re expecting you.” The guard pushed a button and the gate started to open. “Make a right and follow the road. After you pass Oakley Way, it’s a few houses down on the left.”