Read Online Heart of Gold by Beverly Jenkins - Free Book Online Page A

you’re a grown woman.”
    â€œBut I’m also your sister.”
    â€œSo that means you get to loll around and not contribute to the food you’re eating and the bills.”
    No response.
    â€œYes, you are my sister, but you’re also single, and single women have to take care of themselves, especially financially.”
    Diane’s face was as sullen as a teenager’s.
    â€œOr you can leave.”
    â€œYou know I have no place else to go.”
    â€œAnd why is that?” Bernadine asked gently.
    More silence.
    â€œSometimes the hardest thing to do is to look in the mirror and acknowledge truthfully what you see.”
    â€œThank you, Iyanla Vanzant. Or is it Dr. Phil?”
    Bernadine held on to her temper, reminding her sagely, “You’re the one with no place to go.” The underlying message of Reverend Paula’s sermon that morning had been about choosing to be kind over being right. Bernadine was trying to use that philosophy with her sister, but Diane didn’t seem to be appreciating her restraint. “So figure out what you want to do and let me know.”
    With nothing more to say to the sulky-faced Diane, Bernadine headed upstairs.
    Two doors down at the Garland house, Roni ended the call with her manager Jason West and set the phone aside. For years she’d wanted to do a tribute CD for the musical matriarchs like Billie Holiday, the great Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan. Securing the rights to the songs had proven difficult, but Jason had finally worked things out and was ready to get back into the studio. Although she was equally ready, she knew Reggie wouldn’t be happy with this, so she’d asked Jason to hold off on the project for the time being. He wasn’t pleased, and truthfully neither was she, but marriage was supposed to be about compromise. Never mind that she was the only one compromising, or at least that’s how it felt. Why had she gone through all the trouble of having a studio built in town if she wasn’t going to use it? Swallowing her resentment, she walked into the study, where Reggie seemed to be retreating more and more. “Hey. What’re you doing?”
    He glanced up from papers in his hand. “Checking out this medical conference I’m going to in Seattle on Tuesday.”
    â€œReally? How long will you be gone?” This was the first time he’d mentioned leaving. Had they grown that far apart?
    â€œBe back on Saturday. There’re some great lectures on the agenda.”
    â€œDo you need me to take you to the airport?”
    â€œNo. Trent has a meeting in Hays that day. He said I could ride with him.”
    â€œAh.” She paused for a moment to think about how to phrase what she planned to say next, but decided to hell with it. “Jason wants to go back into the studio.”
    His eyes flared.
    â€œBut I told him I’d like to take a break for a month or so.”
    He visibly relaxed. “Good. Zoey will appreciate that.”
    The knowledge that this had nothing to do with their daughter almost made her lash out. Instead she swallowed the urge to set him straight and changed the subject. “So, did you find an assistant for your office?” The college student who worked for him quit to move to Topeka. He’d just begun advertising for her replacement when Roni flew out to the West Coast.
    â€œNot yet. Hoping to hire somebody soon, though. My practice isn’t that busy, but having someone handling the paperwork is helpful.”
    Roni felt as if they were two strangers conversing. In spite of her having voiced interest in what was going on with him, he’d not reciprocated. How they were going to close the chasm between them and get back to the love they’d once shared was anyone’s guess. There was no guessing about how much this was hurting her, though. None.
    â€œAnything else?” he asked.
    She wanted to ask why he’d pretended