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

family, especially given Annette ‘s age, but truthfully, the thought kind of horrified her. ―I don‘t know how to feel about that,‖ she admitted. Then, to her dad, though she knew perfectly well, ―How old are you again?‖

    ―Too old. Way, way too old. Diapers and babysitters and all those years of school. College .
    . .‖ He smiled at her. ―Your mom and I used to take turns driving you and your sister around when you were babies to get you to go to sleep.‖

    ―Ooh, no. Reminiscing.‖ Annette gave him a slap on the butt. ―It‘s my birthday, so quit it.‖

    ―Is Joe coming on his own?‖ Dave asked Coby, clearly taking Annette‘s advice and changing the subject.

    Coby thought often ways she could answer him, then settled for the unvarnished truth. ―Joe and I aren‘t together anymore. We called it quits based on mutual apathy. This last year had been . .
    . a slow ride downhill.‖

    Joe was Joseph Hamlin, a member of the firm whom Coby worked with often, the member, in fact, who was Shannon Pontifica‘s lawyer and had set up the meeting between Coby and Shannon for earlier that afternoon. Joe was driven to make partner above all else. He was ten years older than Coby. Divorced. No children. Not looking for any. Coby wasn‘t exactly sure what she wanted for herself in the future, but she knew she needed to keep her options open and, well, Joe didn‘t care about options. It was his way or the highway. Early last month she ‘d chosen the highway, and he‘d pretty much shrugged and said have a nice trip.

    So much for the power of passion and true love.

    She‘d worried a little that after their breakup, since they worked at the same firm, things would become awkward and weird. But Joe treated Coby just the same as before they‘d dated, and she took a page from his book and treated him the same way. She and Joe just didn‘t go out for drinks alone anymore, or make plans for dinner, or stay over at each other‘s places. They saw each other at work every day and smiled and joked and generally kept on keepin‘ on and that was it.

    It was so damned civilized it sometimes made Coby sad.

    But if she were really, really honest with herself, she could admit her emotions had never been fully engaged with Joe. She‘d been three-quarters of the way there, but she couldn‘t quite make that final turn. Sometimes she‘d asked herself what she was waiting for. True love? Like, oh, sure. That was going to happen.

    And then, if she were really, really, really honest with herself . . . and if she dug deep into her own secret self and examined her feelings closely, she could admit that she‘d never loved Joe.
    She‘d been in love only once with, of all people, Danner Lockwood, her high school crush. She ‘d had a teen fantasy about Lucas Moore, but she‘d had an actual relationship with Danner during her college years, making her one-time dream a reality. And things between them even kinda worked for a while. She‘d been thrilled and surprised to actually be with him as a lover and a friend. It was glorious. Absolutely glorious. She loved him and he . . . liked her just fine.

    Just. Fine.

    And it wasn‘t enough.

    ―I‘m sorry about Joe,‖ Dave said now, unhappily. ―I really liked him.‖

    ―Everybody likes Joe,‖ Coby said. ―Joe likes Joe pretty well, too,‖ she added with a faint smile.

    ―Bitchiness,‖ Annette observed with amusement. ―I love it.‖

    That made Coby laugh, which surprised all of them. Coby determined that maybe, with enough wine, she might actually have a pretty decent time.

    ―Well, I‘m totally bummed,‖ Annette said on a sigh. ―I had it all planned out that you would marry Joe and we would have some kids and then you would have some kids and we‘d all hang out together.‖

    ―Some things are not meant to be,‖ Coby said. This baby thing was much on Annette‘s mind, apparently. ―I‘m picking up some vibes here . . . like maybe you are pregnant and