Free [Canadian West 05] - Beyond the Gathering Storm by Janette Oke Page B

beats those second-rate restaurants you usually take me to,” joked Boyd.
    Christine flushed again.
    “Have you had any courses in journalism?” Mr. Kingsley picked up the previous conversation.
    “Not yet. Didn’t want to jump into it in the middle of a semester.
    “But you were taking classes—right?”
    “Oh ... right. I finished up a couple of arts classes.”
    “Arts?”
    “General. They will apply to almost anything I decide to take.”
    “So you’ve only got a couple classes?”
    “Well, I have another one from the first semester.”
    “I thought you took a full load your first semester.”
    “Well ... yeah ... I started out that way. Some of them were just ... useless rubbish. I dropped a couple. Ended up with only one I could use.”
    Christine felt very uncomfortable. She wished she did not have to sit in on this exchange. Even so, the two seemed most amiable. No criticism on the part of the father. No apology or embarrassment on the part of the son.
    “Takes a while to settle into university life,” Boyd went on. “You sort of have to find your way.”
    Mr. Kingsley agreed, seeming quite willing to accept his son’s word for it.
    “Well—next year you’ll know what to expect. More what you want. You can work it out then.”
    Boyd nodded and asked for the plate of chicken.
    “Save plenty of room for dessert. I had Miss Delaney make your favorite. Chocolate cream pie. I got a whiff of it. You’ll want more than one piece, I’m sure.”
    After the meal the men stretched out in front of the blazing fire in the drawing room, and Christine hurried off to clean up the kitchen. She had no objection to riding the city’s electric streetcars, but she did not feel comfortable being out alone too late at night. Had she still been in the North she would not have given the late hour a second thought. Christine felt much safer in the North than in the unfamiliar city.
    “Come. Come sit and visit,” invited Mr. Kingsley, extending a hand to her when she stepped into the room to bid them a good-night.
    “Oh ... no. Thank you. I must get on home. I’m not even sure how late the trolley runs.”
    “Trolley? No trolley. No need. Boyd can take you in his car. Come and sit awhile.”
    Christine felt she had no choice in the matter. Reluctantly she laid aside her coat and went to join them. The younger man slid over on the couch and patted the seat beside him. With flushed cheeks, Christine accepted the invitation.
    “So ... has my father been treating you all right?” teased the young man. Mr. Kingsley laughed outright. Christine did not attempt an answer, feeling that none was really expected.
    “I tried to get her to move in here,” said Mr. Kingsley. “Room and board in exchange for a meal now and then.”
    Boyd looked at her closely, making her blush further. “Sounds like a good plan to me.”
    “Well, it didn’t sound like a good plan to her. She turned me down.”
    Christine could feel two sets of eyes trained upon her. It made her most uncomfortable. “I just didn’t think it would look right,” she managed.
    “Told her she could bring some other woman along,” the father explained.
    “I really have no ... no other woman to bring,” Christine defended herself.
    “You could always bring 01’ Bones,” Boyd put in.
    At Christine’s frown, he quickly amended the comment. “Whoops. Guess I should say Miss Stout.”
    Miss Stout? 01’ Bones? Christine was shocked at the young man’s lack of respect, but his father only chuckled.
    “I do not believe Miss Stout would be interested in making a move to accommodate me,” Christine said, trying to keep her tone matter-of-fact.
    Boyd smiled and shifted, stretching long legs across the heavy carpet. “Oh ... I think Miss Stout would use any excuse available to be able to move in here,” he said, raising an eyebrow somewhat cynically.
    “I really must be going,” Christine said as she stood to her feet.
    Mr. Kingsley nodded. “Reckon