The Soldier And The Single Mom. Lee Tobin McClain

Читать онлайн книгу.

The Soldier And The Single Mom - Lee Tobin McClain


Скачать книгу
Finally, she spoke. “Hank was...smart and handsome. And rich.”

      He smiled. “Bodes well for Bobby.”

      “Yes. I just hope he doesn’t inherit a couple of the other genes.”

      “Like?”

      “Like the addiction-prone one.”

      “Oh.” Buck looked away, feeling ashamed. Addiction was considered genetic by some, but more of a character flaw by most. And it was a flaw he shared. “Did your husband ever do AA or anything like that?”

      “He was more into cocaine,” she said, “but sure, he did NA. Plenty of times.”

      “It never took?” That was discouraging. “You’re talking about him in the past tense. Is he dead?”

      “He died not long after Bobby was born. Ski accident.”

      “Drugs?”

      She nodded. “Yes. He was high, skiing one of the most dangerous double black diamond slopes in California. He didn’t have a chance.”

      “I’m sorry.” Why did a guy do drugs when he had a wife and baby who needed him?

      Then again, why did any addict do what he did?

      “So that’s not who you’re running from.”

      She shook her head. “No. It’s...my in-laws.”

      “Your husband’s family? What’s the problem there?”

      She sighed. “Abuse, if you must know. I don’t want to talk about it.”

      Buck’s pulse rate shot up. There it was. He’d like to get his hands on those people. “If they abused you or Bobby, they should go to prison.”

      “They should, but they won’t,” she said with complete certainty.

      “They’re that powerful?”

      “They’re that powerful.”

      The sky was black velvet now, the air cooling more. She huddled under the blanket she’d been using as a nursing cover. She looked so pretty. So vulnerable. So in need of protection.

      As was the little baby now sleeping in his arms.

      He wasn’t going to let anything happen between him and Gina, no way, but he had to let her stay. Dion had asked him to, and he had a lot to report to the police chief. And maybe, just maybe, it was a way for him to get over Ivana, move on. Maybe this was part of the restitution he was trying to practice in his recovery.

      He was to make amends for wrongs he had done. Well, he was doing that with bar owners around town, with friends he’d borrowed from. With Lacey, who’d had to put up with a lot from him during his two-year drinking spree.

      But the people he’d wronged the most were dead.

      Could he make restitution through Gina and Bobby? Give something to them, and that way right the balance with his wife and child, who were beyond earthly help?

      And once he’d made his restitution and saved up a little money, he’d leave. Leave, with a clean slate, and start over somewhere where nobody knew his past. It was what he wanted. All he wanted. All he was working for.

      The wind blew the cool farm air toward the house, fragrant with fresh-plowed earth. Crickets sang out in a chorus. Streetlights flickered on down the block, where the shops were.

      He slid one hand away from the baby and into his pocket where he carried his recovery coin. Six months sober. He could handle this new challenge.

      “I’ll talk to Lacey,” he said gruffly. “Try to get her to let you stay awhile. And you can work on the renovation with me.”

