Read Online Blame It on Paris by Jennifer Greene - Free Book Online Page A

leap to the conclusion that he was a hardcore workaholic, busier than a one-armed bandit in a bank vault.
    That would be the wrong conclusion, of course. From the minute he’d arrived in Paris, he’d committed to become the laziest, most irresponsible slacker on the planet. That was what he wanted to be.
    That was what he’d been trying to be since he left South Bend.
    Â 
    T HE MOMENT Will left the flat, Kelly felt her smile deflate like a needled balloon. The apartment felt alien and lonely without him.
    Still, it wasn’t as if she didn’t have a full day of complications to deal with. As soon as she poured a last mug of coffee, she addressed crisis number one by dialing her mom. And this time, finally, Char Nicole Rochard Matthews answered.
    â€œ Mom! For Pete’s sake, where have you been? ”
    â€œOut gallivanting.” The sound of her mom’s chuckle was as familiar as sunshine. “You were gone, and I had nothing on the agenda for the weekend. Mary and Ann and I got to talking and next thing I knew, the three of us were off on a road trip to Mall of America. We were only gone for three days. What a place that is….”
    Her mom babbled on for a while, as if calling from Paris were as cheap as calling from next door, but eventually she wound down. “Okay, your turn. I can’t wait to hear how Paris is, what’s going on…”
    Kelly may have misled her mom about the reason for the Paris trip, but there was no way she could hide her current mess, so she spilled. She made as light of the mugger business as possible and clearly outlined what she needed from her mom—faxing the passport copy, to where, how, wiring money, where and how much, the whole complicated rigmarole. “I hate asking you to do all this junk, Mom, but—”
    â€œDon’t be silly, you goose. I’m so glad you’re all right. The rest of this is just details, and as soon as I hang up, I’ll start getting it all cooking….” Her mother hesitated, her whole tone changing. “You know, nothing like this would have happened if you’d waited for Jason to make the trip with you.”
    Just hearing Jason’s name put a fresh nail of guilt in Kelly’s coffin of a conscience. She sucked down another sip of strong coffee. “Jason didn’t have the time off right now, and I did. Besides which, he never wanted to go to Europe.”
    â€œSo why go at all then? I never did understand why you were so insistent on this trip. Spending money you could have put into the apartment. Or your lives together.” Char sighed, then switched gears, both of them well aware they’d already argued about this several times and had gotten nowhere. “Jason’s mother called me. We’re going dress shopping together next week. Neither of us can make up our minds whether we want to go short or long, or what colors, and we don’t want to clash, so we figured going together would be fun….”
    Another nail of guilt stabbed Kelly. “Mom…don’t you think you’re rushing it? We exchanged rings. But we haven’t even talked about setting a sure date—”
    â€œI know, sweetie. But you’ve known each other forever. And Gaynelle and I have been talking—behind your backs, of course—for years. We’re just having fun—”
    â€œMom, wait .”
    Finally her mother seemed to hear the serious note in her voice. But when Kelly tried to talk, her throat seemed stuffed with cotton wool. She could hardly get the words out. “Mom, would it kill you if I changed my mind? About marrying Jason. About—”
    Her mom laughed before she could even finish the thought. “Oh, honey, I’ve been waiting for the jitters to hit you. I’d have been amazed if they didn’t. Sweetheart, you’ve loved that boy and he’s loved you since you were in third grade. Weddings are just