Read This Side of the Sun (The Sun Trilogy) for Free Online Page B

Despite the ambient temperature being cool, the room was warm and inviting.
    “Go ahead and sit down. I’ll light a fire and get it warmed up in here.”
    “Thanks.”
    “Sorry the fireplace is the only way to get heat around here.”
    There was a split-log chair with similar fabric as the couch, but it didn’t look very comfortable. I opted to occupy one end of the sofa. I sat back and slumped against the armrest, making myself comfortable.
    Saul knelt down in front of an older-looking wood stove and began crinkling newspaper and inserting small pieces of kindling. Before long the fire was crackling and he added a couple of larger logs. Once it was burning on its own, he turned and walked toward me.
    “Alright, Hattie. You ready to talk?”
    I looked at him with dread. “About what?”
    “Anything you want. How about I make some coffee?”
    “Do you have any tea?”
    He grinned at me, the gesture lighting up his whole face. “Yes, I have tea. Herbal or black?”
    “Black, with two sugars?”
    “Hang tight and I’ll be right back with it.”
    I watched as he left the room through an open archway that I assumed led to a kitchen. I only saw two other doorways, which I imagined were a bedroom and bathroom. The walls were all made of logs. I had never been in a real log cabin before. I stared at an animal head mounted on the wall, wondering if it was a deer or an elk. My feet were aching, so I slipped my sandals off and curled my feet under my butt. I allowed myself to sink into the couch, curling up in an attempt to get warm. My stomach was sour and my head was starting to ache from too much alcohol.
    After several minutes, Saul walked back through the archway, carrying two steaming mugs. I sat up straighter and took the mug he held out for me.
    “Careful, it’s hot.”
    “Thanks,” I whispered.
    “It’s just Lipton. I hope that’s ok?”
    “It’s perfect.”
    I sipped on it carefully, avoiding burning my lips.
    “Is it sweet enough?”
    I nodded.
    Saul sat beside me, in the middle seat. My heart skipped a little beat at him opting for such a close position. I noticed he had taken his shoes and socks off, too. He had big feet with long toes. Like the rest of him, they looked strong.
    “Did you want to talk about what happened tonight?” he asked me.
    “My brother got married,” I explained. “They wanted to go out for drinks afterward.”
    “So you know that guy well?”
    “Everett?” I asked, immediately taking another sip of tea.
    Saul nodded.
    “Yeah. I’ve known him since my brother Joe and I were in kindergarten.”
    “You guys went to kindergarten together, all three of you?”
    I nodded. “Joe’s my twin. We grew up doing pretty much everything together. The Fidalgo Bay elementary school was small enough to force us to be in the same classes all the way till middle school.”
    “Ok, so this friend of yours, Everett, all of a sudden he wants to date you? Or has this been going on for a while?”
    I shook my head. “He’s kind of always had a thing for me, but we’ve never dated. He’s more like an older brother. We even talked about it after you dropped me off at home last night. He and his mom stayed over and I couldn’t sleep. I explained that I just didn’t feel that way about him. Then he pulled this crap tonight.”
    “Well, I suppose I can’t fault him for being attracted to a pretty girl, but no means no. He crossed a line.”
    I felt my face flush at the compliment he had snuck in.
    “So, tell me about you,” I suggested.
    “What do you want to know?”
    “Well, anything I suppose. What are you doing living here?”
    “My grandfather passed away about a year ago. The rest of the family fought over his estate, but he left everything, including this place, to me and my little sister. It’s not much, but I used to stay here with him a few weeks every summer. It was pretty special to us.”
    “I’m sorry he passed.”
    He bowed his head for a moment. Looking up again,