4 Big Easy Hunter Read Free Page A

contentious, but she’s been with you before when things went all haywire.”
    “I know,” Darby agreed nodding his head, “but this is a lot of people in a highly-orchestrated atmosphere, and there simply won’t be time for any of us to get into any trouble. We’ll keep her on a tight leash, I promise,” he said winking at me. He knew he was breaking Mick down. “Besides, Susan, didn’t you say your mom and dad would be flying in on Thursday?”
    “Yep,” I said nodding. I really did want to be in New Orleans for the entire week and participate in the fun. We had met pro hockey player Dell Grady when we were in Las Vegas in January, and he and his girlfriend, Lisa, had attended our impromptu wedding. They were now getting married in New Orleans in three weeks. We had all been invited, and I was up against the deadline to get our RSVP in the mail.
    Mick was quiet, and I knew what he was thinking. I understood his apprehension. Trouble seemed to follow me around at times, and I’m sure he was nervous about my being away from him for a week.
    “Mick, I’d like to at least be there when Mom and Dad arrive,” I told him, “but if it bothers you too much, I’ll wait and go down with you on Friday. Why don’t you think about it, and we’ll let the guys know in a day or two.”
    “No,” he said slowly. “I know I’m being paranoid, and I know you can take care of yourself. Go ahead and go down with Darby and Nate. If I can get away sooner than Friday, I will, but you guys go and have a good time.”
    I reached over and grabbed his hand to give it a squeeze. After some of the predicaments I’d gotten myself into, I knew how hard this was for him to send me off to yet another unknown city where we didn’t know what awaited. But I planned to mind my own business and simply follow the crowd. I couldn’t get into trouble if I was doing what everyone else was doing.
    “Susan, do you want to come with me to grab the game?” Nate asked as he stood up from the table.
    “Yes! Wait for me,” I said hurriedly while getting up and going into the kitchen. “Let me make a little sandwich first.”
    Darby and Mick started clearing the table and cleaning up the dishes while I made a little corned beef on rye sandwich. I walked out of the apartment with Nate, and we hurried down the wide hallway to his door. He opened it to a smiling and exuberant Joe, an eight-year-old black and tan coonhound with red ticking on his chest.
    “Hi, boy! Did you miss me today?” I asked happily as the 80-pound hound jumped all around me and barked his greeting. I plopped down on the floor and held my palm out with the little sandwich. He was overly excited but took it from my hand gently. After wolfing it down, he started rubbing his head into my shoulder and neck. I scratched behind his ears and all down his back. “You’re a good boy,” I told him while nuzzling the top of his head with my cheek. “What did you do today, Joe? Did you chase any rabbits? Did anybody love you today?” We were practically rolling around on the floor together now.
    “Susan, I don’t know what you do to that dog,” Nate said shaking his head and laughing. “It isn’t just the little treats. He really loves you, and he livens up so much when you’re around.”
    “Oh, I luv Joey, too,” I said in a baby-talk voice to the dog while rubbing his belly with both hands. “Where’s his leash?” I asked Nate. “I’ll take him out for a quick run around the building and a potty break. Come on, Joe. Let’s go outside,” I said with excitement as I stood up from the floor. The dog scrambled to all fours and looked up at me with light in his eyes, his tongue hanging out, and a smile on his face.
    Nate was still laughing as he handed the leash to me and said, “That poor old dog hasn’t had this much attention in years.”
    “Well, I think he’s wonderful,” I told Nate. “I never had a dog, and I never knew how much personality they could have.