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgEBLAEsAAD/4RuiRXhpZgAATU0AKgAAAAgACAESAAMAAAABAAEAAAEaAAUA AAABAAAAbgEbAAUAAAABAAAAdgEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAExAAIAAAAcAAAAfgEyAAIAAAAUAAAAmgE7 AAIAAAATAAAArodpAAQAAAABAAAAxAAAAPAALcbAAAAnEAAtxsAAACcQQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9w IENTMyBXaW5kb3dzADIwMTc6MDE6MTYgMTM6NTU6MjkATWNDbGFpbiwgTGVlIFRvYmluAAAAAAAD oAEAAwAAAAEAAQAAoAIABAAAAAEAAAZroAMABAAAAAEAAAooAAAAAAAAAAYBAwADAAAAAQAGAAAB GgAFAAAAAQAAAT4BGwAFAAAAAQAAAUYBKAADAAAAAQACAAACAQAEAAAAAQAAAU4CAgAEAAAAAQAA GkwAAAAAAAAASAAAAAEAAABIAAAAAf/Y/+AAEEpGSUYAAQIAAEgASAAA/+0ADEFkb2JlX0NNAAH/ 7gAOQWRvYmUAZIAAAAAB/9sAhAAMCAgICQgMCQkMEQsKCxEVDwwMDxUYExMVExMYEQwMDAwMDBEM DAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMAQ0LCw0ODRAODhAUDg4OFBQODg4OFBEMDAwMDBER DAwMDAwMEQwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAz/wAARCACgAGUDASIAAhEBAxEB/90A BAAH/8QBPwAAAQUBAQEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAwABAgQFBgcICQoLAQABBQEBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAABAAID BAUGBwgJCgsQAAEEAQMCBAIFBwYIBQMMMwEAAhEDBCESMQVBUWETInGBMgYUkaGxQiMkFVLBYjM0 coLRQwclklPw4fFjczUWorKDJkSTVGRFwqN0NhfSVeJl8rOEw9N14/NGJ5SkhbSVxNTk9KW1xdXl 9VZmdoaWprbG1ub2N0dXZ3eHl6e3x9fn9xEAAgIBAgQEAwQFBgcHBgU1AQACEQMhMRIEQVFhcSIT BTKBkRShsUIjwVLR8DMkYuFygpJDUxVjczTxJQYWorKDByY1wtJEk1SjF2RFVTZ0ZeLys4TD03Xj 80aUpIW0lcTU5PSltcXV5fVWZnaGlqa2xtbm9ic3R1dnd4eXp7fH/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwCh/wA1 frDa82Wmmx/c+odBO7tX7fcU4+p/XADLaZEz+kOkaGf0f5qev65dYLZ2Y7Z+lDH8f9vI7frf1hzo c2gh30va/v73/wCGWbfPdsf0blct0Mkf/M/rQcC5tOgid55b9Ju01/vfSWvi/VhjL6LMrHrca69t p95/SAR7WD0/ofmWbt9aDR9YerW5FlRFAY12wEbzq4ifd6nv3Pc381bdFvUN5rzg2pzjYQGuJ2tb /hnNcWuf6r/zP0f6NiafvstPQK13pbI8uKvj1PRrVdHrpqsc1m2/1AaRptbUwMbHvB91bm+7/SK1 Ri2PutOVSKWWsNbnUuc7c0bWM2B7Wuo/l7LPe/01ZxnsuYLNxfU5zmOfMEQ7a7cywbqrPzbGf4N7 EV7Q2wBjbX1Aw97XA7AfziXbfpO+lsTva52MIGPBdbH/AJn9/jYhl5biIPFQNAj1f3+L93gcvF6I xjrxfu2P21ito3Nc0abLQ9rfc/asVn1QzGPsGhoLia4dDvTne2dPb+jXSdQuycWj1ceHlpO9pJkb Xfzrfzn7Wv8Ac3+2g0ZWZZnMxnGsM2WfaC0kljh/NCvUNv3sH5n/AEFEBz/yxEP3dPH5eFeJctH9 4aXq5D/qo7163yWek8EWl0lu0yP0NjHMf7tm6tTs6P1p+R6jjS/1S2y21oLHPd9H3Vxs3fy6/p2L oyx/2Jz3WD7U0lr2NJew/RdDfo+51exUMzKvpd6VDwba2tNjXggAOHse2wP2enXf/O/uIGPOgaiB Gvmu4uXA1Mz11c7I6Dey192C81W7S0h4JDpcd7Mjb9L3O/Q/n47/ANH/ACFbqxMht7H3kbGayJc5 xkBz9z/o/RUB1W5zamElj8nc2q6N7A8n9Gy+ttm+vfYP3vf+j/Soz7b24tl917D6cwWs0Ggc5ux1 hc/9I/8AeTYx5sAS9Omxl+9/WV/RSRZl3+xf0RuiDsFnqAaSP3mcbfp+5JU/tfVtmz0avtHId7vT NffKa2d21v0XY+/1/USR/p/eP8v5fKu4eV/rv//Q5ikCROg7wrNNe4mw6tYZMjmdGN/zkGsewxOn P/fVfwMW7KeWUNDdxDfVdw0AF/8A0/T/ADPpv9iiLJ49m/0SrfnUvImpl9e4CTG6wE7W/nfQ+muy HqOys3JqAsvsc2upjva1rGA7v0jg79I59tr9/wC4sXomE3FosuY22zKraJp2sY6sCKmvbVXZkua6 zf7K7Xeps/S+mujJ3WuAAOyGfozuZDmtsY7hv0q7EqA4uKr8+0dGKZMjExsAda+az6qQ+ljsDnVg tc/aX7ZAlobW2Gjb+Y1MQ2sPcAG7gC8gakN+jP5ztqm8RA4A4hV8ioWNOkmDAOrTwYtrd7Lfo/np

Скачать книгу