Read Online By Design by J. A. Armstrong - Free Book Online

that was a lesson she had mastered early in life. A devious smile edged
its way onto her lips. “I’ll tell you what,” she began. “You find a black, male
cat that needs a home and I will agree to allow him the pleasure of Pearl’s
company.”
    Jameson pretended to consider the offer. “Done….If
you name him Jinx.”
    “Done,” Candace agreed.
    “One question,” Jameson said.
    “What is that?” Candace folded her arms across her
chest.
    “Whom should I bill for this service I am rendering; you or Jinx?” Jameson asked
thoughtfully.
    Candace lost all hope of maintaining her stoicism
and laughed. “You are certifiable.”
    ***
    “What on Earth is in there?” Pearl asked Jameson.
    “In here?” Jameson pointed to the cardboard
carrier.
    “Yes, Jameson; in there.”
    “Oh, that. That’s Jinx.” The look on Pearl’s face
was comical, and Jameson started
laughing.
    “Explain yourself, young lady.”
    “Well, Candace agreed that if I could find a
black, male cat that needed a home, she would allow him the pleasure of your
company,” Jameson explained. Pearl’s eyes grew as wide as saucers. “I agreed to
find a needy feline as long as she agreed to name him Jinx. It’s actually Shell’s
fault.”
    Pearl shook her head as if to clear her confusion.
“What does Michelle have to do with this nonsense?”
    Jameson sighed dramatically and set down the
carrier. “We were having lunch and I was showing Shell some of the wallpaper
designs. That led to the whole story of the cat that ate the canary …. ”
    “Go on.”
    “And, later Shell told Candace that she needed to
face her fears.”
    “Oh no.”
    “I pointed out that her fortune cookie predicted
she would meet a friend from her past….”
    “I don’t believe this.”
    “And, so here we are,” Jameson said. She opened
the carrier and retrieved a small black kitten with bright green eyes. “Jinx,
meet Pearl. Pearl, this is Jinx.”
    Pearl flopped into a chair in disbelief. “Candy
let you get her a cat?”
    “No, she let me get you a cat,” Jameson said with
a grin.
    Pearl shook her head. “Jameson, I never thought
I’d say this, but I think Candy has finally
met her match.” She took the kitten from Jameson’s hands and looked at it in
amusement.
    “Jinx will give her a run for her money,” Jameson
agreed.
    Pearl stood up with the kitten in her hands and
laughed. “I wasn’t referring to the cat.”

Chapter Seven: Wishing
You Were Here
    Candace played with
the glasses that sat on the bridge of her nose. She was making every attempt to
concentrate on the papers in front of her. It had been a long and tedious day
that lingered in the middle of what had already become an arduous week. She
pulled off her glasses and rubbed her tired eyes. Only one more week before the
holiday break. She was looking forward to a slight reprieve. She was not at all
sure that four days at Marianne’s home would provide any tangible refreshment.
    “Senator?” Susan’s
voice broke through Candace’s private musings.
    “What is it, Susan?”
    “Dana is here.”
    “Send her in.”
    Dana walked into the
senator’s office and regarded the dark circles under Candy’s eyes. “Long day?”
she asked.
    Candace looked up and
offered her friend a half-hearted smile. “Long life,” she quipped. Dana nodded
her understanding just as Candy’s cell phone buzzed. Candy held up a finger to
her friend to give her a moment. “Yes?” she answered the phone a bit playfully.
    “Good afternoon,
Senator Fletcher,” Jameson’s voice greeted.
    Candace smiled at the
sound. Dana watched the transformation and wondered what its cause might be.
“What can I do for you?” Candace asked just as her office door opened, and Susan peered in.
    Susan held up a paper
bag. “Did you order Chinese?” she asked in confusion.
    “I don’t know,”
Candace said. “Are there chicken wings in that bag?” she asked.
    “There are,” Jameson
answered on the line.
    Candace