Read Online Love Letters by Geraldine Solon - Free Book Online Page A

“It was Richard who asked me to call you. He said that we can’t have a wedding unless he meets you.”
    Suzanne laughed. “So, my instincts are still sharp.”
    In spite of herself, Chloe chuckled. “Still, I need to see you soon. There’s something I need to ask you.”
    After a brief hesitation, Suzanne said, “Chloe, I appreciate you calling me after two years, but … I have a life now and, well … I’ve got a trip scheduled.”
    Chloe bit her nail. “Trip? Where are you going? When?”
    “ I’m leaving for South America tomorrow with Jill. We’ll be travelling to Argentina, Peru, Panama and Venezuela.”
    “ Tomorrow? Why are you going to South America?”
    “ You know that Jill and I travel together every year.”
    Chloe couldn’t help wondering if this had anything to do with Ignacio. She opened her mouth to ask, but somehow the words wouldn’t come. Instead she said, “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll see you when you get back.”
    “ Okay. And Chloe … Thank you for calling me today. It meant a lot to me.”
    “ Have a safe trip, Mom.” She started to hang up but stopped. “Hey, Mom?”
    “ Yeah?”
    “ I love you.”
    There was a long pause. Then, in a voice that quavered, her mom said, “Me too.” Then she was gone. Chloe lay there, looking up at the ceiling. Was her mother looking for Ignacio now that her dad was gone? She pictured Josh. Maybe she and her mom were more alike than she’d thought possible.
     
    ***
    “ Honey, maybe it’s a sign that we shouldn’t sell this place,” Chloe said over dinner that evening at her house.
    “ How can you say that, when you only showed it to four people?” Richard furrowed his brows.
    “ They all keep asking me the same question: Why do I want to sell?”
    Richard was sending an email from his phone while eating his grilled chicken. “I’m sure you’ll be able to sell it. You just need to show them that you’re not too attached to the house.”
    She folded her arms. “How can I not be attached to this house when I’ve lived here all my life?”
    Richard continued to type his email. “Maybe we should remove your stuff before we show it to buyers again. Without your furniture, they’ll be able to picture themselves living here.”
    “ You know that’s impossible,” she said, picking at the last of her eggplant parmesan. “I don’t want to pay for storage.”
    “ Who says you’re going to pay for storage?” he said, looking at her. “How about you sell all your stuff and move in with me next month?”
    She scraped her chair back. “And Greta?”
    Richard shrugged. “Greta can stay with Nicole for the meantime.”
    Chloe crossed her legs. “And my job?”
    He drank his water. “You can always quit. We’ve already discussed that. Your job isn’t important.”
    “ It is to me.”
    “ Is it?” he asked, raising one eyebrow.
    Chloe stood up and took the empty dishes into the kitchen, then returned with two green teas. “I make brides’ dreams come true. Every bride who comes in that store is looking for reassurance that her wedding day is going to be the best day of her life. I make that possible.”
    Richard stirred his tea. “Are you serious?”
    She pushed her cup away. “You know what, maybe you and I come from two different worlds.”
    Richard set his spoon on his napkin and raised his hands. “What do you mean, Chloe? I thought we discussed that you were to quit your job and sell your house.”
    Chloe just shook her head. What had she expected? Richard grew up in a big family in Atlanta, Georgia. While his dad worked, his mom stayed home to raise eight kids. He wanted Chloe to stay home and be a housewife like his mom. Richard had his whole life planned. He was working hard now to be able to retire at fifty. He had invested in stocks and mutual funds that he believed would take care of their future.
    He had told Chloe that by selling her house, they could use the money to invest in more stocks. She knew he didn’t