Read Online Adventures with Jane and her Legacy 01 Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Pattillo - Free Book Online
Authors: Beth Pattillo
Tags: Jane Austen Fan Lit
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will you be in London?" he asked.
"I'm not certain. Awhile."
"We should hang out."
I looked at him, unsure whether to be amused or horrified. I had a feeling the unseen Sophie wouldn't be too amenable to my hanging out with Barry, but maybe they really were only friends. His interest and attention were certainly doing wonders for my self-esteem.
"It doesn't sound like you're going to be here that long yourself," I said, trying to steer him away from the subject. "Are you staying in Hampstead?"
He shook his head. "No. The Savoy. We came up here to walk around the Heath, but Sophie got a blister and went back to the hotel."
"I hope she's okay," I said, although I was secretly glad that her departure had given rise to the opportunity to meet him.
He waved a hand. "She's fine. So, have you had dinner?"
I nodded. "I'm afraid so. And I really have to get back."
"You're with someone?" I could see the speculative gleam in his eye.
"Just staying at my cousin's." I wasn't lying, just omitting information.
"Maybe tomorrow? Sophie's having a spa day or something."
"Maybe."
He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. "What's your number?"
I was too embarrassed to admit that I'd had to relinquish my cell phone after the divorce. Groceries had to come first, and you couldn't eat a cell phone.
"I have an appointment in South Kensington tomorrow," I said instead. "Why don't we meet there? How about the Round Pond in Kensington Gardens? Two o'clock?"
He nodded. "Cool. We can make a plan from there."
I glanced at my watch and pretended to be surprised. "Oh, it's later than I thought. I've got to go."
"Back to the mystery cousin?" He was warming to the challenge already. It had been a long time since I'd been a challenge to anyone, and I had to admit that it felt pretty good.
I stood up, and he did the same. "I'll see you tomorrow," I said.
"Great." He reached out, and we shook hands again. At his touch, a little zing traveled up my arm. "See you tomorrow."
I made my escape as fast as I could. How on earth had I jumped from the frying pan into the fire so quickly? And nowI would have to meet Barry again and spend more time with him, right after receiving my next task from Mrs. Parrot.
Mumbling a few choice imprecations under my breath, I turned uphill and began the climb back to Anne-Elise's town house, wondering when in the world I was ever going to learn.
When I walked in the door, I could hear Adam's voice coming from the kitchen. I thought about sneaking upstairs to my bedroom but decided that would look like I was avoiding him. Which I was. So of course I couldn't actually avoid him, or he'd know.
He was on the phone. I stood in the kitchen doorway and cleared my throat to get his attention.
"Yes, ma'am. No, ma'am." Whomever he was talking to, he could barely get a word in edgewise. Then he saw me, and his face sagged with what I could only describe as relief.
"It's your mom." Adam mouthed the words, his hand over the receiver of the handset.
I shook my head. Vigorously. "I'm not here," I whispered. "Tell her I'll call her back."
"Why don't you want to talk to your mom?"
Honestly. Couldn't the man just follow instructions? I made a slashing motion across my throat and jerked my head, indicating the phone.
"You should talk to her," he hissed again. Then he thrust the receiver toward me, and I took it automatically.
How could I explain to him that my mother was the last person in the world I wanted to talk to at that moment? I'd been too embarrassed, too devastated to tell my parents the whole truth about my marriage. "It's just not working out," I'd said to them over the phone, and they'd sounded shocked at first, and then betrayed, as if I'd personally deprived them of the joy of a happy ending for their daughter.
I put the receiver to my ear.
"Emmie, honey, we've been so worried." My mom's voice, familiar and irritating all at once, poured through the phone line. "How are you?"
"Have you been to church?"
"I'm not certain. Awhile."
"We should hang out."
I looked at him, unsure whether to be amused or horrified. I had a feeling the unseen Sophie wouldn't be too amenable to my hanging out with Barry, but maybe they really were only friends. His interest and attention were certainly doing wonders for my self-esteem.
"It doesn't sound like you're going to be here that long yourself," I said, trying to steer him away from the subject. "Are you staying in Hampstead?"
He shook his head. "No. The Savoy. We came up here to walk around the Heath, but Sophie got a blister and went back to the hotel."
"I hope she's okay," I said, although I was secretly glad that her departure had given rise to the opportunity to meet him.
He waved a hand. "She's fine. So, have you had dinner?"
I nodded. "I'm afraid so. And I really have to get back."
"You're with someone?" I could see the speculative gleam in his eye.
"Just staying at my cousin's." I wasn't lying, just omitting information.
"Maybe tomorrow? Sophie's having a spa day or something."
"Maybe."
He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. "What's your number?"
I was too embarrassed to admit that I'd had to relinquish my cell phone after the divorce. Groceries had to come first, and you couldn't eat a cell phone.
"I have an appointment in South Kensington tomorrow," I said instead. "Why don't we meet there? How about the Round Pond in Kensington Gardens? Two o'clock?"
He nodded. "Cool. We can make a plan from there."
I glanced at my watch and pretended to be surprised. "Oh, it's later than I thought. I've got to go."
"Back to the mystery cousin?" He was warming to the challenge already. It had been a long time since I'd been a challenge to anyone, and I had to admit that it felt pretty good.
I stood up, and he did the same. "I'll see you tomorrow," I said.
"Great." He reached out, and we shook hands again. At his touch, a little zing traveled up my arm. "See you tomorrow."
I made my escape as fast as I could. How on earth had I jumped from the frying pan into the fire so quickly? And nowI would have to meet Barry again and spend more time with him, right after receiving my next task from Mrs. Parrot.
Mumbling a few choice imprecations under my breath, I turned uphill and began the climb back to Anne-Elise's town house, wondering when in the world I was ever going to learn.
When I walked in the door, I could hear Adam's voice coming from the kitchen. I thought about sneaking upstairs to my bedroom but decided that would look like I was avoiding him. Which I was. So of course I couldn't actually avoid him, or he'd know.
He was on the phone. I stood in the kitchen doorway and cleared my throat to get his attention.
"Yes, ma'am. No, ma'am." Whomever he was talking to, he could barely get a word in edgewise. Then he saw me, and his face sagged with what I could only describe as relief.
"It's your mom." Adam mouthed the words, his hand over the receiver of the handset.
I shook my head. Vigorously. "I'm not here," I whispered. "Tell her I'll call her back."
"Why don't you want to talk to your mom?"
Honestly. Couldn't the man just follow instructions? I made a slashing motion across my throat and jerked my head, indicating the phone.
"You should talk to her," he hissed again. Then he thrust the receiver toward me, and I took it automatically.
How could I explain to him that my mother was the last person in the world I wanted to talk to at that moment? I'd been too embarrassed, too devastated to tell my parents the whole truth about my marriage. "It's just not working out," I'd said to them over the phone, and they'd sounded shocked at first, and then betrayed, as if I'd personally deprived them of the joy of a happy ending for their daughter.
I put the receiver to my ear.
"Emmie, honey, we've been so worried." My mom's voice, familiar and irritating all at once, poured through the phone line. "How are you?"
"Have you been to church?"
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