Second Chance with Love Read Online Free Page A

called. He had groaned before he took call. Now he glanced at his watched as his mother spoke on.
    “…and I told the young man to turn off his iPod and listen to me,” mother said, put on her strict teacher voice she used on her third graders. She was engrossed in the telling of what happened to her that day. It was as if she were trying to act out the scene for Nathan over the phone. Or so Nathan imagined.
    Nathan frowned at to the mirror.
    " Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit , I said to him. I never shouted. But you should have seen him, I sure put the fear of the Lord in that boy,” she chuckled.
    "What happened?"
    "Well, your dad and his security team obviously heard me reprimanding him and came outside to see what the fuss was about. When they saw that I had apprehended a shoplifter they were most pleased with me. Your dad wasn't pleased with the boy, to say the least.
    "Oh, Ma you need to be careful," Nathan could feel the tense worry as his eyebrows furrowed. He never felt comfortable about his mother’s acts of courage. "You'd think a woman of your age you'd leave it to the authorities to handle,” said Nathan.
    "Not a chance, Nathan. Sometimes you have to follow the path of righteousness,” she declared. “Your dad does it all the time.”
    “Yeah, but he's paid to do it. I don't want you being reckless. You need to be more careful,” lectured Nathan.
    “We raised you and your sister to right wrongs wherever and whenever you can.”
    Nathan knew his mother was fearless, and that was his main fear. She didn't mind having conversations with strangers. She would go at late night and never hesitated to put herself in harm's way if necessary.
    "I remember my mission trips. They were a lot of fun back then. Things weren't always as easy as they are today. Missionaries are well protected, but back when we were young and made do with what we had.”
    His mother always spoke of her missionary days, and said if Nathan ever decided to embark on his first mission trip she would gave him all the support he needed. Nathan guessed it was her way of trying to steer him away from the world of money and power that had fascinated him.
    She took every opportunity to give him little trinkets of advice or rehash anecdotes she thought would help nurture him toward helping others without expecting to gain from it. And although Nathan never saw his mother worried or fearful, he knew if she discovered he was offered a position in Gerald Grady’s firm, she'd be worried.
    If only I could feel satisfied, like my parents , Nathan thought. But I can settle for an easy life.
     
     
     
    Hilda struggled to remain calm as she listened to Melanie chat away about her date with Scott. Melanie seemed to be filled with glee.
    “We’re already set for a second date,” she divulged. “The chemistry was so there.”
    “That's wonderful, Mel,” said Hilda. “I'm so happy for you.” Indeed Hilda was very happy for her friend, but her happiness only went so far. She had lied about being ill, after all.
    “He mentioned that we might go for a boat ride on our next date,” Melanie mentioned.
    “What happened, did he have to go early or something? Why are you going home?” Hilda asked.
    “We’ll you happened, silly. You did look a bit unwell, so I got a little worried. Scott said, it'd be best if I go and check on you,” Melanie said.
    It squeezed at Hilda's brain. She'd done something pretty awful; lying to Melanie for a stranger, she'd had no justification for doing this. Had she expected Nathan to lead her astray? Hilda looked around the bar. Still, she was in a place where she never thought she’d ever go, and it was for a guy she had barely know for over an hour.
    “Oh, I'm sorry Mel,” as she spoke these words, Hilda's own voice sounded alien to herself
    “Don't be ridiculous, how are you to blame? Besides, I'm outside of your house now.”
    Shock paralyzed Hilda. “What?”
    Hilda had not even thought that Melanie