Read Online Friends--And Then Some by Debbie Macomber - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Debbie Macomber
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imperceptible. “I’ll be ready in a minute here,” he added.
Lily glanced at Gram, who appeared oblivious to the comment. “Ready for what?” Lily inquired.
“Shopping.”
“You’re going shopping?” Good grief, he’d just been released from the hospital. “Whatever for?” If he needed anything, she’d be happy to make the trip for him.
“We’re going out.”
“Us?”
Jake caught Gram’s eye. “You didn’t tell her?”
“I didn’t get a chance.”
“Tell me!” Lily demanded, not liking the way Jake was ignoring her.
“Jake’s taking you out to buy you a new dress,” Gram informed her.
“The dress is fine,” Lily protested loudly. “Didn’t you tell him that?”
“I did,” Gram huffed. “But he insists.”
Jake’s gaze bounced from Gram to Lily and back again. “Did you tell Lily that it won’t do any good to argue with me on this one? I saw what I did to her dress. I’m buying her another one and that’s all there is to it.”
Lily sank into the chair across from Jake and boldly met his gaze. “In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m standing right here. There’s no need to ask Gram to tell me anything when you and I are separated by less than two feet.” The words came out sharp and argumentative despite her effort to sound casual.
“If you insist.”
Gram chuckled. “You two remind me of Paddy and me.”
Paddy was Lily’s grandfather. He’d died several years before Lily was born, but the tales Gram told about him were very telling of the deep love and commitment her grandparents had shared. Lily hoped to find the same deep and lasting love with her own husband.
“You ready?” Jake asked, standing.
Lily looked at Gram for support, then back to Jake. “I hate to have you spend money on me. It isn’t necessary.”
“Would you like it better if Rick bought you a dress? Is that it?”
“Of course not.” She hardly knew Rick and didn’t want him buying her clothes.
“Then let’s get this over and done with.” He was halfway across the living room before Lily moved.
“Gram, what’s wrong with Jake? He’s not himself.”
Gram shook her pin-curled head and laughed. “I can’t say I rightly know, but I have my suspicions.”
With Jake marching ahead, Lily had little choice but to follow him. He was sittingin the driver’s seat of his taxi and glaring impatiently toward Lily as she came down the front steps.
“How’d you get your cab back?” she asked, opening the car door. They’d left it parked in front of Rick’s house and Lily had wondered if Jake wanted her and Gram to pick it up for him. That was one of the things she’d planned to ask him that morning at the hospital.
“I have my ways,” he grumbled, checking the side-view mirror before pulling onto the street. A heavy pause followed. “Did you have a good time last night?”
The question repeated in Lily’s mind. Had she? Yes and no. The evening had been one she’d dreamed about for years. She’d met several interesting men who might be worth her time. Rick had been a gentleman, kind and considerate and genuinely concerned when Jake had fallen. He’d taken charge immediately and knew exactly what to do. Lily had been surprised at her response to Jake’s injury. She’d fallen to pieces, and Rick had been there to lend his support.
“Hello? Earth to Lily,” Jake said. “Did you or did you not have a good time?”
“The evening was grand. Thank you, Jake, for inviting me.”
“Did you meet someone?” Anticipating her answer, his grip tightened around the steering wheel. He wanted Lily to assure him that she had found the rich man of her dreams. But in the same breath, he wanted her to tell him she’d found no one.
“Not really.”
“What about Rick?”
“He was very nice.”
The corner of Jake’s mouth curved up sarcastically. Her word choice was comforting. “Anyone else?”
“Not really. A couple of others said they planned to visit the Wheaton to hear me
Lily glanced at Gram, who appeared oblivious to the comment. “Ready for what?” Lily inquired.
“Shopping.”
“You’re going shopping?” Good grief, he’d just been released from the hospital. “Whatever for?” If he needed anything, she’d be happy to make the trip for him.
“We’re going out.”
“Us?”
Jake caught Gram’s eye. “You didn’t tell her?”
“I didn’t get a chance.”
“Tell me!” Lily demanded, not liking the way Jake was ignoring her.
“Jake’s taking you out to buy you a new dress,” Gram informed her.
“The dress is fine,” Lily protested loudly. “Didn’t you tell him that?”
“I did,” Gram huffed. “But he insists.”
Jake’s gaze bounced from Gram to Lily and back again. “Did you tell Lily that it won’t do any good to argue with me on this one? I saw what I did to her dress. I’m buying her another one and that’s all there is to it.”
Lily sank into the chair across from Jake and boldly met his gaze. “In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m standing right here. There’s no need to ask Gram to tell me anything when you and I are separated by less than two feet.” The words came out sharp and argumentative despite her effort to sound casual.
“If you insist.”
Gram chuckled. “You two remind me of Paddy and me.”
Paddy was Lily’s grandfather. He’d died several years before Lily was born, but the tales Gram told about him were very telling of the deep love and commitment her grandparents had shared. Lily hoped to find the same deep and lasting love with her own husband.
“You ready?” Jake asked, standing.
Lily looked at Gram for support, then back to Jake. “I hate to have you spend money on me. It isn’t necessary.”
“Would you like it better if Rick bought you a dress? Is that it?”
“Of course not.” She hardly knew Rick and didn’t want him buying her clothes.
“Then let’s get this over and done with.” He was halfway across the living room before Lily moved.
“Gram, what’s wrong with Jake? He’s not himself.”
Gram shook her pin-curled head and laughed. “I can’t say I rightly know, but I have my suspicions.”
With Jake marching ahead, Lily had little choice but to follow him. He was sittingin the driver’s seat of his taxi and glaring impatiently toward Lily as she came down the front steps.
“How’d you get your cab back?” she asked, opening the car door. They’d left it parked in front of Rick’s house and Lily had wondered if Jake wanted her and Gram to pick it up for him. That was one of the things she’d planned to ask him that morning at the hospital.
“I have my ways,” he grumbled, checking the side-view mirror before pulling onto the street. A heavy pause followed. “Did you have a good time last night?”
The question repeated in Lily’s mind. Had she? Yes and no. The evening had been one she’d dreamed about for years. She’d met several interesting men who might be worth her time. Rick had been a gentleman, kind and considerate and genuinely concerned when Jake had fallen. He’d taken charge immediately and knew exactly what to do. Lily had been surprised at her response to Jake’s injury. She’d fallen to pieces, and Rick had been there to lend his support.
“Hello? Earth to Lily,” Jake said. “Did you or did you not have a good time?”
“The evening was grand. Thank you, Jake, for inviting me.”
“Did you meet someone?” Anticipating her answer, his grip tightened around the steering wheel. He wanted Lily to assure him that she had found the rich man of her dreams. But in the same breath, he wanted her to tell him she’d found no one.
“Not really.”
“What about Rick?”
“He was very nice.”
The corner of Jake’s mouth curved up sarcastically. Her word choice was comforting. “Anyone else?”
“Not really. A couple of others said they planned to visit the Wheaton to hear me
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