That Summer

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Book: That Summer by Joan Wolf Read Free Book Online
Authors: Joan Wolf
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mine?“
    “We're closer to your place.”
    “Okay.”
    We both washed our hands at the sink and I put the kettle on the stove to heat and sat at the table across from him.
    “I'm glad you were here, Annie,” he said.
    “I'm glad I could help.”
    “I thought of trying to straighten her myself, but I thought a vet would do a better job.” He gave me a measuring look. “You're stronger than you look.”
    “You have to be strong to work with horses. I work out at the gym three days a week.”
    “Do you have muscles?”
    “You bet I do.”
    “Let's feel.” He reached across the table and cupped his hand around my upper arm.
    Once again that bolt of electricity shot through me. He dropped his hand and gave me a startled look. Had he felt it too?
    “That
is
a muscle,” he said.
    Maybe he was just surprised that I had a real muscle.
    “I know.”
    The kettle whistled and I went to fill the teacups.
    He was looking down at his hands as I brought one of the mugs to the table for him. The usual unruly lock of hair was falling over his forehead and he needed a shave. I put the cup in front of him and he flashed me a quick smile. “Thanks.”
    I always felt his smile in my heart.
    I brought my own mug to the table and took my usual seat. “Mom says she liked the house. Lucky for us you saw that ad.”
    “Yeah.”
    I thought he was looking tired. And worried.
    “Has anything happened?” I asked.
    “Yesterday an auditor showed up to look at the farm books.”
    I frowned. “What does that mean?”
    “I'm not sure, but the farm and the horses belong to my father. They are part of his assets. If he's really in financial trouble, I suppose his creditors could come after the whole shebang.”
    “Oh Liam, no.”
    “It's not a happy scenario.”
    “You don't own any of the horses?”
    “Actually, I own Buster. I saved the money to buy Pennyroyal and two other mares, and I paid the stud fees on them when I bred them. So Buster is mine.”
    “And the rest of the horses are your father's?”
    “They belong to the farm, which belongs to my father.”
    “What made you buy Pennyroyal for yourself?”
    “It dawned on me one day that, after years of hard work, I had no financial stake in the farm. I was completely dependent on my father. He paid me a salary and I ran the farm. I decided that I would be better off financially if I bought some horses on my own.”
    “It sounds as if you made a wise decision.”
    “Still, I don't know what I'd do if the farm was lost. It's been in my family for almost two hundred years!”
    “It would be a terrible shame,” I agreed. “But I doubt things will come to that point, Liam. Your father won't want to sell it. It won't look good for him.”
    “That's true.” He sipped his tea. “It's nice having you home, Annie. I've missed you.”
    “You've missed my sympathetic ear, you mean.”
    He smiled. “No matter what happened, I always knew that you'd be on my side.”
    “That hasn't changed, Liam.” I hesitated. Should I say this? But I had never had any secrets from Liam. I said quickly, “I saw you and Leslie together the night of the Hunt Ball, you know. You were out by the fountain and I came out onto the back patio to get some air. You were yelling at each other.”
    He went perfectly still. His blue gaze got hard. “You never told me this.”
    “I know I didn't. And I didn't tell anyone else, either.”
    “Why?”
    “Because it would make you even more of a suspect than you already are.”
    “And that's precisely why I've said nothing about it.” His voice was bitter. “Leslie was trying to make me jealous, and she succeeded admirably. I was furious with her, but I didn't kill her, Annie. I promise you, I didn't kill her.”
    “I never thought you did. That's why I didn't say anything.”
    “Why are you telling me this now?”
    “I don't know. Habit, I guess. We don't keep secrets from each other.”
    He said, “Are you going to tell the police now?”
    I gave

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