The Rookie: Book 2 The Last Play Series Read Online Free Page A

might come out again, but instead he found a cool, calm woman had emerged.
    “Shelia, I need to borrow your car please. Ours isn’t working.”
    The lady shook her head. “Oh no, I let my son take it up to Ogden this morning to go fishing.” She reached for a cell phone in her pocket. “I’ll call him.”
    “No.” Charity searched around the small desk the phone was on. “I’ll have Abby take me.” Then she paused. “Oh but Abby’s not home.”
    Shelia adjusted her bun. “Should you call your mother and have her come home?”
    Charity shook her head, turning to glance at a large clock in the middle of the room. “Her flight left for Australia ten minutes ago.”
    “Oh, dear.” Shelia pulled her in for a hug.
    Before Legend could stop them, the words came tumbling out. “I’ll take you.”
    Charity turned to him. Relief warred with uncertainty.
    Legend instinctively responded to the urgency of the situation. “Get your stuff, let’s go.”
    Only hesitating for a second longer, Charity nodded before rushing up the stairs.
    Shelia turned to him, squinted, and smiled. “Well, you’re Legend James.”
    He nodded and stuck his hand out. “Nice to meet you.”
    Seeming a bit star struck, Shelia smiled and held onto his hand a bit too long. “Are you one of Charity’s friends?”
    Charity bounded down the stairs, holding a bag and wearing flip flops.
    “You could say that.” He didn’t know if she would contradict him.
    “That’s nice.” Shelia let go then turned to Charity. “Are there any scheduled check-ins tonight, dear?”
    Charity moved around the room like a whirlwind. “The Baxters and the Shermans. There’s cake in the back for them, and please get their credit card on file before giving them a room key.” Charity pulled her in and kissed her cheek. “Thanks.”
    Legend moved to the door and down the steps toward his car.
    Shelia followed them. “I got this. You know I’ve been training to run this place by myself for the past twenty years.”
    Charity waved back and then stopped next to his car. “Thank you.” She flung back to him. “Oh, you got a new car?”
    For some stupid reason, it made him happy that she noticed. “Yep, and I’m going to assume you know that because you’ve been stalking me for the article.”
    Hooking her belt as he got in and started it, she frowned. “Thank you for the ride.”
    “I guess I just proved I’m not the jerk you thought.”
    She scoffed at him. “You did, until you just said that.” She looked out the passenger window. “Plus, you still got me fired, and this doesn’t mean we’re friends.”

Chapter 4
    C harity left a message on her mother’s phone, telling her not to freak out and to call her when she got to Australia. She hung up and hated how torn she felt. Part of her wanted to demand that her mother come back. Actually, she wouldn’t have to demand anything. She knew her mother would want to come back. She loved Grandpa. He was like a father to her, too.
    Another part of her wanted to insist her mother stay in Australia. Since Charity was little she remembered her mother talking about going there. It wasn’t like they’d had a ton of money when she was growing up, and Australia had always felt like this imagined pie in the sky dream.
    This would have been one of those times that it would have been nice to have Paul around. He’d always been so reliable in times of personal crisis. She shoved that thought away and hated herself for being so weak.
    Unconsciously, she bowed her head and closed her eyes to pray. A flood of memories rushed through her mind. It was like her whole life with Grandpa was flashing before her eyes. More tears that moved in a river down her face. She realized during the prayer that there were definitely worse things than losing a job. Losing him would unhinge her. He was her rock in life. She could always count on him to understand and not judge.
    She must have prayed for a long time because the next