Don't Cry for Me. Шарон Сала

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СКАЧАТЬ was so close he could almost taste the kiss, but he wouldn’t go there. Not until she was standing on her own two feet and no longer dependent on him for her care. It wouldn’t be fair, and if he had a chance in hell of rebuilding this relationship they had to start on equal ground.

      He winked to lighten the moment, then backed out of the Jeep and closed the door. By the time he got inside, she had her emotions in check.

      “I know you must be exhausted, but this is the last leg of the trip. Once we get to the cabin you can sleep, relax and watch some TV, whatever you want.”

      “I’m okay. The pain pills are kicking in.”

      “Good. Next time, don’t wait so long, okay?”

      “I won’t.”

      She waved at Ryal and Beth, who were standing on the porch, then leaned back against the seat as he drove away.

      “Your family is really nice.”

      “Yeah, they’re pretty special, but they’re also nosy. You’ll probably meet more of them than you’re ready for over the next few weeks.”

      She shrugged. “I’ll take my chances.”

      “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he muttered.

      Mariah grinned. “Take a breath, Quinn. I’ve been fighting insurgents for almost five years. I’m not afraid of your family.”

      The smile on her face was like a breath of fresh air. It was the first time since they’d left the hospital that he’d gotten even a glimpse of the Mariah he’d known before. It gave him hope that the rest of her was in there somewhere, waiting until it was safe to come out.

      When they got back to the main road he turned left and headed up the mountain. Just a little bit farther and they would be home.

      It didn’t take long for Mariah to notice the houses they were passing. Some were bunched together in twos and threes, and others were set so far back off the road all she saw was the driveway and the roof. A lot of them were in varying stages of disrepair. She knew what it meant to choose food over shelter.

      Most of the vehicles she saw were up on blocks or were being stripped for parts. Children playing in their yards paused and waved as they drove past. A couple even gave chase until called back by a family member keeping watch from a nearby porch. It was obvious that the job market around here was weak.

      Quinn caught the changing expressions on her face as they drove and couldn’t help but wonder what she was thinking.

      “I’m guessing this lifestyle is pretty foreign to you,” he said.

      Mariah frowned. “The rural part, yes, but the obvious poverty, not so much. Some of my foster homes weren’t much better, and after I aged out of the system I was homeless. I would have gladly chosen any of these houses rather than sleeping in an abandoned building or a sewer pipe with a half dozen others just like me. In fact, these people are all better off than me. If not for you, I would be homeless again.”

      “You never said anything about being homeless before,” he said.

      She shrugged. “Why would I? We were too busy trying to stay alive to dwell on what I’d left behind me. I never thought I’d come back all messed up, or that I’d be right back where I started before I signed up. No, that’s not the truth. I have a ways to go to get back where I started.”

      “And you have all the time you need to do it,” Quinn said.

      She frowned then shook her head. “I can’t stay with you forever.”

      “You’re not looking at this from the right angle. All you need to do is take one day at a time, honey. One day at a time.”

      She leaned back and then sighed. “You’re right. As usual, I want everything put back together yesterday so I can get on with tomorrow.”

      Quinn frowned. “If you think like that, then you forget to live for today.”

      She’d never thought of life that way before. It was something to consider.

      A short while later he began pointing out places of interest, and her focus shifted.

      “My brother James and his wife live down that road,” he said. “They have two of the cutest kids.”

      “Beth told me she’s an illustrator and Ryal makes furniture. What does James do?” Mariah asked.

      “He farms a little tobacco, but his main job is with the postal service. He’s the mail carrier for all of Rebel Ridge and parts south.”

      “I don’t mean this to sound prejudiced, but how come your family seems to have a higher standard of living than a lot of your neighbors?”

      “I don’t know. There are plenty of others like us. We find ways to support ourselves knowing we won’t ever be rich, but we know how to be happy with what we have. The people on Rebel Ridge aren’t any different from people down in the city. Some are willing to settle for less, some aren’t. It’s just a fact of life.”

      “Do you have a job you go to every day?”

      He nodded. “I work for the Daniel Boone National Forest Service as a backcountry ranger. I’m not in constant contact with the public like some rangers, which suits me.”

      “Then what do you do?”

      He shrugged. “It varies. Just before I went to get you we had two hikers go missing.”

      “Did you find them?” Mariah asked, and then knew from the set of his jaw that something had gone wrong. “I know that look,” she said. “What happened? Couldn’t you find them?”

      “No, I found them, but one was dead and the other severely injured.”

      “Oh, no. What happened?”

      “They were attacked by a rogue bear, but that was on the other side of the mountain. He killed one. The other managed to get away. He was in bad shape when I found him.”

      She shuddered, her eyes widening as she peered into the trees lining the road. “Did you kill the bear?”

      “Last I heard they were still tracking him. But don’t worry, they’ll find him and do what they have to.”

      She shuddered and wrapped her arms around her waist. “What else is up here that I need to be concerned about?”

      “If I had to guess, I’d say that would be me. I snore. I have some serious flashbacks that turn into living nightmares, and I’ve been known to shout in my sleep.”

      She rolled her eyes. “At least now I know I won’t have to worry about making a fool of myself in front of you.”

      “There are no fools where I live, girl—only members of the same survivors’ club. Now stop worrying. It’s all good. You’ll see. I only have one bedroom, but my sofa makes into a bed, and we’ve got it all fixed up for you. I would have let you have the bedroom and taken the sofa myself, but the bedroom is up in the loft and the СКАЧАТЬ