Read Online Hush by Nancy Bush - Free Book Online Page A

bitch, aren‘t I?‖ Annette said without a bit of remorse. ―Maybe the real me is just coming out now.‖ She eyed Coby speculatively. ―I‘ve always played by the rules, and it‘s exhausting! I‘m giving myself a pass, starting today. I know you‘re supposed to keep up a facade, ignore the elephant in the room, sometimes, for the sake of being a nice person or something. Half the time, I just don‘t know why I should even care.‖ She shrugged. ―Anyway, to hell with what everybody else thinks. I don‘t give a flying fuck anymore.‖

    Dave returned with several more bottles of red from a wine rack in the dining room and, catching the end of her words, appeared embarrassed. Sliding him a look, Annette finished with,
    ―But what do I know? I‘m just a kid.‖

    ―You‘re not a kid,‖ Dave said on a sigh.

    Annette snorted and, with her drink in hand, headed into the living room, where Coby heard a male voice greet her. Her father, Jean-Claude.

    ―She‘s kind of on this new kick,‖ Dave said to Coby with a shake of his head. ―I think something happened at the hotel. Somebody convinced her that she wasn‘t leading a ‗real‘ life unless she was brutally honest. Comes off as rudeness, though.‖

    ―You don‘t have to apologize for her. I don‘t like keeping secrets, either,‖ Coby said, ―but sometimes it‘s a better plan.‖ She couldn‘t help thinking back to the night of the campout and felt herself blush as she remembered what she‘d said about her own father.

    From beyond the kitchen Annette and Jean-Claude had entered into an animated conversation, and by mutual, unspoken agreement, Dave and Coby moved to the living room as well. As if the previous conversation hadn‘t even occurred, Annette turned an animated face from Jean-Claude and asked Coby, ―What would you think about having a little brother or sister?‖

    Coby automatically shot a look at her father. ―Wow.‖

    Dave groaned, but Jean-Claude grinned, his George Clooney good looks engaging. ―Oh, don‘t worry. Annette just loves to fool around. She‘s kidding, Coby. Not that I would mind being a grandfather again.‖ He had the faintest accent, which only increased his appeal. Coby‘s father had said on more than one occasion that it was Jean-Claude‘s charm that got Lovejoy‘s name on the map. He was the face of the hotel, which was really a renovated, older apartment building turned into suites and a first-floor bistro that served tea and coffee by day, wine by night.

    Dave stated, ―Annette‘s not pregnant.‖

    ―No, I‘m not,‖ Annette agreed on a sigh. ―At least not yet.‖ She shot Dave a mischievous look.

    Jean-Claude‘s teeth flashed white again. ―You‘re making Coby uncomfortable. Try to not be so shocking, my dear.‖ To Coby he said, ―All my daughters are smart and beautiful, but a little tweaked, eh?‖

    ―Oh, shut up,‖ Annette told him fondly.

    ―But you‘re seriously thinking about having a baby?‖ Coby asked, feeling breathless. A half sister or brother? Jean-Claude was right: Coby was definitely uncomfortable.

    ―You don‘t even like babies,‖ Dave reminded his wife. ―You‘ve told me enough times.‖

    ―That‘s not true. I just don‘t know jack shit about them,‖ Annette admitted. ―People try to hand me their baby and I practically freak out. It feels like I‘m going to break them. So I keep telling Dave we need to have our own so I won‘t be such a spaz, but, well, he‘s not into it. Says he‘s too old. But it‘s not about the sperm, is it? It‘s the egg that counts, and mine are ripe!‖

    She laughed and leaned into him, giving him a big kiss, her earlier tension dissolved.

    ―You look a little struck,‖ Annette observed a moment later, her knowing gaze on Coby, her arm still around Dave‘s waist.

    Coby was pretty certain this was territory she really didn‘t want to travel. Sure, she‘d wondered more than a few times if her dad might start another