Free The Siren's Call (Last Chance Motel Book 3) by Abigail Keam Page A

you to move on.”
    “Advise me, huh? I suppose that’s fair enough since Mary is your mother. Now, son, let me advise you about something. Your mother is an independent woman and of sound mind. She’s still in charge of her own life. It’s really none of your business who she sees.”
    “My family is my business, and that includes my mother.”
    “Son, I don’t want to quarrel with you. You love your mother. You’re concerned about her. I respect that, but I would like you to respect that I might have feelings for her too. She’s too young to be thrown on a loveless trash heap.”
    Mike rose. “I’ve said my piece. I’ll be going now.”
    River stood up also and faced Mike squarely. “Let’s shake hands and part amicably. I want no hard feelings between us. I’ll tell you what–if I treat your mother badly, then you have my permission to take me out and beat the livin’ tar out of me. We both know you can do it. Does that make you feel better?”
    Mike exhaled. He felt the tension leave his body. Shaking River’s hand, Mike smirked, “Oddly, that does. Thanks River.”

25
    “I don’t know why you are so upset. You’d think you would be happy that someone is interested in your mother,” Jenny heard Eva say to her father in the living room. Even though she was supposed to be asleep, she sneaked out of her bed and listened from the hall when she heard her father grumbling about Mr. Egan.
    “But we don’t know anything about him,” argued Mike.
    “Mary’s not running off to Tahiti with him. She’s a big girl and smart. Stay out of it.”
    “It doesn’t feel right to me,” complained Mike.
    “I think if you interfere with something that might turn out to be a blessing for Mary, she will have a difficult time forgiving you.”
    Mike harrumphed. “That’s ridiculous.”
    “No, it’s not,” replied Eva, clasping Mike’s hand. “You need to pay attention to me in this. Your mother spent years of her life looking after you and Jenny after Beth passed away. That’s over. Now she wants to spread her wings. Enjoy life a little. Less duty, more fun.”
    “She say something to you?”
    “She doesn’t have to. I know women, and I’m telling you that Mary is interested in River Egan.”
    Eva continued, “Even you will have to admit that he is nice looking. He and Mary would make a darling couple. And so far there have been no red flags from him.”
    “About being a creep?”
    “Exactly. I hardly think he’s Jack the Ripper. If it would make you feel any better, have Jim Masterson do a background check on him, but be discreet.”
    Jenny frowned, since she didn’t know who this Jack the Ripper was.
    “That’s a thought.”
    “And if River Egan comes up clean, then will you get off this train to nowhere?”
    Mike smiled and pulled Eva onto his lap. “Maybe. Maybe not. Are we finished arguing?”
    “I didn’t know we were.”
    “Haven’t you heard of great make-up sex after an argument?” Mike whispered as he leaned in and kissed Eva on the neck.
    Eva’s face brightened. “Then I guess we were arguing. Race you to the bedroom.”
    Seeing that Eva and her father were heading toward the hall, Jenny ducked back into her bedroom. She didn’t understand why her daddy didn’t like River Egan. He was her friend. Why didn’t her daddy understand how Mr. Egan had helped her overcome her fear of the ocean?
    Sometimes grown-ups didn’t make any sense at all.

26
    R iver was washing a few dirty dishes when he heard footsteps outside his door. He strode over and opened the door before there was a knock. “Mary, how nice to see you,” he said, surprised.
    “Hey, you startled me,” replied Mary. “I didn’t even have a chance to knock.” She turned and pointed to an angry-looking sky over the Atlantic Ocean. “See that?”
    River observed the sky. “Yep. So what?”
    “I know you don’t have a TV yet, but that’s a tropical storm. She is gonna rock your little trailer world like