Read Online Crimson and Clover by Juli Page Morgan - Free Book Online

repress the smile that quirked the corner of her mouth. It was impossible to maintain a bad mood around Maureen; her perpetual cheerfulness chased gloom and doom out as effectively as an industrial wind machine. Plucking a face cloth from the basket under the sink, Katie ran it under cold water before pressing it to her forehead. She turned to Maureen, and gave into the smile that had been trying to break free. “I guess I’ll live. Now that you’ve got my attention, is there something you wanted?”
    “There is, now you mention it.” Taking the sponge from the back of the commode, she leaned over the tub and began wiping up the detritus left from Katie’s installation work. “I was sitting upstairs, listening to your
Revolver
album. Not your fault,” she added, looking up. “They just forgot to add insulation between the floors when they built this place. Anyway,” she resumed, turning back to the tub, “I was grooving to the music, when I remembered something and I had to come down at once.” Turning on the faucet, she rinsed the sponge under the running water, squeezed it out, and balanced it on the edge of the tub to dry.
    Curious, Katie asked, “So what was it you remembered that was so important you had to come down and give me a concussion over it?”
    “Just this.” Maureen rose to her feet, and stepped out into the tiny hall. When she returned, she was holding a brown paper bag. “I remembered that I didn’t give you your housewarming gift, so I brought it down.” She handed the bag to Katie, and grinned.
    Touched by the gesture, Katie took the bag. “You didn’t have to do this.” She opened the bag, and drew in a breath of delight. “But I’m glad you did!” Inside were two pale purple candles with the lilac scent Katie loved. She could tell by the intricate, swirling design stamped into them that they were the special candles made by their friend Debi. “I love them, Maureen. Thank you!”
    “The least I could do,” Maureen demurred. “I just feel horrible I forgot about it for two weeks.”
    “Don’t feel horrible. You did throw me the party of the year, remember?”
    “Well, yes, there’s that.” Maureen grinned. “And I did introduce you to Jay Carey, after all.”
    “Ah. Yes. Him.”
    Speculation brightened Maureen’s eyes. “You don’t sound overjoyed for some reason. Did the two of you not hit it off?”
    “I thought we did,” Katie muttered. She took the cloth from her face and grimaced at the bright red mark adorning her forehead.
    “C’mon, Katie. Spill. What’s going on?”
    “Let’s go have a Coke. I’m sick and tired of this bathroom.”
    No sooner had Katie opened the bottles of Coke did Maureen demand details.
    “Tell me everything,” she said. “Don’t leave anything out, because I’ll know if you do.”
    “Don’t I know it.” Katie took a deep breath. “Okay. At the party I thought we were really getting into each other.” She thought of the way Jay’s hair felt against her face and the warmth of his skin under her hand and a little thrill of delight shot through her. “Before he left, he told me he wants me.”
    “Bloody hell,” Maureen breathed. “I’ve been so wrapped up in Nicky since then I didn’t know any of this. So he wants you. That’s a good thing, right?”
    “You’d think so. But I haven’t really seen him the past couple of weeks except for running into him every now and again when he’s with Stuart or Adam.” Her brows drew together in a confused frown. “He’s always really friendly, but that’s it.”
    “Hm.” Maureen took a quick drink. “Does he know you want him, too? I mean, you do want him, don’t you?”
    “More than I’ve ever wanted anything,” Katie said fervently. “But I didn’t come right out and tell him that, no. I was so freaked out when he told me that I just stood there like an idiot and watched him leave.”
    Maureen laid a soft hand over Katie’s. “I don’t know what to tell you.