Monkey Wrench Read Online Free

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    â€œNo,” she said, mounting the porch steps. “Not that, either. The Atkins women don’t abide people trying to control them. We like our freedom.”
    Joe stopped on the top step. “There’s a difference between freedom and plain foolishness. Your grandmother needs supervision, Miss Atkins.”
    Susannah paused and turned to face him, lifting one narrow eyebrow as she studied Joe again. “Are you one of those macho fellows who wants to be in charge of everyone, Mr. Santori?”
    â€œHell, no, but—”
    She smiled. “I bet you’re the sole breadwinner in your family, and your word is law at home. Am I right?”
    â€œYes, but—”
    â€œThen you’re not used to women like my grandmother. She was the child of an immigrant farmer who built their house with his own two hands, and she worked hard all her life, Mr. Santori. Her husband died when she was still young, and she’s outlasted her children, too, earning a meager livelihood but living a very full life. Don’t think you can come in and start bossing her around now.”
    â€œListen, Miss Atkins—”
    â€œAnd you can’t boss me around, either.”
    Joe’s comeback was cut off by the sudden opening of the front door, and in another instant, they were joined on the porch by Rose Atkins herself, a feisty old woman in blue jeans and sneakers. She was just as diminutive as her granddaughter, and must have been every bit as beautiful in her day.
    â€œWhat’s going on out here?” Rose demanded, her blue eyes sparking. “Are you two talking about me?”
    â€œYes,” Susannah replied at once, kissing her grandmother before saying smoothly, “Mr. Santori tells me you’re furious with him, Granny Rose.”
    â€œI am,” Rose snapped, glowering at Joe and folding her arms over her sweatshirt, which was imprinted with a Far Side cartoon concerning Holstein cows. “He’s poking his nose in things he has no business poking into, and if he’s ruined your vacation, Suzie, I’ll never speak to him again.”
    â€œYou have to speak to me,” Joe replied calmly. “I’m not finished fixing up your back porch, and you can’t stop yourself from checking up on me every five minutes.”
    â€œI want the job done right!”
    â€œSo you hired the best man to do it!”
    â€œI hired you because you’re the most entertaining carpenter I know, but I didn’t plan on paying you money to butt into my personal affairs.”
    â€œI won’t bill you for butting in.”
    Susannah began to laugh. “You two sound like a couple of toddlers who need naps. Granny Rose, I brought you somechutney I made in the fall. Invite Joe inside for a snack and we’ll settle this once and for all.”
    Rose looked sulky. “He can come in, I suppose. But we’re not going to talk about me.”
    â€œWell, it’s a start.”
    Rose sent Susannah a glance that was suddenly glimmering with purpose. “Maybe we should talk about you.”
    â€œMe?”
    â€œJoe, what do you think of a woman who is so busy being glamorous that she hasn’t time to find a husband and start a family?”
    â€œGranny Rose—!”
    â€œIt’s a crying shame,” Joe said, laughing.
    â€œI have spent a lot of time trying to find the right man for my granddaughter, but she’s very fussy, not to mention more disorganized than...” Rose snapped her fingers. “Good heavens! I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me before.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about, Granny Rose?”
    â€œYou and Joe, of course. Despite some rather obvious superficial differences, I suspect you’d make a perfect couple.”
    â€œA perfect—? Granny Rose! ”
    â€œWhy, of course! Joe is so bossy and you’re such a fool with keeping track of things that...why, you’re ideal for