Read Online Almost Perfect by Julie Ortolon - Free Book Online
Authors: Julie Ortolon
Tags: Humor, Romance, Literature & Fiction, Contemporary, series, Military, Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Women, Women's Fiction, Single Women, Domestic Life
Ads: Link
claimed he had a canoe to fix in the boathouse, and left.
"You're right," Dana said to Carol. "Something's clearly bothering him."
"But what?" Bobbi asked. "I refuse to believe he's depressed at the thought of being the permanent director of Camp Enchantment. How on earth could anyone be depressed about that?" Her gaze took in the lodge-style dining hall with its high log ceiling. Indian designs had been carved into the columns and beams, and years' worth of wood smoke permeated the air. "Living here year-round has to be one of the best jobs ever!"
"To us, yes," Carol agreed with a nervous glance at Joe's mother. "But maybe not to him."
"Actually, Bobbi has a point." Sandy scooted forward, her blond hair in its usual perky ponytail. "It could be something else."
"Maybe it's personal, like trouble with his love life." Bobbi turned to Mama. "Is he dating anyone?"
"Get real." Sandy scoffed before Mama could answer. "Men who look like Joe don't have dating problems."
"You don't know that." Bobbi's face creased into a scowl. "Just because he looks like… you know—"
"A total babe?" Leah offered with a sigh.
"Guys, please." Carol blushed. "His mother is sitting right here."
"Don't let me stop you." Mama chuckled. "I'm rather proud that women think my son is sexy. Although Bobbi's right. Being a… what did you call him? A baby?"
"No." Leah laughed. "Not baby. A 'babe.' "
Maddy could have argued that after the way he'd acted toward her the last day and a half.
"Well," Mama said. "Being a 'babe' doesn't mean he's never had woman trouble."
"Are you saying that's it?" Sandy frowned. "Some woman messed him over?"
"Give us her name." Bobbi's face turned thunderous. "We'll take care of her."
"Now, girls." Mama held up a hand. "I simply said it was a possibility."
"In which case there's nothing we can do to cheer him up." Carol sighed in defeat.
"Wait. I know," Sandy piped up. "I could date him."
"In your dreams," Dana scoffed. "Face it, Sandy, he's known all of us since we were in training bras, which I think pretty much ruins our chances with him."
"Life is so unfair." Sandy pouted.
Carol looked at his mother. "I don't suppose you have any suggestions?"
"Oh, I never meddle in my son's affairs."
Maddy choked on her iced tea, then gasped for breath.
Dana pounded her between the shoulder blades. "You okay?"
"Fine," Maddy replied, wheezing. "I just… swallowed wrong."
"So, Madeline." Mama smiled sweetly. "I don't suppose you have an idea for how to cheer Joe up."
"Not a clue." Actually, she did. She could move back to Austin and get out of Joe's life. Unfortunately, quitting her job a week before camp started would leave him in the lurch—which was not a good way to make up for hurting him in the past.
As the others continued brainstorming about ways to make Joe happy, she took the opportunity to gather her dirty dishes. "If y'all will excuse me, I think I'll head back to the Craft Shack and do a little work."
"Okay." Carol gave her a distracted wave. "We'll see you in the morning."
What a mess , she thought as she slid her tray through the opening to the kitchen. She could hear the kitchen staff, local women from one of the nearby pueblos, talking in their native tongue. It made her feel even more of an outsider. Everyone seemed to belong here but her.
When she left the dining hall, she glanced up to where the Craft Shack sat on the rise waiting for her, then in the direction Joe had gone. Sooner or later, they needed to clear the air between them or they'd both be in for a miserable summer. Unfortunately, she couldn't follow him right then, because everyone would see.
What would the others think if they knew she was the woman behind Joe's dark mood? Visions of them ganging up against her made her cringe. At the first opportunity, she definitely needed to have a very calm, very adult conversation with Joe. Together maybe they could find a mature way to deal with each other.
Rock music blared from the
"You're right," Dana said to Carol. "Something's clearly bothering him."
"But what?" Bobbi asked. "I refuse to believe he's depressed at the thought of being the permanent director of Camp Enchantment. How on earth could anyone be depressed about that?" Her gaze took in the lodge-style dining hall with its high log ceiling. Indian designs had been carved into the columns and beams, and years' worth of wood smoke permeated the air. "Living here year-round has to be one of the best jobs ever!"
"To us, yes," Carol agreed with a nervous glance at Joe's mother. "But maybe not to him."
"Actually, Bobbi has a point." Sandy scooted forward, her blond hair in its usual perky ponytail. "It could be something else."
"Maybe it's personal, like trouble with his love life." Bobbi turned to Mama. "Is he dating anyone?"
"Get real." Sandy scoffed before Mama could answer. "Men who look like Joe don't have dating problems."
"You don't know that." Bobbi's face creased into a scowl. "Just because he looks like… you know—"
"A total babe?" Leah offered with a sigh.
"Guys, please." Carol blushed. "His mother is sitting right here."
"Don't let me stop you." Mama chuckled. "I'm rather proud that women think my son is sexy. Although Bobbi's right. Being a… what did you call him? A baby?"
"No." Leah laughed. "Not baby. A 'babe.' "
Maddy could have argued that after the way he'd acted toward her the last day and a half.
"Well," Mama said. "Being a 'babe' doesn't mean he's never had woman trouble."
"Are you saying that's it?" Sandy frowned. "Some woman messed him over?"
"Give us her name." Bobbi's face turned thunderous. "We'll take care of her."
"Now, girls." Mama held up a hand. "I simply said it was a possibility."
"In which case there's nothing we can do to cheer him up." Carol sighed in defeat.
"Wait. I know," Sandy piped up. "I could date him."
"In your dreams," Dana scoffed. "Face it, Sandy, he's known all of us since we were in training bras, which I think pretty much ruins our chances with him."
"Life is so unfair." Sandy pouted.
Carol looked at his mother. "I don't suppose you have any suggestions?"
"Oh, I never meddle in my son's affairs."
Maddy choked on her iced tea, then gasped for breath.
Dana pounded her between the shoulder blades. "You okay?"
"Fine," Maddy replied, wheezing. "I just… swallowed wrong."
"So, Madeline." Mama smiled sweetly. "I don't suppose you have an idea for how to cheer Joe up."
"Not a clue." Actually, she did. She could move back to Austin and get out of Joe's life. Unfortunately, quitting her job a week before camp started would leave him in the lurch—which was not a good way to make up for hurting him in the past.
As the others continued brainstorming about ways to make Joe happy, she took the opportunity to gather her dirty dishes. "If y'all will excuse me, I think I'll head back to the Craft Shack and do a little work."
"Okay." Carol gave her a distracted wave. "We'll see you in the morning."
What a mess , she thought as she slid her tray through the opening to the kitchen. She could hear the kitchen staff, local women from one of the nearby pueblos, talking in their native tongue. It made her feel even more of an outsider. Everyone seemed to belong here but her.
When she left the dining hall, she glanced up to where the Craft Shack sat on the rise waiting for her, then in the direction Joe had gone. Sooner or later, they needed to clear the air between them or they'd both be in for a miserable summer. Unfortunately, she couldn't follow him right then, because everyone would see.
What would the others think if they knew she was the woman behind Joe's dark mood? Visions of them ganging up against her made her cringe. At the first opportunity, she definitely needed to have a very calm, very adult conversation with Joe. Together maybe they could find a mature way to deal with each other.
Rock music blared from the
Similar Books
