Ready or Not (Aggie's Inheritance)
Read Ready or Not (Aggie's Inheritance) Online
Authors: Chautona Havig
Ready or Not
Chautona Havig
Copyright 2010 Chautona Havig
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Connect with Me Online:
Twitter:
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All Scripture references are from the NASB. NASB passages are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE (registered), Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
For David
--
how did I write about you before I ever met you?
Imagine my surprise, when a year or so after I started writing this book, my daughter met one of the supporting characters at folk dance class! Luke showed up on our doorstep one day, and we
’
ve known him as David ever since. Their personalities are so similar that anyone who knows
“
our David
”
will automatically assume that Luke Sullivan was inspired by him. However, as much as I would love to say it
’
s so, it isn
’
t. Luke Sullivan is a composite of many men in my life
--
and now David is one of them. We couldn
’
t be happier.
For a friend
--
you
’
ll know who you are and why.
One scenario in this book is shamelessly ripped from the life of one of my high school friends and appears as I remember her telling it, but with a different
“
ending.
”
It just fit, friend o
’
mine. It just fit.
For Crystal
--
thank you for all of your encouragement.
Every sentence of the original Aggie story was shared with my friend Crystal over instant messenger as I wrote it. One day, she popped onto the messenger with a story. It went something like,
“
I was driving down the road today and passed a sheriff. As I drove by, I found myself turning around to see if it was William.
”
Talk about a compliment! It made my day, and I promised myself I
’
d dedicate this book to her if I ever published it. Well, here we are. This book is for you Crystal. I can
’
t wait to mail you a copy.
Chautona
Books by Chautona Havig
The Rockland Chronicles
Noble Pursuits
Argosy Junction
Thirty Days Hath…
The Aggie Series
Ready or Not
For Keeps
Here We Come
The Annals of Wynnewood
Shadows and Secrets
Cloaked in Secrets
Beneath the Cloak
The Not-So-Fairy Tales
Princess Paisley
Everard (coming 2012)
Contents
Libby’s Blackberry Cobbler Ingredients
263
1
Here I Come
Thursday, February 28
th
Aggie Milliken collapsed onto the disheveled bed, her energy sapped. With silent wicked glee, her alarm clock,
“
Sarge,
”
taunted her with the approach of midnight. Stifling yet another yawn, she muttered to herself,
“
Two weeks ago, I had Grisham and Letterman. Now sleep is my best friend.
”
Aggie struggled to shift the tangled covers into some semblance of order. Fatigue won over comfort, and she kicked aside all but the stale top sheet.
“
Lord, I can
’
t pray, You know what
’
s in my heart. I just can
’
t…
”
Friday, March 1
st
Aggie stirred restlessly as the wails of a hungry baby tugged at, then peeled away the cozy blankets of sleep that wrapped her like a cocoon. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter; she wished desperately that baby Ian would find his thumb. For the fifteenth morning in a row, Aggie struggled between guilt and frustration that her sister never taught the baby the satisfaction of sucking on a pacifier.
She risked a one-eyed glance at her arch-enemy. Sarge promptly announced the time of 4:34 a.m. as if Reveille played in the background.
“
Four hours? I
’
ve been asleep for four hours? I got more sleep than this during finals week!
”
She rolled over and covered her ears with her pillow, while groping, one-armed, for the silent commanding officer of her life. Swiping at Sarge, she knocked it off the headboard and toppled a glass of water in the process.
“
Good. I hope you get electrocuted, you vile thing.
”
With some satisfaction that the clock couldn
’
t mock her while hanging from its cord in a puddle of water, Aggie sat up in bed. She fought to unwind the covers from her body, as Ian
’
s wails grew more insistent. She focused every ounce of her will power on climbing from her warm comfortable bed. Each eye, gritty with sleep, strained to stay open as she rummaged for her slippers.