No Ordinary Day by Tate, Harley (best large ereader .txt) 📕

The man wiped his hand down his plaid cotton shirt and stuck it out toward Holly. “Vincent Scott. It’s a pleasure to meet you, young lady.”

Holly took his hand and shook. “You, too.”

He glanced at his wife, who still stood clutching the doorjamb like it would save her from the reality of having a child. “Why haven’t you invited them in?”

“Because they’ve asked to stay. We certainly cannot have that.”

Vincent turned, one eyebrow arched toward the ceiling. “Why on earth not? She’s family.”

Holy’s mother waved out at the turn around. “But they aren’t. For goodness sakes, Vince, they have a dog.” She pointed at Pringles, who yipped and ran in circles around Gloria’s feet.

“And we have a guesthouse.” He reached out for Sandra, pulling her away from the doorjamb and into his arms. “The sun just set, hon. The least we can do is offer the guesthouse for the night.” Vincent turned to Holly. “You and your friends are welcome to stay the night. We can talk about tomorrow in the morning.”

Holly smiled in relief. “Thank you, sir.”

“Call me Vince.”

Emma reached out her hand to Vince. “I’m Emma Cross. Thank you so much for letting us stay the night.”

Vince nodded. “If you drive your vehicles to the house back by the road, I’ll bring the key. I warn you, it hasn’t been aired out in a while. The generator only powers the main house I’m afraid, but there are some candles in the kitchen.”

“I’m sure it’ll be more than fine.”

Holly smiled. “Thank you, again.”

Vince smiled back and his dark eyes twinkled. “I’ve always wanted to meet Sandy’s family. Now it seems even more important.” He stepped back. “I’ll meet you down there in two shakes.”

Relief flooded through Emma as she reached for Holly’s hand. She gave it a squeeze as they walked back to the Jeep together.

John waited until they were inside to start the engine. “Where to?”

“The house at the front of the drive.”

“They said yes?”

Holly nodded. “At least for tonight.”

Emma twisted around to face the teenager. “Are you okay?”

She nodded. “I’m sorry you had to deal with my mom. I should’ve known she wouldn’t want me here.”

Emma shrugged. “Vince seems reasonable.”

“Better than my mom at any rate.” Holly fell silent as John pulled up to the dark guesthouse.

Emma wished there was some way to lessen the sting of her mother’s rejection, but nothing came to mind. If Vince agreed to let them stay…

As everyone piled out of the vehicles, Vince rode up on a small four-wheeler.

“Don’t like to use the gas, but it’s such a long drive and the horses are already bedded down for the night.” He hopped off, dangling a set of keys. “Let’s see what we can do here.”

He rooted through the keys until he found the right one and stepped up to the front door. As the door unlocked, Vince turned back to Holly. “I’m sorry, hon, I should have asked. Would you rather sleep up in the main house tonight? I don’t have room for everyone, but you could come up if you’d like.”

Holly smiled. “That’s okay. I’ll be fine here.”

“If you’re sure.”

She nodded. “I don’t think my mom would appreciate it but thank you.”

The lines between Vince’s eyebrows deepened, but he didn’t say any more on the subject. “There are candles in the kitchen. Running water since we have an off-grid well, and enough beds for everyone, I think. A couple might have to share.” He smiled in accommodation. “Hope that’s all right.”

Emma stepped forward. “It’s more than all right. Thank you again for letting us stay.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t ever turn family away. I’ll see you all in the morning.”

Holly stood on the porch, watching Vince as he drove the ATV back up the long drive and disappeared behind the house.

“He seems nice.” Emma practically tasted the disappointment swirling around Holly. To be rejected by her mother when she needed her most wasn’t fair. “I’m sorry your mom wasn’t the same way.”

“I’ve had years to get used to it.” Holly eased past her to head inside the house.

Gloria cast a meaningful glance at Emma as she slipped in behind the teenager. “Holly, sweetie, how about you and I take stock of this kitchen and see what we can do about something to eat?”

John stopped beside Emma on the porch. “Was it as bad as it looked from the car?”

“Worse.” Emma rubbed her arms even though she wasn’t cold. “That mother of hers is a piece of work. Didn’t even recognize her at first, can you believe it? Her own daughter.”

“Even though my mom died when I was young, I was still lucky, I guess. When she was alive, she’d have done anything for me.”

Emma nodded. “I hate to say it, but I think you’re right.”

They headed inside the house with Tank right behind them.

True to his word, Vince arrived atop a beautiful chestnut mare early the next morning. Emma met him on the porch where she’d been sitting since sunrise, thinking through how to explain their situation.

He dismounted with a smile. “Thought you all might be hungry.” He pulled a bag of oats and what looked like fresh peaches from the pouch attached to his saddle and handed them across to Emma. She took a whiff of the fruit and her stomach rumbled. “I haven’t had a fresh piece of fruit in days.”

“First of the season. We have a crop of peaches that always comes early when it’s a warm spring.”

He leaned against the porch railing and waited as she set the bags inside. “So how did you and Holly wind up together if you don’t mind my asking. You aren’t family from her father’s side, I take it?”

“No.” Emma shivered against the morning chill. “I worked with her father as a research scientist. We were scheduled to testify before Congress.”

“That seed debate? That was you?”

Emma nodded. “We were the two main whistleblowers, Gloria—she’s inside sleeping—was the third.”

“What happened?”

Emma relayed the facts as she knew them, including Zach’s murder and the