Her House Divided (Beach Haven Book 1) Read Online Free
Author: A.J. Goode
tease her about being my "date" every Friday night." She took a quick mouthful of pancake.
Ethan wondered how many other dates Tara went on, but didn't ask.
"When Bea went into the nursing home, I promised her I'd still visit every Friday after work. I did it for the first few weeks, before . . . " her voice trailed off. She put her fork down and frowned. Then she shook her head and tried to smile. "Enough about me. Your turn."
"Well, you've seen the house where I grew up, obviously," Ethan said. "My mother passed away when I was very young, and my dad did a lot of traveling with his job, so I lived with my Grandma. She really was an amazing woman. "
Tara raised her glass of orange juice. "To Bea," she said.
"To Grandma," he echoed, raising his own. "Well, I teach Math at the High School right here in town. I love working with the kids, even though it's a little strange working with some of the same teachers I knew when I went to school there. Wait a minute." He looked at Tara again as a thought occurred to him. "Bartlett. As in Jayson Bartlett? Is that your brother?
"Yep, Jayson's my big brother," Tara said with obvious pride.
"He was in my grade. Nice guy, fantastic football player. I never knew he had a younger sister." Ethan swallowed the last of his orange juice and leaned back, comfortably full. "What else is there to tell about myself? I am divorced, obviously. Jacqueline got our house in the divorce, which is why I'm so glad to be able to move into the Seashell. What about you? Did you have any trouble getting out of your apartment lease?"
"No. So, are we ready to go?" Tara hurriedly gathered her small purse and struggled to her feet. A pained look crossed he face, but she shrugged off Ethan's hand on her arm. "I don't need help," she snapped.
"Wait, what just happened here?" Ethan demanded. 'I thought we were getting along pretty well."
"I guess you thought wrong," With that, Tara turned and stalked out of the restaurant.
They rode home in silence and managed to stay out of each other's way for the rest of the afternoon. Since it was Saturday, Tara wondered whether her new roommate would be going out on a date or staying home. She knew that her own social schedule was wide open for this Saturday, as well as every Saturday in the foreseeable future. But she couldn't see any reason for a good-looking man like Ethan Davis to stay home on a weekend night.
She also felt rather guilty after her tantrum in the restaurant. It wasn't his fault that she had gotten uncomfortable about discussing her previous living arrangements. He couldn't possibly know that she had been homeless as of that very morning due her ex-fiancé’s selfishness and her own stupidity. She knew she shouldn't judge Ethan for Randy's past deeds, and that she owed Ethan an apology, but she wasn't ready to seek him out just yet.
After unpacking her two suitcases and sitting outside on the shady back patio with a book for an hour, Tara had to admit that she was bored out of her mind.
She went back into the kitchen and began inspecting the cupboards. They would need groceries, of course, but first she would have to take inventory of whatever supplies were already there. She was pleased to see that they were already fairly well-stocked with canned goods and boxed items. A quick inspection of the refrigerator revealed that Ethan had picked up a few essentials there as well.
Tara smiled as a sudden thought occurred to her. She knew just what to do to apologize.
A short time later, Ethan entered the kitchen, sniffing. "Something smells amazing," he said.
"My specialty peanut-butter no-bake cookies," Tara told him. "My way of saying I'm sorry for being a jerk this morning. The cookies have to cool and set, but some of the first batch should be ready to sample." She gestured towards the sheets of cookie-covered wax paper on the countertops and table, plucked one off the sheet closest to her, and handed it to him.
His blue eyes widened as
Ethan wondered how many other dates Tara went on, but didn't ask.
"When Bea went into the nursing home, I promised her I'd still visit every Friday after work. I did it for the first few weeks, before . . . " her voice trailed off. She put her fork down and frowned. Then she shook her head and tried to smile. "Enough about me. Your turn."
"Well, you've seen the house where I grew up, obviously," Ethan said. "My mother passed away when I was very young, and my dad did a lot of traveling with his job, so I lived with my Grandma. She really was an amazing woman. "
Tara raised her glass of orange juice. "To Bea," she said.
"To Grandma," he echoed, raising his own. "Well, I teach Math at the High School right here in town. I love working with the kids, even though it's a little strange working with some of the same teachers I knew when I went to school there. Wait a minute." He looked at Tara again as a thought occurred to him. "Bartlett. As in Jayson Bartlett? Is that your brother?
"Yep, Jayson's my big brother," Tara said with obvious pride.
"He was in my grade. Nice guy, fantastic football player. I never knew he had a younger sister." Ethan swallowed the last of his orange juice and leaned back, comfortably full. "What else is there to tell about myself? I am divorced, obviously. Jacqueline got our house in the divorce, which is why I'm so glad to be able to move into the Seashell. What about you? Did you have any trouble getting out of your apartment lease?"
"No. So, are we ready to go?" Tara hurriedly gathered her small purse and struggled to her feet. A pained look crossed he face, but she shrugged off Ethan's hand on her arm. "I don't need help," she snapped.
"Wait, what just happened here?" Ethan demanded. 'I thought we were getting along pretty well."
"I guess you thought wrong," With that, Tara turned and stalked out of the restaurant.
They rode home in silence and managed to stay out of each other's way for the rest of the afternoon. Since it was Saturday, Tara wondered whether her new roommate would be going out on a date or staying home. She knew that her own social schedule was wide open for this Saturday, as well as every Saturday in the foreseeable future. But she couldn't see any reason for a good-looking man like Ethan Davis to stay home on a weekend night.
She also felt rather guilty after her tantrum in the restaurant. It wasn't his fault that she had gotten uncomfortable about discussing her previous living arrangements. He couldn't possibly know that she had been homeless as of that very morning due her ex-fiancé’s selfishness and her own stupidity. She knew she shouldn't judge Ethan for Randy's past deeds, and that she owed Ethan an apology, but she wasn't ready to seek him out just yet.
After unpacking her two suitcases and sitting outside on the shady back patio with a book for an hour, Tara had to admit that she was bored out of her mind.
She went back into the kitchen and began inspecting the cupboards. They would need groceries, of course, but first she would have to take inventory of whatever supplies were already there. She was pleased to see that they were already fairly well-stocked with canned goods and boxed items. A quick inspection of the refrigerator revealed that Ethan had picked up a few essentials there as well.
Tara smiled as a sudden thought occurred to her. She knew just what to do to apologize.
A short time later, Ethan entered the kitchen, sniffing. "Something smells amazing," he said.
"My specialty peanut-butter no-bake cookies," Tara told him. "My way of saying I'm sorry for being a jerk this morning. The cookies have to cool and set, but some of the first batch should be ready to sample." She gestured towards the sheets of cookie-covered wax paper on the countertops and table, plucked one off the sheet closest to her, and handed it to him.
His blue eyes widened as
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