Read Online By Summer's End (Christian Fiction) by Rosemarie Naramore - Free Book Online Page B

him?”
    “No!  First, he doesn’t know me. 
Second, I don’t know him.  Third, he didn’t ask me out.”
    “Then what decision did you make?”
Brianna asked curiously.
    “I’m going to have to look into sending
you to an all-girls’ school.”
    Brianna laughed at that, unaffected by
the threat.  “Those all-girls’ schools are expensive,” she said with disgust. 
“I ought to know.  I used to go to one.”  She laughed delightedly.  “Hence, I’m
now boy crazy.”  She gave a resigned shrug. 
    Holly eyed her with surprise.  “Well,
it’s good of you to admit it, and thank you for admitting it.  I won’t be
letting you out of my sight, by the way.”
    “He was cute, though.  You have to admit
that.”
    “I don’t have to admit anything, other
than he appears to be a Good Samaritan.”
    “Better that than an axe murder, for
sure,” Brianna noted.  “He has nice hair.”
    “Mmmm hmmm,” Holly said absently, as she
pulled into the driveway of their place.  She couldn’t help the smile that
crossed her lips.  Seeing their tidy little manufactured cabin never failed to
make her heart leap with pleasure.”  She glanced heavenward.   “Thank you,
Lord,” she prayed.  “You are so good.”
    Brianna, beside her, saw her sister’s
lips moving.  She understood Holly was thanking God once again for providing
for them.  It was a foreign concept to her.  Her father and mother hadn’t
believed in God and were self-declared atheists.  They routinely poked fun at
those who they regarded as weak and unable to cope with the trials of life. 
They often elevated themselves above others, despite the fact that their life
of wealth was a ruse perpetrated to impress others. 
    Brianna sighed and cast aside the
thoughts about her parents.  It hurt too much.  She felt conflicted—she loved
them, yet she was furious with them.  Had they not been drinking that awful
night…
    “Home sweet home,” Holly announced. 
“Ryan just pulled in.  Let’s help him with that desk.”

Chapter Nine
     
    Ryan dropped out of the truck.  His eyes widened at the sight of the manufactured
home with the well-maintained front lawn.  Someone had worked awfully hard to
turn that overgrown patch into a manicured yard. 
    The house looked great too.  The
exterior was spiffy clean.  All the trim work was freshly painted and it
appeared the wooden porch had been treated with a wood stain. 
    He shook his head and did a
double-take.  It was still here!  The home hadn’t been removed from his
family’s property.  Why not?
    He remained frozen beside the truck,
desperately wondering why his family’s attorney hadn’t arranged for the removal
of the home.  Ben was gone now.  His heart twisted at the thought—Ben had been
like a father to him—but he couldn’t allow sentimentality to get in the way of
good business sense.  If things went as planned, this section of the property
would be sold along with the nearby forty acres of pastureland. 
    An individual from out-of-state had
approached Ryan just before he’d left town and made an offer on the property. 
He still remembered the sight of all those zeroes.  How could one say ‘no’ to
an offer of money that would set himself and his sister up for the rest of
their lives—as well as generations after?  Besides, he had no interest in
remaining in Battle Ground. 
    Earlier, Levi had said there was no
place like home.  He hadn’t argued the point, but the truth was, Levi was
wrong.  There was a whole world out there and he wanted to see it.  He wanted
to see it all. 
    But…  Even if he wanted to return to the
old hometown someday, he’d still retain another forty acres—half his, half his
sister’s—and he could build a home on the property if he ever felt the
inclination.  He doubted he would, but…
    It was Ben who had instilled in him what
regard he did have for the family property.  Ben cherished the land, though he hadn’t
owned a