Fall from Grace Read Free Page B

his head wearily. She was so damn stubborn. She’d never give him the satisfaction of coming out early, even when she was all ready to go early, even though she knew how much he hated being late.
    But he didn’t say anything. He just started the motor and waited patiently while Wanda flounced down the walk, hipped herself into her seat and slammed the door. He continued to wait, gazing out through the windshield, and finally Wanda made a sound of exasperation and put on her seat belt.
    And Warren felt inexplicably lighthearted, all of a sudden. He didn’t know why, but he felt very good. He leaned swiftly toward Wanda and planted a kiss on her ear. She gave a little screech, then grabbed his head and kissed him hard on the mouth. Warren growled in his throat, which he knew she loved, and Wanda’s eyes got darker, and she said, “Let’s go back inside,” and Warren damn near said, “Yeah.”

    As soon as they arrived, Wanda smacked a kiss onto her mother’s cheek. Wanda’s dad tossed Warren a can of beer and her mom poured Wanda a big glass of iced tea made from a mix.
    â€œWhat are we having?” said Wanda, peering into a pot on the stove.
    Her mom gave Wanda’s hand a little slap. “Get outta there. ‘Portuguese Fish Soup.’ ”
    â€œGeez, Ma,” said Wanda, dismayed.
    Warren felt dismayed, too. In five years he’d never had the same thing twice, at the Prestons’ house. He’d given up telling Mrs. Preston when he especially liked something because he knew he’d never get it again anyway. But maybe he ought to start letting her know when he didn’t like something. For instance, he didn’t like fish. He couldn’t stand fish. He was pretty sure he was almost allergic to fish. Maybe if Wanda’s mom had known that, she wouldn’t have made Portuguese Fish Soup.
    â€œWhat else?” said Wanda, which Warren wanted to know, too.
    â€œBuns and a salad,” said Mrs. Preston, pouring herself some iced tea. “And blueberry crumble for dessert, made with blueberries outta my freezer.”
    He could fill up on buns and salad, thought Warren. And although he didn’t know what the crumble part would turn out to be, he liked blueberries.
    â€œCome on outside,” said Wanda’s dad. “I want you to take a look at my exhaust.”
    Warren took a big swig of beer. Yeah, he thought, buns, salad, blueberries, that’d be okay. He threw Wanda a wink and followed Mr. Preston outside.

    He was lying on a creeper under Mr. Preston’s Ford when gleeful shrieks started coming from the house, female shrieks interspersed with male laughter. He froze, under there, because as soon as he heard the guy laugh he knew who it was.
    â€œWarren! Warren!”
    Wanda was outside before she called his name for the third time. He could see her feet dancing up and down on the concrete of the driveway.
    â€œGuess who’s here!”
    He scooted out from under the Ford and stood up, dusting off his hands, but there was grease all over them and just as he realized he was glad of that, at least he wouldn’t have to shake hands, Bobby came outside, a grin on his face, with Mrs. Preston right behind him.
    â€œHiya,” said Bobby. He looked just like he’d looked in high school, even though that had been ten years ago. Except his hair was a lot shorter, of course. Big, tough, and easy moving, Bobby was, and his hands were shoved into the back pockets of his jeans.
    â€œHi,” said Warren. “Long time no see.”
    â€œYou got that right,” said Bobby, nodding. A hunk of hair fell down over his forehead and Warren watched him toss it back with a shake of his head, just like in high school. He wondered what Bobby had been up to in the last year and a half, since he’d gotten out of the slammer.
    â€œCame back to Sechelt to see your stepdad, did you, Bobby?” said Mr. Preston