Mabe's Burden by Kelly Abell Page A

a
backpack and ten dollars. He’d just been released from Jefferson
Correctional Institute.”
    “ Oh great, a jailbird,” her
oldest sister commented sarcastically. “I should’ve
known.”
    Mabe smiled. “I thought the same thing
at first, but Da must have seen something in him. He insisted
everyone deserved a second chance. He was right. Jake’s been the
best thing to ever happen to us.”
    “ You told me he was in
prison for grand theft auto. How’d that happen?” Meg rubbed her
fingers gently over her daughter’s forehead.
    “ He got wrapped up with the
wrong group of people. Took the fall for some drug runners who’d
stolen a car. Just a kid in the wrong place at the wrong time
according to him.”
    “ Lie down with dogs, wake up
with fleas.” Mara smirked.
    “ Oh, don’t be so
judgmental,” Mabe chastised. “Sometimes people do make mistakes and
learn from them. Since he’s been here, he’s done a wonderful job at
the pub. He’s turned into quite the local handy man for folks. I
don’t think there’s anything he can’t fix.”
    “ You sure seem to be the
President of his fan club,” Mara commented.
    “ I am. You shouldn’t be so
harsh with him. He’s a good soul. Any woman would be lucky to have
a man like him. And you have to admit he’s not bad to look at
either. Sort of reminds you a little of Alcede on True Blood .”
    Meg laid her head back and closed her
eyes. “Mmm, yummy.”
    Mara laughed. “You two are impossible.
It will be a cold day in hell before I ever admit to his being
attractive. He’s an ex-con, for God’s sake.”
    Mabe rolled her eyes. Her oldest sister
was equally stubborn, just like she remembered.
    “ What about Aaron Shaw?”
Meg, who still had her eyelids closed, smiled. “He’s a tall, drink
of water. Hot, too. Did you see the way his silk shirt clung to his
abs after you doused him?”
    “ That’s a hunk of man I
could climb on board.” Mara agreed.
    Mabe seethed. “You two are not funny.
He’s the same hunk who’s trying to steal our inheritance. I can’t
believe you’re both not furious.”
    “ We are, honey,” Meg told
her. “But there’s no reason you can’t admire him while we’re
shutting him down. I believe though, at least from my observation
from afar, he only has eyes for our Mabe.”
    “ Oh shut up. You don’t know
what you’re talking about.” It still stung she’d been so attracted
to him.
    “ I know a come hither stare
when I see one, Mabe O’Banyon, and you were come hitherin’ all over
him until you found out who he was.”
    Her face heated in the soft evening
light. “Kiss my ass.”
    Meg covered Emma’s ears, but she and
Mara both laughed.
    Mabe rose abruptly, jerking Emma awake.
“I’m going to bed.”
    She stalked inside the house, her
sisters chuckling softly behind her.

Chapter Seven
     
    The following morning, Mabe pulled on
her running shorts. Her sister’s laughter steamed her blood. That
bastard was about to take everything they owned and her stupid
sisters couldn’t stop blathering on about how handsome he
was.
    She slipped her foot into
one running shoe, jerking the strings tight. The man had brass
balls. She would give him that much credit. To show up at the wake
had been pretty bold. I bet he thought he
could win me over with his charms. He thought I’d just melt at his
feet. Well, he’s in for a surprise. Mabe O’Banyon doesn’t roll over
for anyone .
    She grabbed her iPod, wrapping the
sleeve around her arm. Stalking through the kitchen she spotted her
sisters eating muffins and drinking coffee. They both smirked at
her when she walked by. She ignored them, jamming her ear buds in
her ears. A nice long run was just what she needed this morning to
blow off the rest of her mad.
    After she bounced down the stairs, she
took a few minutes to stretch in the muggy Florida air. She hated
this time of year. The latter part of summer was so steamy she
started to sweat even before the door hit her in