Read Online Distinction: The Distraction Trilogy #3 by A. E. Murphy - Free Book Online
Authors: A. E. Murphy
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forward to pat his hand. Again, it isn’t forgiveness but I’d like to try and mend things. I immediately notice the chessboard folded away underneath the table between the couch and the armchair. Nothing about this house so far has changed.
I grin, wanting to change the subject, so I reach under the table and snag the board. “Just like old times?”
“Exactly.” He fixes me with a warm grin, relief swimming in his familiar blue eyes.
“You’re not going to win.” I state mischievously and kick my shoes off so I can tuck my legs beneath me.
“Coffee?” Isaac’s voice comes from the doorway.
I move my first pawn and John moves his. We both stare at the board, plotting movements, though it’s a little bit tough to do at this point because only the pawns or the knights can be moved.
“Would you like coffee?” Isaac asks again.
I shake my head. “I quit coffee a couple of months ago.”
“Why?”
Shrug. “It stopped working for me; seemed like a waste of calories.”
Isaac lets out a bark of laughter. “You’re watching your calories now?”
My eyes narrow as I tense. How does he get to me so easily? “I’m not eighteen anymore. The weight doesn’t fall off and stay off like it used to.”
“Thank god,” he mutters suggestively, his eyes on my legs.
I roll mine back to the board and wait for John to make his next move. “But I’d love a water if you have any.”
Isaac leaves the room and returns moments later with a bottle for me. I take it, open it and have a sip before returning to my game.
“How much are we betting this time?” Isaac asks his dad as he claims the seat beside me on the couch and rests his elbows on his knees.
“Your odds?”
Isaac leans closer to get a better look at my next move. “Fifty says she wins.”
“You’re on.” John agrees.
Neither of them notice how badly my mood just dropped. I want to turn and shake Isaac. Is he crazy? He had a gambling addiction and here he is betting on stuff. Even if it is just for fun, he shouldn’t be participating.
What if he isn’t over his addiction? Panic lances through me but I stamp it down. It’s not my business. It certainly isn’t my problem.
“How is university?” John asks kindly.
“Great. Hopefully I’m graduating top of my class.”
“You’re talented and clever. It doesn’t surprise me.” John says at exactly the same time Isaac says, “That’s amazing, Eloise. I’m so proud of you.”
I flush and let my hair fall as a barrier between us as I collect myself. After a moment I turn towards him. “What about you? You’re teaching in Boston now?”
He nods. “I love it.”
Of course he does. “I’m sorry I ever took it away from you.”
He visibly cringes and opens his mouth to speak, probably to agree.
John cuts him off and my eyes shoot to my board. “Check.”
“You cheated,” I cry. “Your rook wasn’t there last move!”
“It ruddy well was.” He says indignantly and puffs his chest out. “That was my last move.”
“You are full of it Jonathan Price… full… of… it. You moved your knight last turn.”
Isaac watches our exchange with amusement. I hate the pang of nostalgia that I feel.
John wins this time. Isaac loses fifty but he doesn’t seem to mind too much. It’s his own fault for gambling.
Time flies and I find it’s too easy to slip back into our routine. We sit, we eat delicious food cooked by John and we laugh and joke as if a day hasn’t gone by since we last saw each other. The only person missing from it all is Isaac’s mum, Judith. We haven’t spoken about her much beyond bringing up a few memories of her past. I had hoped to see her before I went but time is getting on.
“I have to leave soon,” I say, checking the time. It’s just after two. “Long drive back.”
“You should stay the night,” John suggests and Isaac shifts in his seat. I’m surprisingly tempted to stay, purely so I don’t lose this happiness that I’m feeling, but
I grin, wanting to change the subject, so I reach under the table and snag the board. “Just like old times?”
“Exactly.” He fixes me with a warm grin, relief swimming in his familiar blue eyes.
“You’re not going to win.” I state mischievously and kick my shoes off so I can tuck my legs beneath me.
“Coffee?” Isaac’s voice comes from the doorway.
I move my first pawn and John moves his. We both stare at the board, plotting movements, though it’s a little bit tough to do at this point because only the pawns or the knights can be moved.
“Would you like coffee?” Isaac asks again.
I shake my head. “I quit coffee a couple of months ago.”
“Why?”
Shrug. “It stopped working for me; seemed like a waste of calories.”
Isaac lets out a bark of laughter. “You’re watching your calories now?”
My eyes narrow as I tense. How does he get to me so easily? “I’m not eighteen anymore. The weight doesn’t fall off and stay off like it used to.”
“Thank god,” he mutters suggestively, his eyes on my legs.
I roll mine back to the board and wait for John to make his next move. “But I’d love a water if you have any.”
Isaac leaves the room and returns moments later with a bottle for me. I take it, open it and have a sip before returning to my game.
“How much are we betting this time?” Isaac asks his dad as he claims the seat beside me on the couch and rests his elbows on his knees.
“Your odds?”
Isaac leans closer to get a better look at my next move. “Fifty says she wins.”
“You’re on.” John agrees.
Neither of them notice how badly my mood just dropped. I want to turn and shake Isaac. Is he crazy? He had a gambling addiction and here he is betting on stuff. Even if it is just for fun, he shouldn’t be participating.
What if he isn’t over his addiction? Panic lances through me but I stamp it down. It’s not my business. It certainly isn’t my problem.
“How is university?” John asks kindly.
“Great. Hopefully I’m graduating top of my class.”
“You’re talented and clever. It doesn’t surprise me.” John says at exactly the same time Isaac says, “That’s amazing, Eloise. I’m so proud of you.”
I flush and let my hair fall as a barrier between us as I collect myself. After a moment I turn towards him. “What about you? You’re teaching in Boston now?”
He nods. “I love it.”
Of course he does. “I’m sorry I ever took it away from you.”
He visibly cringes and opens his mouth to speak, probably to agree.
John cuts him off and my eyes shoot to my board. “Check.”
“You cheated,” I cry. “Your rook wasn’t there last move!”
“It ruddy well was.” He says indignantly and puffs his chest out. “That was my last move.”
“You are full of it Jonathan Price… full… of… it. You moved your knight last turn.”
Isaac watches our exchange with amusement. I hate the pang of nostalgia that I feel.
John wins this time. Isaac loses fifty but he doesn’t seem to mind too much. It’s his own fault for gambling.
Time flies and I find it’s too easy to slip back into our routine. We sit, we eat delicious food cooked by John and we laugh and joke as if a day hasn’t gone by since we last saw each other. The only person missing from it all is Isaac’s mum, Judith. We haven’t spoken about her much beyond bringing up a few memories of her past. I had hoped to see her before I went but time is getting on.
“I have to leave soon,” I say, checking the time. It’s just after two. “Long drive back.”
“You should stay the night,” John suggests and Isaac shifts in his seat. I’m surprisingly tempted to stay, purely so I don’t lose this happiness that I’m feeling, but
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