Read Online Chapter and Verse by Jo Willow, Sharon Gurley-Headley - Free Book Online
Authors: Jo Willow, Sharon Gurley-Headley
Ads: Link
You’re killing me here.”
“ How long did you know about this and were you ever planning on telling me?”
“ I had the potential to know when I got the file a week ago, but I didn’t pay attention until you told me your address. Was I planning to tell you? Of course I was. Not only is it handy for our business endeavor, but I’ve now got a buddy in the building! How cool is that?”
I raised one eyebrow at him and internally debated the “no hurting him” promise I made.
“ A ‘buddy in the building’?”
“ Absolutely! Just think about it a second and you’ll see the benefits. If you need anything, I’m one floor above you. Same goes the other way. Need someone to watch a movie with? Tap on the ceiling with your broom or call me. You’ve got my cell number now. I make killer popcorn and I’ll even compromise with every movie being a chick-flick.”
“ That’s very magnanimous of you Deacon.”
“ I know. I’m that kind of guy. You’re gonna love having me for a neighbor. You’ll see.”
I was reasoning it out in my mind. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad having Deacon Sloan as a neighbor. The guy did make me laugh - most of the time, and he could help with heavy lifting. Plus, it would make interviewing him a hell of a lot easier. We could get together on Saturday or Sunday mornings over coffee and relax while we talked, versus my interrupting his workday to ask the routine questions. This might work after all.
I was starting to smile and he was starting to smile back, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned my head and a striking brunette dressed in midnight blue grinned a smile that I was sure some dentist had sent his kid to college on.
“ May I cut in?”
“ Sylvia?”
Deacon said her name as if it were a caress and I felt my stomach bottom out. I took a step back and she took my place. As simple as that. She stepped in and took my place.
I didn’t look back, I couldn’t. I kept the phoney smile plastered to my face (I was learning loads from Deacon already) and I kept on walking. I found the table with our name tags on it and took a seat. It felt good to get off of my feet. Then I waited.
Thirty minutes turned to forty. When everyone began to take their seats and I noticed that Deacon was no longer on the dance floor, I rose and made my way toward the exit before everyone sat down and it became obvious. A temporary coat-check had been set up and I wondered if the bathrooms were near there as well.
As I drew near, I heard voices coming from around a corner near the bathrooms. One was Deacon’s. I assumed the other belonged to Sylvia.
“ I’m game if you are, but what about your date?”
“ Dorothy? She’s not technically my date. Not really. She’s nobody. She’s writing my biography and has to follow me around. Don’t worry about her.”
“ She won’t follow you to my place will she?”
“ Not if we’re fast enough. Let’s go.”
I couldn’t listen to anymore, I’d heard quite enough. I leaned against the wall and took off my shoes, one at a time. Everyone was inside awaiting dinner, and I knew that by now my “date” had slipped out the back. I started toward the front, then remembered the cameras. A server with an empty tray walked past and I grabbed her arm.
“ Excuse me, I don’t want to be a bother, but is there another way out of here? I have a terrible headache and I’d like to avoid the cameras.”
She smiled and took pity.
“ Of course. Follow me.”
I did and ended up going out a side door that the caterers were using. I walked to the back of the building, ruining my stockings in the process. The night was warm and I didn’t care in the least. I pulled my cell from my purse and called my sister.
“ Mel’, can you come get me please? I’ll explain when you get here, just get here quickly. I’m at the back of the building,
“ How long did you know about this and were you ever planning on telling me?”
“ I had the potential to know when I got the file a week ago, but I didn’t pay attention until you told me your address. Was I planning to tell you? Of course I was. Not only is it handy for our business endeavor, but I’ve now got a buddy in the building! How cool is that?”
I raised one eyebrow at him and internally debated the “no hurting him” promise I made.
“ A ‘buddy in the building’?”
“ Absolutely! Just think about it a second and you’ll see the benefits. If you need anything, I’m one floor above you. Same goes the other way. Need someone to watch a movie with? Tap on the ceiling with your broom or call me. You’ve got my cell number now. I make killer popcorn and I’ll even compromise with every movie being a chick-flick.”
“ That’s very magnanimous of you Deacon.”
“ I know. I’m that kind of guy. You’re gonna love having me for a neighbor. You’ll see.”
I was reasoning it out in my mind. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad having Deacon Sloan as a neighbor. The guy did make me laugh - most of the time, and he could help with heavy lifting. Plus, it would make interviewing him a hell of a lot easier. We could get together on Saturday or Sunday mornings over coffee and relax while we talked, versus my interrupting his workday to ask the routine questions. This might work after all.
I was starting to smile and he was starting to smile back, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned my head and a striking brunette dressed in midnight blue grinned a smile that I was sure some dentist had sent his kid to college on.
“ May I cut in?”
“ Sylvia?”
Deacon said her name as if it were a caress and I felt my stomach bottom out. I took a step back and she took my place. As simple as that. She stepped in and took my place.
I didn’t look back, I couldn’t. I kept the phoney smile plastered to my face (I was learning loads from Deacon already) and I kept on walking. I found the table with our name tags on it and took a seat. It felt good to get off of my feet. Then I waited.
Thirty minutes turned to forty. When everyone began to take their seats and I noticed that Deacon was no longer on the dance floor, I rose and made my way toward the exit before everyone sat down and it became obvious. A temporary coat-check had been set up and I wondered if the bathrooms were near there as well.
As I drew near, I heard voices coming from around a corner near the bathrooms. One was Deacon’s. I assumed the other belonged to Sylvia.
“ I’m game if you are, but what about your date?”
“ Dorothy? She’s not technically my date. Not really. She’s nobody. She’s writing my biography and has to follow me around. Don’t worry about her.”
“ She won’t follow you to my place will she?”
“ Not if we’re fast enough. Let’s go.”
I couldn’t listen to anymore, I’d heard quite enough. I leaned against the wall and took off my shoes, one at a time. Everyone was inside awaiting dinner, and I knew that by now my “date” had slipped out the back. I started toward the front, then remembered the cameras. A server with an empty tray walked past and I grabbed her arm.
“ Excuse me, I don’t want to be a bother, but is there another way out of here? I have a terrible headache and I’d like to avoid the cameras.”
She smiled and took pity.
“ Of course. Follow me.”
I did and ended up going out a side door that the caterers were using. I walked to the back of the building, ruining my stockings in the process. The night was warm and I didn’t care in the least. I pulled my cell from my purse and called my sister.
“ Mel’, can you come get me please? I’ll explain when you get here, just get here quickly. I’m at the back of the building,
Similar Books
