Read Online Abithica by Susan Goldsmith - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Susan Goldsmith
Ads: Link
her, but I have to say it wasn’t her shoes that got my attention. It was those amazing eyes of hers. They have a way of looking into your very soul. I swear they see everything. I was hooked the moment I saw them.”
“Pooh! He actually called in all three of his nurses to witness my examination. Can you believe that? I thought he was afraid I was going to bite.” She laughed.
“Actually, I needed the nurses there so I wouldn’t follow through on what I was thinking.” He took a generous swallow of wine.
Flustered, I drained my glass. Oops! Empty again? How did that happen? Was it my second or third? I’d not even set it back down before he leaned over and refilled it. Was he trying to get me drunk? I guess I could have let the glass sit there, but the fruity flavor reminded me of blueberries and hazelnuts, and let’s face it, I had some more chilling to do. Besides, Sydney could probably handle it, considering the crowd she ran with. Claire, she’d been more the Daiquiri type. One drink and she was looped. I’d quickly learned to be really careful in her case.
I flicked my gaze once more at Faith’s hand, but it hadn’t moved. Relieved, I held my glass up high. It was my turn to propose a toast. “To love!” In one big gulp, I downed it.
The look Faith gave me was priceless. My words had pleased her, so I wanted to give her more. I held my glass up a second time, as soon as Steven had finished refilling it. “May you two treasure it and never let it go.” Down the hatch—again! I tried to set the glass back down as delicately as possible, but the darned coaster kept moving. The glass tipped, half on, half off. “Oops!” I said, righting it. I was relaxed to the point of feeling light-headed and slightly dizzy. It was then I realized I’d just downed four, maybe five glasses of wine on an empty stomach. My only food that day had been one dish of chili, because I hadn’t asked Faith to loan me some money and couldn’t buy a thing at the mall, and not once had I reached for my cheese, crackers, and fruit!
I practically lunged at a wedge of cheese, but the damage was already done. I was as smashed as any of those first times with Claire. “Last one,” I announced, holding the empty glass out for Steven’s services. That would make it nearly a whole fifth, which was a bit alarming.
Steven put some music on the stereo system. It was wonderful, a piano and guitar number that bounced off the vaulted wood ceilings and added to the dreamlike quality of the evening. Never had I felt so comfortable, possibly because of all the half-truths I’d told. For once I wasn’t pretending to be anyone but me. My only nagging thought was Lane’s note and what I’d do about it. That wasn’t really thinking about him , only about the note, so that made it okay.
Oops! I was right back to Steven’s hand which was right back to tracing those gentle circles, only this time on Faith’s thigh. Around and around. Back and forth. His hand told her a private, intimate story with those circles, while his mouth launched into a tale about his nurse and her dog.
“What does love feel like?” I asked out of the blue. The words were out before I remembered the new rule.
“Haven’t you ever been in love, Sydney?” Faith asked surprised.
Ooof! That hurt. Loving people who didn’t love you back didn’t count. I stared down at my shoelaces, pulled so tight they were cutting off my circulation, then shook my head. “How would I know?” It was something Sydney might say.
“Never?”
“Well, I’m not really sure. I don’t think so.”
“You’d know,” they answered together. Then Faith continued. “I hate to sound presumptuous, but if all your boyfriends were anything like Kojak, I’m not surprised. Before you can love and be loved, you have to love yourself first.”
“More wisdom from a wise woman!” Steven hoisted his glass high.
Viewed from my perspective, it was an interesting thought. Could I ever
“Pooh! He actually called in all three of his nurses to witness my examination. Can you believe that? I thought he was afraid I was going to bite.” She laughed.
“Actually, I needed the nurses there so I wouldn’t follow through on what I was thinking.” He took a generous swallow of wine.
Flustered, I drained my glass. Oops! Empty again? How did that happen? Was it my second or third? I’d not even set it back down before he leaned over and refilled it. Was he trying to get me drunk? I guess I could have let the glass sit there, but the fruity flavor reminded me of blueberries and hazelnuts, and let’s face it, I had some more chilling to do. Besides, Sydney could probably handle it, considering the crowd she ran with. Claire, she’d been more the Daiquiri type. One drink and she was looped. I’d quickly learned to be really careful in her case.
I flicked my gaze once more at Faith’s hand, but it hadn’t moved. Relieved, I held my glass up high. It was my turn to propose a toast. “To love!” In one big gulp, I downed it.
The look Faith gave me was priceless. My words had pleased her, so I wanted to give her more. I held my glass up a second time, as soon as Steven had finished refilling it. “May you two treasure it and never let it go.” Down the hatch—again! I tried to set the glass back down as delicately as possible, but the darned coaster kept moving. The glass tipped, half on, half off. “Oops!” I said, righting it. I was relaxed to the point of feeling light-headed and slightly dizzy. It was then I realized I’d just downed four, maybe five glasses of wine on an empty stomach. My only food that day had been one dish of chili, because I hadn’t asked Faith to loan me some money and couldn’t buy a thing at the mall, and not once had I reached for my cheese, crackers, and fruit!
I practically lunged at a wedge of cheese, but the damage was already done. I was as smashed as any of those first times with Claire. “Last one,” I announced, holding the empty glass out for Steven’s services. That would make it nearly a whole fifth, which was a bit alarming.
Steven put some music on the stereo system. It was wonderful, a piano and guitar number that bounced off the vaulted wood ceilings and added to the dreamlike quality of the evening. Never had I felt so comfortable, possibly because of all the half-truths I’d told. For once I wasn’t pretending to be anyone but me. My only nagging thought was Lane’s note and what I’d do about it. That wasn’t really thinking about him , only about the note, so that made it okay.
Oops! I was right back to Steven’s hand which was right back to tracing those gentle circles, only this time on Faith’s thigh. Around and around. Back and forth. His hand told her a private, intimate story with those circles, while his mouth launched into a tale about his nurse and her dog.
“What does love feel like?” I asked out of the blue. The words were out before I remembered the new rule.
“Haven’t you ever been in love, Sydney?” Faith asked surprised.
Ooof! That hurt. Loving people who didn’t love you back didn’t count. I stared down at my shoelaces, pulled so tight they were cutting off my circulation, then shook my head. “How would I know?” It was something Sydney might say.
“Never?”
“Well, I’m not really sure. I don’t think so.”
“You’d know,” they answered together. Then Faith continued. “I hate to sound presumptuous, but if all your boyfriends were anything like Kojak, I’m not surprised. Before you can love and be loved, you have to love yourself first.”
“More wisdom from a wise woman!” Steven hoisted his glass high.
Viewed from my perspective, it was an interesting thought. Could I ever
Similar Books
