[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
the way she felt about his leaving. I m going to miss you, she whispered into
his flushed ear. I ll miss this, too. She kissed him again, longer and sweeter this
time.
How much will you miss me? He pulled away and looked deeply into her
eyes. Are you sure you don t want to& He slipped his hand between their
bodies and played with the top button of her blouse.
Her smile was warm and welcoming, but her words made her position clear.
It s too soon, sweetheart. I know you want more, but I m not willing to have
casual sex.
There s nothing casual about the way I feel. Nothing. Dan s blue eyes gleamed
with intensity.
Gail stroked his cheek and soothed, I know that, and I didn t mean to diminish
your feelings. But I ve made it clear that I don t feel comfortable having sex until
we re further along.
Frustrated, but still good-natured, he said, What happened to the free love
generation?
I never joined that movement, and they re not taking memberships any
longer. Plenty of other women are in the club, though.
You ve got me hooked, and you know it. It s a waste of time to go to Florida
this year. I won t even want to look at the girls in the bikinis.
Now I know you re lying. Gail slid off his lap and kissed the top of his head.
I promise to call you every other day just to remind you of what you ve left
behind.
He got up and took her hand. And I ll call you every day that you don t call
me, but I won t need to be reminded. You re on my mind all day now, and I get
Page 41
Susan X Meagher
to see you most evenings. It s going to be much worse when we re a thousand
miles away.
They hugged, and she said, Maybe absence will make our hearts grow
fonder.
There s a fondness limit, and I m nearly there.
d
The next Saturday morning, Erin was walking down Main Street, enjoying the
snow flurries that were still blowing through town. A good blanket had dropped
on them the night before, and she was going to get her cross-country skis and
head for the hills outside of town as soon as she picked up her dry cleaning. A
honking horn made her turn to see Katie s orange car. Erin waved, and Katie
pulled over. Buy you a cocoa, Doc?
Sure. Meet you at the diner if you can find a parking spot. There were
probably ten spots available right of front of her, and Katie smiled at Erin s sense
of humor.
A few minutes later, they both stomped the snow off their boots and took
stools at the counter. Rich, the police officer who took the report on the accident,
entered the diner just then and waved to Erin. He spent a second staring at
Katie and then walked over. Hey, you re the girl who had the accident.
She extended her hand, and he shook it. Boston police don t remember the
murders, much less the fender-benders. You people are well cared for around
here.
Well, we try. Are you up here for business? Rich asked.
Not really. My brother was supposed to come up and clear my father s
driveway, but he got called in to work, and he told me I had to come. She made
a face. I get to do it on the day it s two degrees.
Your father? Does he live around here?
Yeah. Dan Tierney. Do you know him?
Tierney? I thought your name was
Quinn, Katie said.
Not the most tactful soul, Rich said, I didn t know he had a girl.
I m a little past the girl stage, but I take it you know he has a boy, Katie said
dryly.
Yeah. And three grandsons.
I m sure he ll get to me sooner or later. Probably later.
Katie turned to Erin and noted how uncomfortable she looked. Don t tell me
you re dating him, she said, looking pained.
No! I m not dating him.
Page 42
The Lies That Bind
Her mom is, Rich supplied helpfully.
Now both Katie and Erin looked uncomfortable. Almost in unison, they said,
I m sorry.
Katie cocked her head and asked, What do you have to be sorry about?
Nothing. I just& I don t know, Erin said, embarrassed. I don t want to make
you uncomfortable.
It s okay with me if he goes on dates. He and my mom are long divorced.
He s divorced? Erin and Rich asked, again, in unison.
Are you two related? Katie asked. Yes, he s divorced. He didn t tell everyone
he s a widower, did he?
No, Erin said. I guess I just assumed he was.
Don t people get divorced around here?
Erin laughed a little hesitantly. No, people get divorced. Not very often, she
added. But they do.
Your mom s not divorced?
No. My dad s dead.
I m sorry to hear that. I hope my dad s been nice to her.
I think he has, Erin said, still looking unsure of herself. My mom seems to
like him.
Katie laughed. Oh, women like him. He s very likable.
Did you do the drive yet? Rich asked.
