Free Whisperer by Jeanne Harrell Page B

stood
stock-still and listened to herself. What did she feel? Anything?
Yeah… ‘not much’ would be a good description, right up there with
‘ who does he think he is’? It was amazing how little she
cared if he was alive or dead. And that felt good… She deleted the
message, knowing full well that that wouldn’t delete Eddy from her
life. She would probably have something else to do to end things.
Should she mention it to Colt?

CHAPTER TWELVE
    A pretty
lively scene was going on -- Steaks were grilling, music
was playing, and lots of laughter. Colt saw a game of horseshoes
being played and kids running everywhere. His sisters were helping
their mother with various dishes that needed to be heated and were
bringing out food to the tables set up outside. Colt had helped set
up the long tables, so groups of people could visit and eat. He
popped a beer from one of the many drink coolers, took a pull, and
looked around for Mandy. Where was she?
    He knew Lily
and Meg had brought her up to the house to freshen up, but now he
couldn’t see her anywhere. Colt walked around. He waved at Jeanne
and Sam talking with Jason and Amy, he saw Jesse, with his arm
around Audrey, scowling at Miles about something, and brother Joey
looked kind of cozy with Jason’s daughter, Anna. When had that
happened? He heard Miles and Joey say they had tied with the
calf-branding bet, so neither would have to mend fences for a
week…
    His dad was
grilling the steaks and he could see that Sam had brought several
bottles of his great Chardonnay that he made up in Sonoma. Colt
knew Mandy would like a glass, but where did she go? He went inside
the house and found Lily in the kitchen.
    “Mom, where’s
Mandy? You brought her in, right?”
    Lily looked
around. “She went into a bedroom to change and I haven’t seen her
since. I thought she was with you.” Oh – oh. She hoped there wasn’t
trouble in Paradise…
    “I’ll look
around, thanks.” He started to go into the bedroom area, when he
glanced outside and saw her talking on her cell phone on the side
of the house. He went out to join her. She looked over at him and
tucked her phone away.
    “Everything
okay?”
    “Sure,
yeah…fine…” But she didn’t look fine. Maybe it was her crazy mother
again. He’d have to meet that woman sometime and wasn’t looking
forward to it.
    Mandy shook it
off and then laughed. “I could really use a glass of Sam’s
Chardonnay. Did he bring any?”
    “Of course and
he wants compliments galore. “ He lightly kissed her. “Let’s go
find you a glass.” But she didn’t move and wouldn’t let go of
him.
    “Are you sure
you’re okay?” She looked up at him. Her eyes locked with his and he
held his breath.
    “ ‘I need to
believe that something extraordinary is possible.’ ” He smiled at
her.
    “It’s already
happened. We found each other and fell in love. What’s more
extraordinary than that?” They kissed a lingering kiss.
    Colt grabbed
her hand and started leading her to the patio area and all the
noise. He looked back at her, stopped and smiled. “By the way, I
know that line is from ‘ A Beautiful Mind’ . Nice try, though.
Remember, I have a movie-toting grandmother…”
    She laughed.
“Darn…I thought I would have you with that one. It’s a little
obscure and…”
    “Obscure? It’s
the best line of the movie when Jennifer Connelly puts her hand on
Russell Crowe’s heart. It’s a wow line. A real
tear-jerker…”
    She looked
deeply into his eyes. “You are easily one of the most sentimental
men in the universe. Where did you come from?”
    “Well, if you
talk to my dad – he’d say I came from the barn one stormy night.
However, Mom would say I came from a night in sunny San Francisco.
Take your pick.”
    “I do love you,
Colt.”
    “I so adore
you, Mandy. Maybe later you can tell me why you’re upset.”
    He looked at
her and she just nodded.
    “Later.”
    “Okay.”
    And the good
times were rolling…People