Taking Chances, by E. L. Van Hine and L.H. Nicoll

[notBastet]

Not yet, anyway 

I still don't feel well  and have so little time 

Junie...

feel better soon!

[louisev]

One thing that this "reread" will do is sharpen the memory of the first day Ennis and Ellery met, from Ennis's POV, in preparation for my upcoming story about Ellery and Ennis's first meeting, from Ellery's point of view:  "What I did On My Day Off"

[belbbmfan]

Ah Louise, we want Happy!Louise just as much as we want Happy!Ennis.
 
You've given us so much already.
 

i completely agree. And i can't wait to start reading you other work louise.
 

[belbbmfan]

Not yet, anyway 

I still don't feel well  and have so little time 

owww, hope you feel better real soon! (by saturday of course!)
take care.

 

[magicmountain]

One thing that this "reread" will do is sharpen the memory of the first day Ennis and Ellery met, from Ennis's POV, in preparation for my upcoming story about Ellery and Ennis's first meeting, from Ellery's point of view:  "What I did On My Day Off"

Can't wait for that one!

[MaineWriter]

Good morning re-readers!

Chapters 51-55 today. Two exciting events: doughboys make their first appearance and Ellery calls Ennis "sweetheart."

http://louisev.livejournal.com/15463.html

[MaineWriter]

From Chapter 51:

He hung up, rubbed his hollow belly. “Ya know I could stand some breakfast.” Ennis moved as though to get up. “No, yer finishin yer Zane Grey an I’m makin the eggs.” He smiled a mischievous smile once more. "Got some a them ready-made biscuits from the Pillsbury doughboy just for ya.”

“Oh, biscuits...” Ennis’s eyes lit up. “Thank you.”

Ellery leaned over, placing the phone back on the nightstand, and slid a long, thin arm around Ennis’s shoulder, kissing his neck. “You and yer please and thank yous. Makes me hard whenever you do that. You are very welcome.”

Ennis gripped his arm and pulled him down, bending over him to capture Ellery half beneath him, pressing his mouth hungrily to his, growling, then let him go. “Jes pretend yer a biscuit.”

“Yer stomach’ll be growlin a lot harder after though.”

Ennis let him go... he had a point. “Well hurry up then.”



L

[MaineWriter]

And the first "sweetheart":

“You got a bird feeder out there, but no food in it, Ellery.”

“Yeah well there’s a reason for that, sweetheart. There’s a big grey tom lives next door, an outdoor cat, hunts around here. I put that feeder up an all the starlins and bluejays an whatall came down ta get a taste an old Greybeard swoops down on em from my roof an has himself a nice lunch a tweety-bird.”

“Aw. Damn cat. Neighbor oughta keep it in.”

“Well it ain’t against the law, not really. Cats are just doin what they do. An I was just settin em up for slaughter. Decided they got a better chance a survival if I didn’t feed em at all. Greybeard’s lunch counter I call it.”


L

[MaineWriter]

From Chapter 52:

Ennis stood up and came over, sliding an arm around Ellery’s shoulders. “I’m sorry, Ellery. I didn’t know this was gonna turn into such a shitstorm on you.”

Ellery looked over at him, patting his hand. “Neither did I, an I am a really good judge a people. Guess I got a mote in my eye, as they say, an didn’t see what kinda man Bill really was.”

Ennis looked over at the door. “Considerin everything, maybe ya should change the locks.”

“Can’t without the lawyer sayin so an issuin proper notice. He could come in an wreck the place while I ain’t here, an I couldn’t legally stop him without givin him a five day notice ta vacate an et cetera. Very complicated. A trusted long term partner becomin an enemy overnight like this... it’s like a domestic situation. Ya got a husband and wife and they have all their stuff in common an suddenly there’s battle lines drawn. His legal home is upstairs, with his stuff in it, an whether or not he takes it he’s entitled to it, so he’s got ta get notice.”

“Yeah, I guess so. Maybe I should stay here in case he does come.”

“Ennis... the bar’s insured. Even against damage by Bill. No matter what he might do, I can always get it fixed up. I don’t want ta be sitting in a room at Ivinson again wonderin if the docs can fix you up. You see my point?”

Ennis lowered his eyes, leaning hard against him. “Yeah, I know, but...”

“Ain’t no buts here, sweetheart. Let’s get a move on, an get yer check.”

L

[belbbmfan]

and chapter 53

“Well that’s my fault, Carol, I shouldnt’a dragged him around. Listen... looks like I’m gonna need an experienced bartender, soonest. If you know someone who... doesn’t mind the clientele, put the word out.”

Carol smiled indulgently, and from under the brim of his hat, Ennis realized with a mild shock that Carol knew all about Ellery owning the bar, and what kind of bar it was. Does that mean she knows about me? And that this “cousins” business was just a load of bullshit to cover up their queer relationship? Maybe she had known all along. Maybe... he thought, with another mild shock, it doesn’t matter to her. He found that very hard to swallow, but he glanced up at her as she talked with Ellery, and seemed perfectly at ease with him.


Ennis has been getting more and more comfortable with Ellery and staying with him and the implications of that. I'm glad that his realizing that Carol 'knew' only gave him a mild shock. No more 'bolting out' urges now.