Read Online Magnetic by Robin Alexander - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Robin Alexander
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little after noon and showered. The pain reliever was easing the dull ache in the back of her head, but she felt too puny to bother with drying her hair. She pulled on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and made use of the hammock on the front porch. She returned a few texts from Jenny, letting her know she was still alive.
“I’m glad to see you’re awake.”
Layne turned her head slowly toward the smooth voice. “Hi.”
“I noticed you didn’t make it to lunch. I brought you this.” Stacy walked up onto the porch and set a small paper bag on the table near Layne. “It’s nothing extravagant, just chicken noodle soup.”
“Thank you,” Layne said as she looked away.
“I owe you an apology for my attitude the other day. I was more than a little taken aback.”
“So was I.” Layne closed her eyes when she heard the swing on the porch creak and knew she was headed for a conversation she didn’t want to have.
“I think we’re a bit more levelheaded today and may as well take this opportunity to talk.”
Layne had no idea what to say and waited for Stacy to continue.
“I get the impression that Molly and Jenny already know.”
“They do,” Layne said with a slight nod, “but they won’t say anything to Ronnie…I think.”
The swing creaked again, Layne turned and looked at Stacy, who’d leaned forward and propped both elbows on her knees. She was staring out into the woods, her face blank. “I don’t know where things are going with Ronnie, but if she gives me any indication that she wants something serious, I’m going to have to be honest with her about what happened that night.” Stacy looked at the ground. “Is this okay with you?”
Layne wanted to say that Ronnie didn’t do serious. Layne had known her eighteen years, and Ronnie had never been in a real relationship. “If that arises, then I expect you to do what you feel you need to.”
“Thanks.” Stacy rubbed her hands together. “Now let’s talk about us.”
Layne’s brows shot skyward. “Us?”
“If what happened between us would’ve occurred a year ago, maybe this wouldn’t be as uncomfortable, but it’s only been a month.” Stacy met Layne’s gaze. “We’re going to be here two weeks, and I don’t even know what to say to you. So I was hoping we could just pretend we’ve only just met. That way, we can spend our time feeling less awkward.”
“We have only just met, but I know what you mean.”
Stacy sat back in her chair. “So…what do you think of this place?”
“I hate it.”
“You do?” Stacy jerked a thumb toward her chest. “Because of me?”
“No, I’m not an outdoors kind of girl. I’m the cruise ship or resort type where the only wildlife you see is in the bar.”
“Ah…then why did you come?”
“My boss has basically banned me from the office because he feels I’m near burnout. Molly wanted to do something and planned this at the last minute. I couldn’t let her down.”
“Ronnie told me about the lung cancer and that Molly spent the last year fighting it.”
“Never smoked a cigarette a day in her life.” Layne looked out at the woods. “It’s in remission, and for that, we are thankful. This trip is really for her and Jenny, of course.” Layne looked back at Stacy. “What about you? Is this your thing?”
“I’ve always enjoyed camping, though this is more extravagant than what I’m used to.” Stacy sighed. “I haven’t been in years. We used to go all the time when I lived in San Francisco, but when…I moved, everything changed.”
“You didn’t mention that you were originally from Louisiana the night we met.”
“It never came up,” Stacy said with a smile, “and at that time, I didn’t know where you were from.”
Layne felt her face warm, and she stared down at her feet. “I lied to you about my name because I didn’t know…it would just look bad for me if people found out that I’d…spent the night with someone who might’ve been a client.
“I’m glad to see you’re awake.”
Layne turned her head slowly toward the smooth voice. “Hi.”
“I noticed you didn’t make it to lunch. I brought you this.” Stacy walked up onto the porch and set a small paper bag on the table near Layne. “It’s nothing extravagant, just chicken noodle soup.”
“Thank you,” Layne said as she looked away.
“I owe you an apology for my attitude the other day. I was more than a little taken aback.”
“So was I.” Layne closed her eyes when she heard the swing on the porch creak and knew she was headed for a conversation she didn’t want to have.
“I think we’re a bit more levelheaded today and may as well take this opportunity to talk.”
Layne had no idea what to say and waited for Stacy to continue.
“I get the impression that Molly and Jenny already know.”
“They do,” Layne said with a slight nod, “but they won’t say anything to Ronnie…I think.”
The swing creaked again, Layne turned and looked at Stacy, who’d leaned forward and propped both elbows on her knees. She was staring out into the woods, her face blank. “I don’t know where things are going with Ronnie, but if she gives me any indication that she wants something serious, I’m going to have to be honest with her about what happened that night.” Stacy looked at the ground. “Is this okay with you?”
Layne wanted to say that Ronnie didn’t do serious. Layne had known her eighteen years, and Ronnie had never been in a real relationship. “If that arises, then I expect you to do what you feel you need to.”
“Thanks.” Stacy rubbed her hands together. “Now let’s talk about us.”
Layne’s brows shot skyward. “Us?”
“If what happened between us would’ve occurred a year ago, maybe this wouldn’t be as uncomfortable, but it’s only been a month.” Stacy met Layne’s gaze. “We’re going to be here two weeks, and I don’t even know what to say to you. So I was hoping we could just pretend we’ve only just met. That way, we can spend our time feeling less awkward.”
“We have only just met, but I know what you mean.”
Stacy sat back in her chair. “So…what do you think of this place?”
“I hate it.”
“You do?” Stacy jerked a thumb toward her chest. “Because of me?”
“No, I’m not an outdoors kind of girl. I’m the cruise ship or resort type where the only wildlife you see is in the bar.”
“Ah…then why did you come?”
“My boss has basically banned me from the office because he feels I’m near burnout. Molly wanted to do something and planned this at the last minute. I couldn’t let her down.”
“Ronnie told me about the lung cancer and that Molly spent the last year fighting it.”
“Never smoked a cigarette a day in her life.” Layne looked out at the woods. “It’s in remission, and for that, we are thankful. This trip is really for her and Jenny, of course.” Layne looked back at Stacy. “What about you? Is this your thing?”
“I’ve always enjoyed camping, though this is more extravagant than what I’m used to.” Stacy sighed. “I haven’t been in years. We used to go all the time when I lived in San Francisco, but when…I moved, everything changed.”
“You didn’t mention that you were originally from Louisiana the night we met.”
“It never came up,” Stacy said with a smile, “and at that time, I didn’t know where you were from.”
Layne felt her face warm, and she stared down at her feet. “I lied to you about my name because I didn’t know…it would just look bad for me if people found out that I’d…spent the night with someone who might’ve been a client.
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