Read Online Flirting With Pete: A Novel by Barbara Delinsky - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Barbara Delinsky
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other questions about the street, though, ring our bell. She’s Emily, and she’d love to talk. I’m Jeff, and I need to bike.”
Lifting a finger to his sleek helmet, he reclipped his shoe and pushed off. Wisely, he held his backside off the seat while the bike bounced over cobblestones. He sat only when he turned the corner onto West Cedar. Seconds later, he was out of sight.
Not one to pine over a lost cause, Casey steered Brianna up the walk. “Come. You have to see this place.”
*
They walked through the living room, then went up the stairs, explored the guest bedroom—“Your colors,” Brianna remarked in passing— and did no more than peek into Connie’s room. They opened and closed the doors of the third-floor rooms, admired the roof deck, and looked at the kitchen. If Brianna noticed that the paintings on the stairs leading down to the lower level were by Connie’s wife, she was wise enough not to comment. They peeked in at the den, then the office, but the latter was simply a prelude to the garden. Like Casey, Brianna was instantly drawn there. The sun had moved enough to touch the seat of the wood bench under the chestnut tree, so that was where they sat. The spot was as private as any room inside.
Brianna studied the house. “That is wisteria on your pergola. It’s beautiful. The whole place is beautiful.”
Casey drew up her knees and wrapped her arms around them. She didn’t look at the house, but kept her eyes in the garden. The greenery soothed her. “I wish the timing were better. So much else is going on in my life right now.”
“Have you decided whether to accept the teaching position?”
“No.”
“When do they need to know?”
“Last week.”
“Is it your mom that’s holding you back?”
“Partly. I could move her to Providence. If she was there, her friends might visit her more. I didn’t like the facility I saw, though. The one here is better.”
“But you always wanted to teach.”
Casey did look at the house then. She imagined Connie was standing at the window, looking out, saying the same thing, but in a scolding way. “Relocation is a problem, and it’s not just my mom. It’s my practice. It’s my friends.”
“Is Oliver really done?”
Casey crinkled her nose. “Yeah. Maybe I’m crazy. He’s a nice guy.”
“Last week he was a ‘great’ guy.”
“Well, I really wanted him to be, but he isn’t. I mean, some woman will think he is, but me? No. We’re at different places. He’s already there— has the law practice, the BMW, the house in the suburbs.”
“And the kids.”
“Yup, every other weekend, but I love the kids, they’re great, they’re really fun and interesting and spontaneous.”
“Sounds like you like them more than you like Ollie.”
“I do, which is why it’s over between him and me, before the kids get hurt.”
“How about Dylan? Truly just a pal?”
Casey rocked a little. “Yeah. Zero chemistry.” Considering the discussion over, she inhaled deeply. “These flowers smell so good. The whole garden’s a gem.”
“Makes moving to Providence more difficult.”
“Not because of this,” she said; she refused to let Connie be the one to hold her back. Any one of her other qualms about moving was far more compelling. “I can sell this.”
“It’s the kind of place that you used to dream of owning. Why would you sell it?”
“Because it was his.”
“That’s why you should keep it.”
“If I keep it, I invite him to judge every little thing I do.”
Brianna could analyze feelings and thoughts as well as the next clinician. What Casey loved about her, though, was that she was first and foremost down-to-earth. So now she said, “Casey, he’s dead.”
“Technically,” Casey agreed. “Spiritually, not so. In my mind he’s all over this townhouse.”
“Is it him, or the ghost that lives in the master bedroom?”
“Angus? Good name for a ghost, but no. I’m talking about Connie. He’s there in the
Lifting a finger to his sleek helmet, he reclipped his shoe and pushed off. Wisely, he held his backside off the seat while the bike bounced over cobblestones. He sat only when he turned the corner onto West Cedar. Seconds later, he was out of sight.
Not one to pine over a lost cause, Casey steered Brianna up the walk. “Come. You have to see this place.”
*
They walked through the living room, then went up the stairs, explored the guest bedroom—“Your colors,” Brianna remarked in passing— and did no more than peek into Connie’s room. They opened and closed the doors of the third-floor rooms, admired the roof deck, and looked at the kitchen. If Brianna noticed that the paintings on the stairs leading down to the lower level were by Connie’s wife, she was wise enough not to comment. They peeked in at the den, then the office, but the latter was simply a prelude to the garden. Like Casey, Brianna was instantly drawn there. The sun had moved enough to touch the seat of the wood bench under the chestnut tree, so that was where they sat. The spot was as private as any room inside.
Brianna studied the house. “That is wisteria on your pergola. It’s beautiful. The whole place is beautiful.”
Casey drew up her knees and wrapped her arms around them. She didn’t look at the house, but kept her eyes in the garden. The greenery soothed her. “I wish the timing were better. So much else is going on in my life right now.”
“Have you decided whether to accept the teaching position?”
“No.”
“When do they need to know?”
“Last week.”
“Is it your mom that’s holding you back?”
“Partly. I could move her to Providence. If she was there, her friends might visit her more. I didn’t like the facility I saw, though. The one here is better.”
“But you always wanted to teach.”
Casey did look at the house then. She imagined Connie was standing at the window, looking out, saying the same thing, but in a scolding way. “Relocation is a problem, and it’s not just my mom. It’s my practice. It’s my friends.”
“Is Oliver really done?”
Casey crinkled her nose. “Yeah. Maybe I’m crazy. He’s a nice guy.”
“Last week he was a ‘great’ guy.”
“Well, I really wanted him to be, but he isn’t. I mean, some woman will think he is, but me? No. We’re at different places. He’s already there— has the law practice, the BMW, the house in the suburbs.”
“And the kids.”
“Yup, every other weekend, but I love the kids, they’re great, they’re really fun and interesting and spontaneous.”
“Sounds like you like them more than you like Ollie.”
“I do, which is why it’s over between him and me, before the kids get hurt.”
“How about Dylan? Truly just a pal?”
Casey rocked a little. “Yeah. Zero chemistry.” Considering the discussion over, she inhaled deeply. “These flowers smell so good. The whole garden’s a gem.”
“Makes moving to Providence more difficult.”
“Not because of this,” she said; she refused to let Connie be the one to hold her back. Any one of her other qualms about moving was far more compelling. “I can sell this.”
“It’s the kind of place that you used to dream of owning. Why would you sell it?”
“Because it was his.”
“That’s why you should keep it.”
“If I keep it, I invite him to judge every little thing I do.”
Brianna could analyze feelings and thoughts as well as the next clinician. What Casey loved about her, though, was that she was first and foremost down-to-earth. So now she said, “Casey, he’s dead.”
“Technically,” Casey agreed. “Spiritually, not so. In my mind he’s all over this townhouse.”
“Is it him, or the ghost that lives in the master bedroom?”
“Angus? Good name for a ghost, but no. I’m talking about Connie. He’s there in the
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