Read Online His Fair Lady by Kimberly Gardner - Free Book Online
Authors: Kimberly Gardner
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big these days.”
She said nothing, since attempting an explanation would inevitably lead to more questions, questions she couldn’t answer.
Mark leaned back a little and looked at her. “You mean waltzing, right?”
She meant to lie, she really did. But for whatever reason, she found herself telling him the truth.
“No, I mean slow like this, with a guy.”
Mark laughed. “You’re kidding. You’re not kidding. Wow, what about in high school. Didn’t you go to dances?”
“I was homeschooled, mostly. So, no, no dances.”
“Mostly?”
“I went to a regular school for like half a semester; then we moved, and my mom started teaching me at home.”
And wasn’t that an oversimplified version of what had actually happened? But telling the whole truth would require way too much explanation and revelation. She was not ready for that and doubted he ever would be either.
“Now you’re getting it.” Mark spun them around.
“Whoa! No getting fancy.”
She was actually doing it, waltzing like she’d been dancing with him for years. It felt good, and she found herself smiling at him.
“Is that your family?” Mark asked.
“What?”
“The picture. On your desk?” He waltzed them around again and angled his head. But the move was unnecessary.
Damn it! She hardly ever thought about that picture. Never really saw it since it was so much a part of her surroundings. No matter where she lived, that picture came with her and was always the first thing she unpacked.
Why had she let Kyle put it in the living room?
The picture showed a youngish middle-aged couple standing with their arms around each other and holding a little boy of about five between them. Behind them stood her father’s ‘62 Panhead, his pride and joy.
“Yeah, that’s my family.” Josie cleared her throat. Her voice sounded odd even to her ears. “Can we stop for a minute? I’m getting dizzy.”
“Sure.” He released her and walked over to the desk and picked up the picture. “Is the little boy your brother?”
Josie rescued her wine and took a long sip. Her throat was suddenly dry as dust. She nodded.
“Yeah, my brother. It’s an old picture.”
“Where were you?”
“I was taking the picture,” Josie said, the lie rolling right off her tongue. It left behind a bitterness that was all too familiar.
She liked Mark, and she hated lying, especially hated lying to him. But it couldn’t be helped.
“What’s his name?”
“Who?”
“Your brother.” Mark laughed. “Who else?”
“His name’s Joey.”
“Josie and Joey. He looks like you. How old is he now?”
For a moment, she said nothing. It must have been a long moment, because suddenly Mark put down the picture and walked to her.
“Did I say something wrong?”
“No, it’s okay.”
The wine bottle clinked against the glass as Josie got herself another refill. Damn it, her hands were shaking.
“I’m sorry. Maybe I should go.”
“No, don’t. I mean, I don’t want you to go. It’s just… It’s not you. It’s just hard for me to talk about Joey.”
That, at least, was the truth.
“I’m sorry,” Mark said again. “We don’t have to talk about it, but maybe it would help.”
Josie shook her head. But when she opened her mouth to tell him again it was okay, she found she couldn’t force the words past the lump clogging her throat. Suddenly her eyes filled, and she turned away quickly.
Please don’t let him have seen.
She tossed back her wine for extra courage, then just stood there by the kitchen counter, her empty glass clutched in one hand.
She knew he was behind her, sensed him there even before his hand closed over hers and he gently took the glass and set it down.
“I don’t know what happened to Joey, Joes. But I’m really sorry.”
She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing back the tears, and drew in a long quiet breath before she turned and wrapped her arms around him and kissed him full on the mouth.
MARK NEARLY STAGGERED
She said nothing, since attempting an explanation would inevitably lead to more questions, questions she couldn’t answer.
Mark leaned back a little and looked at her. “You mean waltzing, right?”
She meant to lie, she really did. But for whatever reason, she found herself telling him the truth.
“No, I mean slow like this, with a guy.”
Mark laughed. “You’re kidding. You’re not kidding. Wow, what about in high school. Didn’t you go to dances?”
“I was homeschooled, mostly. So, no, no dances.”
“Mostly?”
“I went to a regular school for like half a semester; then we moved, and my mom started teaching me at home.”
And wasn’t that an oversimplified version of what had actually happened? But telling the whole truth would require way too much explanation and revelation. She was not ready for that and doubted he ever would be either.
“Now you’re getting it.” Mark spun them around.
“Whoa! No getting fancy.”
She was actually doing it, waltzing like she’d been dancing with him for years. It felt good, and she found herself smiling at him.
“Is that your family?” Mark asked.
“What?”
“The picture. On your desk?” He waltzed them around again and angled his head. But the move was unnecessary.
Damn it! She hardly ever thought about that picture. Never really saw it since it was so much a part of her surroundings. No matter where she lived, that picture came with her and was always the first thing she unpacked.
Why had she let Kyle put it in the living room?
The picture showed a youngish middle-aged couple standing with their arms around each other and holding a little boy of about five between them. Behind them stood her father’s ‘62 Panhead, his pride and joy.
“Yeah, that’s my family.” Josie cleared her throat. Her voice sounded odd even to her ears. “Can we stop for a minute? I’m getting dizzy.”
“Sure.” He released her and walked over to the desk and picked up the picture. “Is the little boy your brother?”
Josie rescued her wine and took a long sip. Her throat was suddenly dry as dust. She nodded.
“Yeah, my brother. It’s an old picture.”
“Where were you?”
“I was taking the picture,” Josie said, the lie rolling right off her tongue. It left behind a bitterness that was all too familiar.
She liked Mark, and she hated lying, especially hated lying to him. But it couldn’t be helped.
“What’s his name?”
“Who?”
“Your brother.” Mark laughed. “Who else?”
“His name’s Joey.”
“Josie and Joey. He looks like you. How old is he now?”
For a moment, she said nothing. It must have been a long moment, because suddenly Mark put down the picture and walked to her.
“Did I say something wrong?”
“No, it’s okay.”
The wine bottle clinked against the glass as Josie got herself another refill. Damn it, her hands were shaking.
“I’m sorry. Maybe I should go.”
“No, don’t. I mean, I don’t want you to go. It’s just… It’s not you. It’s just hard for me to talk about Joey.”
That, at least, was the truth.
“I’m sorry,” Mark said again. “We don’t have to talk about it, but maybe it would help.”
Josie shook her head. But when she opened her mouth to tell him again it was okay, she found she couldn’t force the words past the lump clogging her throat. Suddenly her eyes filled, and she turned away quickly.
Please don’t let him have seen.
She tossed back her wine for extra courage, then just stood there by the kitchen counter, her empty glass clutched in one hand.
She knew he was behind her, sensed him there even before his hand closed over hers and he gently took the glass and set it down.
“I don’t know what happened to Joey, Joes. But I’m really sorry.”
She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing back the tears, and drew in a long quiet breath before she turned and wrapped her arms around him and kissed him full on the mouth.
MARK NEARLY STAGGERED
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