Disgruntled Read Online Free Page A

didn’t understand the importance of
that statement.
Todd smiled and reached out a hand to help her up. “You
were drooling. If I’d been a burglar, I could have robbed you
blind.” Or worse. He pressed an index finger to her arm and
pulled away. “But it doesn’t look like too much sun.”
“Thanks to SPF 50 and my very kind genetics.” She stared at
his hand briefly then took it and pulled her towel up with
her, wrapped it around, and tucked the loose end. She
noticed Eric surveying the contraptions surrounding the
yard with interest. He hesitated to touch, but with hands in
pockets he shuffled through the grass, curiously eying the
various
pieces.
She
warmed
at
the
small
man
carefully
evaluating the engineering and creativity of her brother’s
artwork. Reva slid her eyes back to Todd.
A slight twitch lifted his brow. “Kind genetics,” he repeated.
Reva felt the sweat trickling down her spine and decided to
make a graceful escape and clean up. She pushed hair away
from her forehead noticing the dampness there as well.
“Thanks for the fruit. I’ll have to try the mojito thing. That
sounds great. I need to get going.”
“Oh, sure. Big plans for the weekend, I guess.”
“Family dinner at the parents.” She grimaced. “Not exactly
what I’d call big plans but with a family like mine it can
sometimes get that way.”
“You must be from around here. Don’t tell me. You grew
up here and have never lived more than fifteen minutes
from Mom and Dad.”
Reva didn’t care for the tone in his voice. Accusation
dripped from his words as if she had no adventure in her. If
only he knew. At one time adventure was her middle name.
Put a capital A on it and serve it up with a little fun too.
Okay, maybe that was overstating a bit. Doesn’t matter. That
was the person she had been once, not now.
“Nope. I grew up in San Diego. My Dad’s military. He
transferred here when I was fifteen. I was furious that my
entire social life had to be uprooted for his job.” She swept a
hand up to wipe the drip of sweat trailing down her chin. “I
have a sister and two brothers, all of whom can drive a
person to drink. The oldest two were already gone by the
time we moved. So, when I was eighteen, I decided to do
what a very driven but sanity-seeking high school graduate
would do. I went to college in Florida and got an MIS
degree.
Then
I
missed
everybody
-
so
when
a
job
opportunity came up here, I tried for it and got it.” Not to
mention that I wanted to get as far away as possible from an
abusive ex-fiancé.
“Your parents must be proud.”
“Hardly. Our family is full of various levels of achievement
and my little degrees are the least of them. That’s what
happens
when you get a bunch of hot-headed siblings
competing against each other.”
Eric called out to Todd. “Dad, you could sell some of this
stuff. Don’t you think?”
“Funny, that’s what I thought when I saw it too.” Reva
turned and watched Eric run a finger over the table Todd
praised earlier. “I have an internet-based lawn and garden
sales business. We have a few stores but most of our stuff is
sold over the internet.”
“Wow. That must be a lot of work.”
“It can be. I like to be outside so at first it was a hobby while
I ran a landscaping business. People liked the originality of
the pieces I added to their yards and a friend suggested I
should sell them. It all blossomed from there and now I
don’t do the landscaping unless it’s for a friend or one of my
old customers -- or right here.” He waved a hand at the back
fence. “And I’m inside a lot more than I like with all the
work required, but it’s still fun.”
“I’m burning up so it’s time I headed inside myself. Thanks
again for the limes.” She waved as he started back to the side
gate. She should probably get a gate lock so people wouldn’t
tromp in and startle her. She watched the flex of his calves
as he moved and shrugged. Maybe not. That was one of the
things she loved