Thunder Hole: The Blackberry Summer

Thunder Hole: The Blackberry Summer

Thunder Hole: The Blackberry Summer, (Peggyâ€™s 11th novel, Culture dilemma) 100,701 words, 359 pages (paperback)

An unlikely relationship evolves between a mountain girl and the son of a real estate developer.

Excerpt from Chapter 3:

â€œSpisssst, Spisssst,â€ she hissed when Malone was less than six feet from the bushes she was hiding in.
Malone frowned, stood stone still as he lifted his head, and looked around.
â€œOver here,â€ she whispered.
He had a frown on his face as he went toward the bushes and stopped.
â€œCome over here,â€ she whispered. â€œI want to talk to you.â€
His frown turned to surprise as his brows raised. â€œWhat tha â€¦.â€
â€œSheeeeeee, be quite. I donâ€™t want anybody to know Iâ€™m here.â€
He stepped closer until he saw her huddled there much like a scared rabbit and then stopped behind the bushes into the edge of the woods.
â€œBillie Hardy, I canâ€™t believe this. What are you doing here hiding in the woods?â€
â€œI see you found out my name.â€
â€œThat I did. How did you get here and what can you possibly want?â€ He didnâ€™t sound exactly friendly, but he wasnâ€™t being ill tempered.
â€œI need to have a few words with you.â€ She stood from her squatted position and moved further back into the shelter of the woods.
He was grinning as he followed. â€œYou sound serious.â€
â€œI am serious.â€
â€œOkay, what are you serious about?â€
â€œThis,â€ she held out her arm and showed him the teeth punctures on the top and underside of her arm. The entire section of her arm was purple and swollen with pus pockets. Red streaks were starting to creep upward.
â€œGoodness, girl, have you seen a doctor?â€ He reached for her arm but she jerked away from his fingers.
â€œNot yet, but I will if your father doesnâ€™t leave Walter alone.â€
His dark brows drew together. â€œYou lost me there.â€
â€œDonâ€™t pretend not to know what Iâ€™m talking about.â€
â€œWhat Iâ€™m talking about is you seeing a doctor. That place is infected in a bad way.â€ His gaze went from her arm to her face. â€œNow, just what does my father and your brother have to do with your arm?â€
â€œYour dad has sued Walter, and Iâ€™m going to sue you.â€
He looked her straight in the eyes. â€œSay that again.â€
â€œYou heard me and you know good and well old Nickel Pincher Stucky is suing my brother.â€
â€œHe is? What for?â€ he asked, without reacting to his fatherâ€™s nickname.
Billieâ€™s temper was flaring. â€œStop playing stupid.â€
â€œIâ€™m not playing stupid. I havenâ€™t been informed of Nicolas suing anyone. Could you please enlighten me on what has you in a turmoil?â€
â€œYou call him Nicolas? I thought he was your father.â€
â€œIâ€™m his son by his first wife, a marriage that didnâ€™t last long. Iâ€™ve never called him anything but Nicolas.â€
â€œHumph,â€ Billie grunted. â€œHeâ€™s claiming Walter damaged his Bronco when he pulled him out of the mud.â€
â€œDid he?â€
â€œNo!â€
â€œHow do you know he didnâ€™t?â€
â€œWalter is a mechanic. He also drives a tow truck for the shop. He knows how to pull a vehicle out of the mud without damaging it.â€
â€œWhat damage does Nicolas claim was done?â€
â€œHow do I know? Ask him.â€
â€œI will. Now, how about me driving you to a doctorâ€™s office? Where is the closest one? Boone or Lenoir?â€
â€œIâ€™ll not go to no doctor, but Iâ€™ll be going to a lawyer if your father keeps on suing Walter.â€
â€œIâ€™ll check into it right way. Nicolas is not on the mountain at this time, so Iâ€™ll have drive to his house. Can I give you a ride home?â€
â€œNo!â€ Her eyes were wide, her expression one of repulsion.
â€œYou walked all this way didnâ€™t you?â€
â€œIt wasnâ€™t far.â€
â€œItâ€™s five miles.â€
â€œBy road, but not up the mountain.â€
â€œPlease let me take you home,â€ his tone had turned to cajoling.
â€œNo.â€
â€œThereâ€™s poisonous snakes under every rock, or you could fall off a cliff and break that pretty neck.â€
â€œIdiots step on snakes and fall off cliffs. I wonâ€™t.â€ She whirled around and was gone before he could stop her. Some strange feeling was throbbing through her for he had called her pretty.

Country	USA
Author	Peggy Poe Stern
Binding	Kindle Edition
Edition	eBook 1
EISBN	9781595131454
Format	Kindle eBook
IsAdultProduct
Label	Moody Valley
Manufacturer	Moody Valley
NumberOfPages	359
PublicationDate	2008-09-11
Publisher	Moody Valley
ReleaseDate	2008-09-11
Studio	Moody Valley

Thunder Hole: The Blackberry Summer

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