Read Online Eden by Jamie McGuire - Free Book Online

is
disconcerting.”
    “ Why? I’ve never really
been a nap-taker.”
    “ Yes, but when you do,
you’re out for three hours.” Jared leaned down, pressing his ear
gently to my stomach. He stayed there for a moment, and then
sighed. “Something’s different. I can’t put my finger on it. You’re
different.”
    “ I’m not. I told you I
wasn’t sleepy. Let’s go snorkeling. I’m bored.” I stood and picked
a bathing suit from the suitcase, and hurried Jared to do the same.
I prodded him to the beach, eager to have some fun. We snorkeled,
we swam, we splashed each other and explored the farthest corners
of the island. At night, we spent time together in the outside
shower, and then snuggled in bed. If I hadn’t already been
pregnant, by the end of our honeymoon I surely would have been.
Jared was insatiable, and it seemed that with every quiet moment, I
whispered suggestive things in his ear.
    Just like our last visit to Little
Corn, the week went by too quickly. Jared noted the familiar
sadness in my eyes as I packed.
    “ We can come back. When
you graduate, after the baby is born, we can come back and stay as
long as you’d like.”
    “ I have a company to run,
you forget.”
    “ That will run just fine
if you decide to take a leave of absence.”
    I shrugged, repeating the tedious
cycle of stuffing my wedding dress into the garment bag and then
smoothing it out. “Maybe.”
    Jared seemed to be out of sorts as
well. We didn’t speak much as the hired help stacked our belongings
in the truck, and then again in the boat. Jared held me as the boat
bounced across the waves to the main island, and relied on small
talk as we waited for the plane to depart from Nicaragua. It was
like saying goodbye for the last time to an old friend. It felt
like loss. This time, there would be no ring to cheer me up, only
the ominous thoughts of what might be waiting for us at
home.
    The fairy tale was over.
    Once we were in U.S. airspace, I
immediately dialed Beth to see what the situation was at Titan.
Sasha worked to make life difficult for everyone, and Grant was
more than ready for me to return so he could leave for his own
vacation. Just a few weeks of school left, and then summer hours
would be enforced.
    Ryan was still recovering in the
hospital. Beth noted that Claire never left him alone for a moment.
Her comment made me think about the times I visited Ryan in the
hospital after he was attacked, and I wondered if he had taught her
the Logo game. I couldn’t imagine Claire sitting beside his bed
giggling and being silly. She was more likely to pout in the
corner, trying to ignore his vies for attention and incessant
questions. I hoped that I was wrong.
    The pilot announced on the overhead
speaker that we would make out descent soon. Jared tightened my
seat belt and kissed the tender skin in front of my ear, whispering
that it would be okay. I didn’t feel particularly nervous about the
landing, but I assumed he meant life in Providence. With everything
that had happened in Little Corn, it was easy to get lost in that
other world, and pretend real life in Rhode Island was just a bad
dream. But the bad dream was real, and we were about to live
it.
    Descending the stairs of the jet, and
then walking across the tarmac to the waiting car was eerily
similar. The ground was wet from a late-spring thunderstorm; the
air was so thick it seemed palpable. Samuel stood a hundred yards
away, staying in the background, but allowing us to see him. Jared
already knew he was there, so I knew his presence was for me. This
time, though, Jared didn’t go to him. He walked with me to the car,
and nodded to our driver, Robert, as he held the door.
    My cell phone buzzed and I answered.
Grant wasted no time updating my schedule, hinting that I should
come in right away. An important meeting was scheduled during one
of my classes the next day, and he wanted to go over some key
points with me to compensate for my absence.
    I hung up the phone