Read Online Behind Closed Doors by Sherri Hayes - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sherri Hayes
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come for dinner today.” Then he gave Chris a sly look. “Maybe she didn’t want to be alone with you, big brother.”
“Funny,” Chris said, punching Trent in the arm for good measure.
Just then, their father yelled from the back of the house, “Boys come help me move the grill. I’m not gonna fry in this sun today.” They both smiled and went to help him.
“So . . .”
“So, what?”
“Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about, Liz. I mean, Springfield? You used to live in Columbus. I know it’s not New York or anything, but come on—at least there are decent stores,” Stephanie said, her nose wrinkling in disgust as they walked through the local mall. “Why would you pick Springfield of all places?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. It just felt right, I suppose. Plus, I’m not a big shopper. You know that.”
“Something I’ve never understood,” Stephanie said as she guided Elizabeth into yet another clothing store.
An hour later, they were sitting inside Ruby Tuesday’s waiting for their lunch to arrive. “Tell me about this man you were with,” Stephanie demanded.
“There’s nothing to tell,” she said, taking a bite of her biscuit. “He’s my boss.”
“Why are you working? I thought Jared had life insurance, and with his job, his bank account couldn’t have been that shabby either.”
“He did. And no, I don’t have to work, but I want to. Sitting at home just isn’t for me. I’d go stir crazy.” Then trying to steer the conversation to something lighter, she said, “And like you pointed out earlier, there isn’t all that much to do in Springfield.” They were both laughing as the waiter brought their lunches.
By the time Elizabeth walked through the door of her apartment, she was exhausted. After lunch, they had picked up right where they’d left off, putting in another two hours of shopping before Stephanie had to drive back home.
She had mixed feelings about the day. It was good to have a friend again, but Stephanie was from her past and only knew the Liz that Jared created to fit into his world. She didn’t know the woman who spent two hours finding the perfect bed sheets with clovers on them. Or the woman who liked to veg out on the couch in front of the television with a huge bowl of double chocolate fudge ice cream.
With a sigh, she took her bags to the bedroom.
It was dark by the time Chris pulled up to the house. Every time he’d tried to leave, his mother or Trent would pull him into a conversation, or his dad would say he needed his help with something.
He loved his family, and no matter how much his mom tried, they never were able to spend a lot of time together. Trent, had just turned thirty, and owned his own landscaping business that kept him busy. They’d worked together many times over the last few years. Most people didn’t want to move into a brand new house surrounded by mud.
Paul, the eldest brother at the ripe old age of thirty-four, was a police detective in Indianapolis. Between his job and his daughter, Chloe, he didn’t make the trip to Cincinnati often.
Twenty-six-year-old Gage was the baby of the family and was lucky to make it to Christmas dinner. He was a professional football player and lived down in Tennessee, so he rarely made it home, even during the off-season.
Needless to say, when his mother got some of her kids home, she tended to hang onto them for as long as she could. Chris was almost willing to bet that his mother had called Trent just to get Chris to stay longer.
It was now nine o’clock, much too late to pay a visit to Elizabeth. He’d just have to wait until tomorrow. His eyes lingered on her door as he passed, and for a brief moment he reconsidered before forcing his feet to keep moving.
His apartment was dark and empty. Nothing looked different, but for some reason it felt that way.
He emptied his duffle and then went into the bathroom to take a shower as he thought about the
“Funny,” Chris said, punching Trent in the arm for good measure.
Just then, their father yelled from the back of the house, “Boys come help me move the grill. I’m not gonna fry in this sun today.” They both smiled and went to help him.
“So . . .”
“So, what?”
“Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about, Liz. I mean, Springfield? You used to live in Columbus. I know it’s not New York or anything, but come on—at least there are decent stores,” Stephanie said, her nose wrinkling in disgust as they walked through the local mall. “Why would you pick Springfield of all places?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. It just felt right, I suppose. Plus, I’m not a big shopper. You know that.”
“Something I’ve never understood,” Stephanie said as she guided Elizabeth into yet another clothing store.
An hour later, they were sitting inside Ruby Tuesday’s waiting for their lunch to arrive. “Tell me about this man you were with,” Stephanie demanded.
“There’s nothing to tell,” she said, taking a bite of her biscuit. “He’s my boss.”
“Why are you working? I thought Jared had life insurance, and with his job, his bank account couldn’t have been that shabby either.”
“He did. And no, I don’t have to work, but I want to. Sitting at home just isn’t for me. I’d go stir crazy.” Then trying to steer the conversation to something lighter, she said, “And like you pointed out earlier, there isn’t all that much to do in Springfield.” They were both laughing as the waiter brought their lunches.
By the time Elizabeth walked through the door of her apartment, she was exhausted. After lunch, they had picked up right where they’d left off, putting in another two hours of shopping before Stephanie had to drive back home.
She had mixed feelings about the day. It was good to have a friend again, but Stephanie was from her past and only knew the Liz that Jared created to fit into his world. She didn’t know the woman who spent two hours finding the perfect bed sheets with clovers on them. Or the woman who liked to veg out on the couch in front of the television with a huge bowl of double chocolate fudge ice cream.
With a sigh, she took her bags to the bedroom.
It was dark by the time Chris pulled up to the house. Every time he’d tried to leave, his mother or Trent would pull him into a conversation, or his dad would say he needed his help with something.
He loved his family, and no matter how much his mom tried, they never were able to spend a lot of time together. Trent, had just turned thirty, and owned his own landscaping business that kept him busy. They’d worked together many times over the last few years. Most people didn’t want to move into a brand new house surrounded by mud.
Paul, the eldest brother at the ripe old age of thirty-four, was a police detective in Indianapolis. Between his job and his daughter, Chloe, he didn’t make the trip to Cincinnati often.
Twenty-six-year-old Gage was the baby of the family and was lucky to make it to Christmas dinner. He was a professional football player and lived down in Tennessee, so he rarely made it home, even during the off-season.
Needless to say, when his mother got some of her kids home, she tended to hang onto them for as long as she could. Chris was almost willing to bet that his mother had called Trent just to get Chris to stay longer.
It was now nine o’clock, much too late to pay a visit to Elizabeth. He’d just have to wait until tomorrow. His eyes lingered on her door as he passed, and for a brief moment he reconsidered before forcing his feet to keep moving.
His apartment was dark and empty. Nothing looked different, but for some reason it felt that way.
He emptied his duffle and then went into the bathroom to take a shower as he thought about the
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