Read Online Aqua - Christmas in New York City (Aqua Romance Travel Series) by Amanda S. Jones - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Amanda S. Jones
Ads: Link
recalled one year when he came back with meat that was yellow and his mother returned to the store with him, showing him the creamy white flesh, the light-colored skin, the proper thickness of the filet.
“Just think, women have done this for centuries.”
“And now we have refrigeration!”
It was the last time she joked. The phone rang and Casey answered it, her face turning pale, water dripping onto the floor from her limp hands.
CASEY TURNED the pages of the magazine, put it down, then picked up another one, tapping on the chair as she aimlessly flipped the pages. Harry put his hand over her restless fingers. “This is precautionary,” he said with confidence.
“The tests I had last week were routine procedure. They never call that quickly with results unless they find something.”
“It might not be anything serious.”
“But if it is.”
“Then we change our plans. You do the surgery now rather than in the spring.”
“Good thing we did the twelve days of Christmas already,” she said in a brave voice.
“We still have three more to go.”
She bit her lip. “Really, I’m not feeling very celebratory.”
“Okay,” he said in a soft voice.
Earlier, her eyes had scouted the waiting room. A couple sat with heads bent together, a mother held her daughter in a strained embrace. Casey looked toward the window where a woman sat all alone, her eyes closed, rocking to the music from her iPod.
Casey wondered if life had been simpler before Harry? If there was no one to live for, major illnesses didn’t matter as much. On the ship, she had it all figured out. She decided to start her Chair position during the fall term and then give the university notice so they could fill her classes for the winter. Recovery was a long process and she would take that time, directing academic requirements from her home office as required.
It felt good to have the decision made. It wasn’t something she wanted hanging over her head whenever she started dating again. It was bad enough to decide when to get more intimate, when to trust a guy with family issues, without bringing up the subject of health. Getting a guy to stay nowadays was bad enough without a health issue to make him run. And if she told him too early, it could dampen a romantic momentum. If she told him too late, he would question why she held back this information. Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to him if the guy had developed feelings. It’s what happened to Harry or he wouldn’t be with her right now. Who would be with a woman who had both breasts removed?
Casey looked down at her chest and felt disconnected, as if she were drifting away from her body, away from who she was. She thought back to the previous night when Harry ran his finger softly along her breasts. Now she would feel as if he was touching a stranger. Even when back in the comfort of their own home, if he leaned down to kiss her nipple, she’d feel too vulnerable after being poked and prodded by doctors all day long.
“If something happens to me.”
“Don’t talk like that, Cassandra.”
“It’s important to me.”
He nodded his head, obliging.
She reached into her purse and pulled out a sealed envelope with his name on it. Harry reached out slowly, and when their fingertips touched, he grabbed her hand tightly and held on.
For a moment, she longed for Roger. Not because she missed him but because he would have stepped in and told her what to do, been so belligerent about it that he didn’t give her much of a chance to say anything else. He would have made the decision for her.
Although she wanted the choice to be hers, at this point, she was too exhausted to think. Harry ran his finger softly along hers. “We’ll know the right thing to do.”
“I shouldn’t have dragged you into this,” Casey said.
“It’s not a problem. It’s a part of you.”
“You have to say that now. I should have told you earlier.”
“I don’t mind.”
She shook
“Just think, women have done this for centuries.”
“And now we have refrigeration!”
It was the last time she joked. The phone rang and Casey answered it, her face turning pale, water dripping onto the floor from her limp hands.
CASEY TURNED the pages of the magazine, put it down, then picked up another one, tapping on the chair as she aimlessly flipped the pages. Harry put his hand over her restless fingers. “This is precautionary,” he said with confidence.
“The tests I had last week were routine procedure. They never call that quickly with results unless they find something.”
“It might not be anything serious.”
“But if it is.”
“Then we change our plans. You do the surgery now rather than in the spring.”
“Good thing we did the twelve days of Christmas already,” she said in a brave voice.
“We still have three more to go.”
She bit her lip. “Really, I’m not feeling very celebratory.”
“Okay,” he said in a soft voice.
Earlier, her eyes had scouted the waiting room. A couple sat with heads bent together, a mother held her daughter in a strained embrace. Casey looked toward the window where a woman sat all alone, her eyes closed, rocking to the music from her iPod.
Casey wondered if life had been simpler before Harry? If there was no one to live for, major illnesses didn’t matter as much. On the ship, she had it all figured out. She decided to start her Chair position during the fall term and then give the university notice so they could fill her classes for the winter. Recovery was a long process and she would take that time, directing academic requirements from her home office as required.
It felt good to have the decision made. It wasn’t something she wanted hanging over her head whenever she started dating again. It was bad enough to decide when to get more intimate, when to trust a guy with family issues, without bringing up the subject of health. Getting a guy to stay nowadays was bad enough without a health issue to make him run. And if she told him too early, it could dampen a romantic momentum. If she told him too late, he would question why she held back this information. Besides, it wouldn’t be fair to him if the guy had developed feelings. It’s what happened to Harry or he wouldn’t be with her right now. Who would be with a woman who had both breasts removed?
Casey looked down at her chest and felt disconnected, as if she were drifting away from her body, away from who she was. She thought back to the previous night when Harry ran his finger softly along her breasts. Now she would feel as if he was touching a stranger. Even when back in the comfort of their own home, if he leaned down to kiss her nipple, she’d feel too vulnerable after being poked and prodded by doctors all day long.
“If something happens to me.”
“Don’t talk like that, Cassandra.”
“It’s important to me.”
He nodded his head, obliging.
She reached into her purse and pulled out a sealed envelope with his name on it. Harry reached out slowly, and when their fingertips touched, he grabbed her hand tightly and held on.
For a moment, she longed for Roger. Not because she missed him but because he would have stepped in and told her what to do, been so belligerent about it that he didn’t give her much of a chance to say anything else. He would have made the decision for her.
Although she wanted the choice to be hers, at this point, she was too exhausted to think. Harry ran his finger softly along hers. “We’ll know the right thing to do.”
“I shouldn’t have dragged you into this,” Casey said.
“It’s not a problem. It’s a part of you.”
“You have to say that now. I should have told you earlier.”
“I don’t mind.”
She shook
Similar Books
