Free Summers' Love, A Cute and Funny Cinderella Love Story (LPC Romantic Comedy Series) by Stu Summers Page B

bet. For him, I mean.”
    She laughed softly. “Daddy saw to it that the whole thing was annulled. I returned the presents. What a headache that was. But you know, I had to. People were investing in our happiness, believing in us. It didn’t feel right keeping their gifts.” Including the Waterford, which she’d really, really liked. “This is good soup, by the way. I need to get the recipe.”
    “Remind me and I’ll give you the label from the can.”
    “I meant what you added to it,” she said with a chuckle. Kate took a sip of her wine. “Okay, your turn.”
    “My turn for what?”
    “You weren’t always a best-selling author. What did you do before you hit it big? I heard Stephen King tossed his first manuscript in the trash and his wife had to fish it out. How many rejections did you get before you landed your first contract?”
    “Oh, wow, talk about a long story. We better save that for another time.” He cut his eyes toward the lightning flashing across the marsh. “I should probably move my things to the boathouse before that next rain band moves through.”
    “Are you sure it’s okay for me to stay here? I feel bad making you sleep outside.”
    “I’ll be fine, really. Besides, there’s no place I’d rather be right now than in that boathouse knowing that you are safe and dry.” He drained the last of his wine and leaned across the table toward her. “And about that ex-husband of yours?”
    “What about him?”
    “He was an idiot.”

Chapter Eleven
    "Hattie, you’re a genius.”
    “Stu?”
    Stu sat on a swayback cot with a musty pillow tucked behind his back. In the distance, thunder boomed; overhead, rain pelted the tin roof of the boathouse. Stu watched through a rain-streaked window as lightning splintered the black night.
    With his Bluetooth cupped around his ear, he continued. “I’m sorry, Hattie, I should have asked if you are still up.”
    “I was just about to turn off the light. Is something wrong?”
    From the other end of the phone Stu heard the gravelly voice of his handyman ask his wife, “Who in the world is calling so late?”
    “Stu,” Hattie answered.
    “Who?”
    “Stuart!”
    “Was he in an accident?” Hank’s muffled voice asked.
    “No, he wasn’t in an accident.”
    “Then why’s he calling so late?”
    “That’s what I’m trying to find out. Now roll over and go back to sleep.”
    “Man calls in the middle of the night, he must be hurt bad. I’ll get my phone and call Doc Parsons.”
    “You’ll do no such a thing. Now get back in bed.”
    Stu heard grunting. “Hattie?” Stu asked. A door slammed. “Hattie, you still there?”
    “I’m sorry, dear, you were saying?”
    “What’s all the banging I hear?”
    “Hank. He wants to have the doctor run by and check on you. At least that’s what he says . I know for a fact the only reason he wants to call her is because he thinks she has a sexy voice.”
    Hank’s muffled voice continued speaking, followed by Hattie shouting, “ You do, too! You think I don’t hear you when you phone in to get your prescription refilled? ”
    “Hattie?”
    “Now, what was it you called about?”
    “To thank you. I decided to take your advice.”
    “My advice?”
    “About pretending to be First Lieutenant Reiker. Tonight I fixed her dinner. We ate on the porch by candlelight. She talked; I listened. It worked like a charm.”
    “ For the love of God, would you please stop? I am not giving you your phone back. Now go. To. Bed. ”
    “I gave up my room,” Stu said, soldiering on. “Sacrifice, right? You always told me that was a key character trait for any hero.”
    The banging and shouting stopped from the other end. “Praise Jesus,” Hattie said in a tired voice. “I’m sorry, tell me again what you wanted?”
    “To ask if I could email you the rough draft of my first chapter. I need you to look at what I wrote and add those pretty little boxes.”
    “Pretty boxes?”
    “You know, with your