Read Online Ever After by Karen Kingsbury - Free Book Online

afternoon, the day Emily shared her feelings with her mother. She’d been determined not to make the first move with Justin. There were countless reasons why. She was busy, she had to be dedicated to her team, she was still getting used to the Tacoma area, she didn’t know him well enough.
    The list was long.
    But that didn’t change the way she felt every time he walked into the room. He was broad shouldered with a rugged face and a quick sense of humor. Just like her dad. Already she knew that Justin’s faith, his beliefs, mattered as much to him as hers did. Even so, she wouldn’t make her feelings obvious. Especially after the Mr. Smooth comments from Vonda. If Justin Baker was a smooth talker, let some other girl fall for him. She was certainly too busy to be taken on a meaningless ride.
    That afternoon, she was editing releases when he pulled a chair up beside her and waited for her to look at him. When she did, she couldn’t stop her breath from catching in her throat. She kept her tone light. “More training?”
    “If you need it.” He gave her a look that made her laugh.
    “Not really.” She raised one eyebrow. “See, I had this teacher, and, well … he was so talented, I don’t have a single question.”
    “That’s good.” He ran his tongue along his lower lip and shifted in his seat. It was the first time he’d looked nervous. “Hey, Emily, I want to clear something up.”
    “Okay.” She turned to face him.
    “I hear you over there, Justin Baker, all flirty and everything.” Vonda was a relentless teaser. She stood at her desk and winked in their direction. “Just go on ahead and get over yourself, Mr. Smooth. Ask the poor girl out, already. She’s dying for you to do it.” She made a loud exasperated sound and sat down hard on her seat. “Love is wasted on the youth, I tell you. Wasted!”
    Justin looked at Emily for a beat, and then leaned his head back and groaned. “Thanks, Vonda.”
    “Anytime.” Vonda picked up the phone, her attention mercifully off the two of them.
    Emily gave him a sympathetic smile. “You were saying?”
    “Right.” He looked at her, and she noticed his cheeks were darker than before. He couldn’t be any more irresistible. “About the Mr. Smooth part.” He shook his head. “It isn’t true.”
    “It isn’t? How’s that?”
    “Well …” He craned his neck and cast a quick look in Vonda’s direction. His voice dropped a notch. “The thing is, if I were Mr. Smooth, I would’ve already done it.”
    “Done what?” Emily enjoyed the exchange, wherever it was leading.
    His eyes found hers, and he looked beyond the surface to someplace deep inside her. “Asked you out.”
    And just like that, his feelings were on the table. She felt herself lifting off the floor, floating around the room. But when she looked down, she could see herself still in the computer chair, her feet still on the ground. She remembered first to smile, and second to breathe. “Really?”
    “Yeah.” He exhaled as if he’d been holding his breath. “Emily, you don’t know how hard that was.”
    “Your turn, Miss Emily.” Vonda was off the phone again. She smacked her hand down in a mock show of disgust. “Do I have to come over there and teach the two of you how to do this?”
    Emily laughed. “That’s okay.” She looked at Justin and her insides felt all jumbled together. “I think we can figure it out.”
    Justin shielded his eyes with his hand and shook his head. “Thanks again, Vonda.”
    “Like I said, anytime.”
    “So?” Justin lowered his hand and winced. “Can I take you out to dinner? After work tonight?”
    “Sure.” Emily kept her tone light. She looked over her shoulder once more. “But I’m not sure how we’ll get by without Vonda.”
    “Me either.” He shrugged, and the gesture made him look adorable. “I guess we’ll never know if we don’t try.”
    They both laughed, and Justin snuck back to his work station — thankfully under