Read Online Chosen by a Stranger (Craved Series #5) by Hazel Kelly - Free Book Online
Authors: Hazel Kelly
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this afternoon."
"He checked out?"
"That's right."
"Did he say where he was going?" I asked, realizing how
stupid that sounded only after the words left my mouth.
"Not to me," the woman said. "I'm sorry dear."
My heart sank in my chest. Where did he go?
"Is there anything else I can help you with?" she asked.
"No," I said. "That's all."
"Have a nice day then," she said.
But I didn't see how I could now, not when my fiancé to be was
missing.
I hung up the phone and dropped my head.
A moment later, the doorbell rang.
Chapter
13: Jack
I put my bag down in my Mom's guestroom and sat on the bed. The
mattress was nice and soft. Maybe too soft. I was worried I might not be able
to sleep since I'd become accustomed to firm Thai beds.
But
it wasn't just the mattress I was worried about. It was Audrey's absence from
it that disturbed me most. Sleeping with her last night had been such a welcome
change.
I
loved the subtle movements of her eyelids, the little sighs she let out when
she was dreaming, and the fact that she felt comfortable enough with me to
sleep so deeply.
Fortunately, it would be hours before I had to lie without her.
Travis and my Mom insisted on taking me to dinner at some cocktail hustling
bistro, and I knew myself well enough to know I'd probably be all too eager to
try and drown the anxiety I was feeling.
But I had to hand it to my Mom. She hadn't dwelled. Once her
interrogation was over, she changed the subject, promptly filling my head with
neighborhood gossip, stories about the last people who mentioned my book to
her, and a play by play of the trip to New England she and Travis took two
months ago.
Which made me happy and sad at the same time.
On one hand, it was great to catch up and hear how well she was
doing in person instead of over the phone. She seemed genuinely carefree in a
way that suited her age and personality. How much Travis had to do with that I
don't know.
If I had to guess, I'd say the responsibility was shared equally
between him, her book club, and her part time job at the local college, but the
source of her happiness wasn't as important as the fact that she seemed secure
in it.
Yet her cheerful update made me feel incredibly guilty. How many
similar updates and exciting milestones had I missed since I fucked off to
Thailand? I guess the only way to say it is that, as much as I constantly told
myself I didn't, I missed my Mom.
And it was obvious she missed me, too. I could tell because of how
often her eyes watered when she was talking to me, like it required physical
energy to push the thought of my expatriation out of her mind.
Meanwhile, I couldn’t stop thinking that I'd get to see a lot more
of her if I moved back home, and that knowledge gave me a nagging lump in my
throat that I kept trying in vain to swallow while she talked.
Eventually, I felt the need to excuse myself under the premise
that I could use a shower before we went out. Of course, when Travis came in
with groceries and slipped his hands around my Mom's waist from behind, it was
easy enough to make my exit.
Still, despite the fact that my Mom hadn't dwelled on the Audrey
situation- probably because she could sense that the whole thing was making me sick-
there was one thing she said that I couldn't get out of my head.
"Would you rather get an answer or get the girl?"
Obviously, I wanted Audrey. In fact, the more time I spent away
from her the more every part of me ached for her.
But I was worried.
As I replayed the morning in my mind, it seemed like I may have created
a condition that might make it harder for us to move forward, not easier.
I still didn't regret asking her to marry me, but I couldn’t help
but feel that I'd accidentally manipulated the situation so that it would be
awkward to spend time together until she had an answer.
And the truth was if she wasn't ready, I would wait for her.
I wanted to pretend I
"He checked out?"
"That's right."
"Did he say where he was going?" I asked, realizing how
stupid that sounded only after the words left my mouth.
"Not to me," the woman said. "I'm sorry dear."
My heart sank in my chest. Where did he go?
"Is there anything else I can help you with?" she asked.
"No," I said. "That's all."
"Have a nice day then," she said.
But I didn't see how I could now, not when my fiancé to be was
missing.
I hung up the phone and dropped my head.
A moment later, the doorbell rang.
Chapter
13: Jack
I put my bag down in my Mom's guestroom and sat on the bed. The
mattress was nice and soft. Maybe too soft. I was worried I might not be able
to sleep since I'd become accustomed to firm Thai beds.
But
it wasn't just the mattress I was worried about. It was Audrey's absence from
it that disturbed me most. Sleeping with her last night had been such a welcome
change.
I
loved the subtle movements of her eyelids, the little sighs she let out when
she was dreaming, and the fact that she felt comfortable enough with me to
sleep so deeply.
Fortunately, it would be hours before I had to lie without her.
Travis and my Mom insisted on taking me to dinner at some cocktail hustling
bistro, and I knew myself well enough to know I'd probably be all too eager to
try and drown the anxiety I was feeling.
But I had to hand it to my Mom. She hadn't dwelled. Once her
interrogation was over, she changed the subject, promptly filling my head with
neighborhood gossip, stories about the last people who mentioned my book to
her, and a play by play of the trip to New England she and Travis took two
months ago.
Which made me happy and sad at the same time.
On one hand, it was great to catch up and hear how well she was
doing in person instead of over the phone. She seemed genuinely carefree in a
way that suited her age and personality. How much Travis had to do with that I
don't know.
If I had to guess, I'd say the responsibility was shared equally
between him, her book club, and her part time job at the local college, but the
source of her happiness wasn't as important as the fact that she seemed secure
in it.
Yet her cheerful update made me feel incredibly guilty. How many
similar updates and exciting milestones had I missed since I fucked off to
Thailand? I guess the only way to say it is that, as much as I constantly told
myself I didn't, I missed my Mom.
And it was obvious she missed me, too. I could tell because of how
often her eyes watered when she was talking to me, like it required physical
energy to push the thought of my expatriation out of her mind.
Meanwhile, I couldn’t stop thinking that I'd get to see a lot more
of her if I moved back home, and that knowledge gave me a nagging lump in my
throat that I kept trying in vain to swallow while she talked.
Eventually, I felt the need to excuse myself under the premise
that I could use a shower before we went out. Of course, when Travis came in
with groceries and slipped his hands around my Mom's waist from behind, it was
easy enough to make my exit.
Still, despite the fact that my Mom hadn't dwelled on the Audrey
situation- probably because she could sense that the whole thing was making me sick-
there was one thing she said that I couldn't get out of my head.
"Would you rather get an answer or get the girl?"
Obviously, I wanted Audrey. In fact, the more time I spent away
from her the more every part of me ached for her.
But I was worried.
As I replayed the morning in my mind, it seemed like I may have created
a condition that might make it harder for us to move forward, not easier.
I still didn't regret asking her to marry me, but I couldn’t help
but feel that I'd accidentally manipulated the situation so that it would be
awkward to spend time together until she had an answer.
And the truth was if she wasn't ready, I would wait for her.
I wanted to pretend I
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