No. I was just coming into town. I stopped to see Erin. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl freetocraft.keep.pl
the way she felt about his leaving. I m going to miss you, she whispered into
his flushed ear. I ll miss this, too. She kissed him again, longer and sweeter this
time.
How much will you miss me? He pulled away and looked deeply into her
eyes. Are you sure you don t want to& He slipped his hand between their
bodies and played with the top button of her blouse.
Her smile was warm and welcoming, but her words made her position clear.
It s too soon, sweetheart. I know you want more, but I m not willing to have
casual sex.
There s nothing casual about the way I feel. Nothing. Dan s blue eyes gleamed
with intensity.
Gail stroked his cheek and soothed, I know that, and I didn t mean to diminish
your feelings. But I ve made it clear that I don t feel comfortable having sex until
we re further along.
Frustrated, but still good-natured, he said, What happened to the free love
generation?
I never joined that movement, and they re not taking memberships any
longer. Plenty of other women are in the club, though.
You ve got me hooked, and you know it. It s a waste of time to go to Florida
this year. I won t even want to look at the girls in the bikinis.
Now I know you re lying. Gail slid off his lap and kissed the top of his head.
I promise to call you every other day just to remind you of what you ve left
behind.
He got up and took her hand. And I ll call you every day that you don t call
me, but I won t need to be reminded. You re on my mind all day now, and I get
Page 41
Susan X Meagher
to see you most evenings. It s going to be much worse when we re a thousand
miles away.
They hugged, and she said, Maybe absence will make our hearts grow
fonder.
There s a fondness limit, and I m nearly there.
d
The next Saturday morning, Erin was walking down Main Street, enjoying the
snow flurries that were still blowing through town. A good blanket had dropped
on them the night before, and she was going to get her cross-country skis and
head for the hills outside of town as soon as she picked up her dry cleaning. A
honking horn made her turn to see Katie s orange car. Erin waved, and Katie
pulled over. Buy you a cocoa, Doc?
Sure. Meet you at the diner if you can find a parking spot. There were
probably ten spots available right of front of her, and Katie smiled at Erin s sense
of humor.
A few minutes later, they both stomped the snow off their boots and took
stools at the counter. Rich, the police officer who took the report on the accident,
entered the diner just then and waved to Erin. He spent a second staring at
Katie and then walked over. Hey, you re the girl who had the accident.
She extended her hand, and he shook it. Boston police don t remember the
murders, much less the fender-benders. You people are well cared for around
here.
Well, we try. Are you up here for business? Rich asked.
Not really. My brother was supposed to come up and clear my father s
driveway, but he got called in to work, and he told me I had to come. She made
a face. I get to do it on the day it s two degrees.
Your father? Does he live around here?
Yeah. Dan Tierney. Do you know him?
Tierney? I thought your name was
Quinn, Katie said.
Not the most tactful soul, Rich said, I didn t know he had a girl.
I m a little past the girl stage, but I take it you know he has a boy, Katie said
dryly.
Yeah. And three grandsons.
I m sure he ll get to me sooner or later. Probably later.
Katie turned to Erin and noted how uncomfortable she looked. Don t tell me
you re dating him, she said, looking pained.
No! I m not dating him.
Page 42
The Lies That Bind
Her mom is, Rich supplied helpfully.
Now both Katie and Erin looked uncomfortable. Almost in unison, they said,
I m sorry.
Katie cocked her head and asked, What do you have to be sorry about?
Nothing. I just& I don t know, Erin said, embarrassed. I don t want to make
you uncomfortable.
It s okay with me if he goes on dates. He and my mom are long divorced.
He s divorced? Erin and Rich asked, again, in unison.
Are you two related? Katie asked. Yes, he s divorced. He didn t tell everyone
he s a widower, did he?
No, Erin said. I guess I just assumed he was.
Don t people get divorced around here?
Erin laughed a little hesitantly. No, people get divorced. Not very often, she
added. But they do.
Your mom s not divorced?
No. My dad s dead.
I m sorry to hear that. I hope my dad s been nice to her.
I think he has, Erin said, still looking unsure of herself. My mom seems to
like him.
Katie laughed. Oh, women like him. He s very likable.
Did you do the drive yet? Rich asked.
No. I was just coming into town. I stopped to see Erin. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]