The Inn at Laurel Creek Read Online Free Page B

did," she said. "But no matter." She waved her hand to show me she didn't mind. "I saved you some. You hungry? I might could bring it up if you'd like?"
    I heard an acoustic guitar playing from the French doors leading out to the deck, and knew it was Ben. "That would be lovely, Lou. Thank you." I glanced at my clothes, which were a wrinkled mess. "I'm just going to freshen up a bit, and then sit on the deck up here. May I eat there?"
    "You sure can. I'll prepare a tray for you and bring it up right quick."
    "Thanks, Lou. I appreciate it."
    She smiled, flicked her head toward the deck and whispered, "Ben looked a little sad when you didn't show up in the dining room. The way he talked about you and all, I think he's a little love struck."
    I blushed. "I doubt that."
    She nodded. "I don't. I've known that boy since he was nothing but a seed in his momma's belly, and I never seen him like this before. And what with him able to have any girl he wants, too." She winked and pointed her finger at my chest. "But you got a good heart, and I think he sees that."
    I didn't know how to respond so I just said, "Thank you. I'll be ready in a few minutes."
    I changed out of my wrinkled clothes, ran a brush through my hair, pulled it back into a clip and brushed my teeth before making an appearance on the deck. I opened the doors slowly so I wouldn't disturb Ben.
    I know nothing about music, except what I like and what I don't like, and I couldn't say anything about scales, notes or any such things because I didn't know what I didn't know. I just knew that whatever his fingers strummed on that guitar sounded lovely and made him even more sexy than I thought possible. When he stopped I said, "That's beautiful. Did you write it?"
    He twisted his head in my direction. "Still am, actually. This is just the refrain. I'm still working on the verse."
    I sat in the rocker next to him. "I don't know what that means. I just know that it sounds beautiful."
    "Thanks, I've been inspired." He strummed on the guitar. "The refrain is basically the chorus of the song. The verse is the sections where the words are different, but the music is similar."
    "Oh, duh. I knew that, about the verse part at least. If you'd said 'chorus' that would have made sense." I listened as he strummed something different. When he finished I said, "Do you write the lyrics before or after the music?"
    "It depends. Sometimes the lyrics come to me first and I work around them. Other times I have the music in my head and I write lyrics to match it."
    "I hope I get to hear your stuff on the radio some day," I said. "You're really good."
    "Thank you. It's nice to know people like what I do." He strummed something that sounded familiar but I couldn't quite place it.
    "I know that song. I can't say what it is, but I know it. Did you write it?"
    He played more and I realized then that it was a familiar song from the radio, I just couldn't think of the name or the artist. "I like the melody. It's got a nice flow." He put the guitar on his lap, face up. "Missed you at dinner."
    "I fell asleep and didn't wake up until Lou came to check on me. I had no idea I was so tired."
    "It's the fresh air. It does it to me when I first get here too, every single time. You missed some amazing fried catfish."
    "Actually, Lou's bringing me some." I twisted my hands together. "I've never had catfish though, so I'm a little worried."
    "Don't be. Lou's a fantastic cook. I'm not a fish fan myself but I'd sell my guitar for her catfish recipe."
    "Good to know—in case I ever need a guitar."
    Just then Lou came out with my tray. "Here ya go, honey," she said, handing me a tray full of fried and gravy-laden food, a heart attack on a tray. "I put a little extra cheesecake on there for Ben too, seeing as he likes it so much."
    "Thank you, Lou," Ben said, taking the smaller of the two pieces. "One piece wasn't enough earlier." He patted his non-existent belly, and I couldn't help but wonder what lay hidden under