Read Online Nothing but Trouble by Susan May Warren - Free Book Online
Authors: Susan May Warren
Ads: Link
just can’t believe it! When did you get back?”
“Just yesterday. I’m babysitting my nephew while my sister’s on her honeymoon.” PJ moved into Trudi’s embrace, holding tight. As she pulled away, her gaze fell on Trudi’s diamond. “Wow, that’s a stone. I heard you got married.”
She peered into Trudi’s hazel eyes, searching for pain as Trudi waggled her finger. “Two years now. He’s a physical therapist and a massage therapist. He works out of our house, as well as a couple other places.”
Like the Kellogg Country Club? PJ wrestled out a tight smile.
“And we have a son.” She beamed, pulling out a picture. “Isn’t he a doll? He’s Jack Junior, but we call him Chip. He’s just a delight.”
PJ took the snapshot. “He’s a cutie.” A year old, bald, and drooling onto a blanket.
“Yeah. Mike’s so glad to have a baby brother.”
Mike. The word dropped between them like a sack of flour. Thud. PJ’s air supply cut off with the rising poof of dust. “Mike. So you were . . . ”
“Yeah. Pregnant. With Greg’s baby. Thankfully Jack’s a great dad. We’re so lucky.”
Lucky. And she said it without a hint of shadow in her voice. So maybe she didn’t have to pull Trudi into a corner, ask her hard questions in low tones. “How is Greg?”
“Last I heard, he was in Stillwater, doing time for a nasty barroom brawl.”
“Oh.” PJ handed her back the picture, noticing the rhinestones glued to the pink polish on Trudi’s nails. “Listen, Trudi, I’m so sorry that I didn’t keep in touch. I . . . should have.”
Trudi said nothing, peering over her shoulder at the contents of PJ’s basket. “Where are the Cheetos?”
PJ smiled.
“And the Cap’n Crunch?” Trudi matched her smile, gentle, the past sweet inside it.
“I can’t wait to meet Mike,” PJ said softly.
“And Jack. He’s the greatest guy. Kind and handsome.”
She might be ready to give the guy another chance. “I’m looking forward to it.”
They rolled their carts toward the produce section. PJ picked up some apples and a container of caramel sauce. Fruit. Davy should have some fruit. “What are you doing these days?”
“I run a day care out of my home. It’s attached to Jack’s office.” Trudi reached for a bunch of bananas. “Jack’s watching the kids right now. I’ve gotta get back with our morning snack.”
Then she looked at PJ with an expression PJ should have expected from a woman who knew her secrets. At least the ones that had piled up until she left town ten years ago. “Does Boone know you’re back?”
PJ hooked her foot on the edge of the cart. “I, uh . . . ran into him, yeah.”
“Did you see that he’s a cop?”
“I saw the badge.”
“A cop . Chew on that for a while.” Trudi shook her head. “If that isn’t something for a high school reunion reality show, I’m not sure what is. But he does a good job, and people like him.”
PJ closed her mouth at that. Of course they did. Boone had a charm that could noodle anyone’s common sense.
“So, are you sticking around?” Trudi said it casually, the way she might ask if they could hang out later.
“I . . . have to find a job, I guess.”
“What do you do? Maybe I know someone.”
Anything? PJ shook her head, not sure how to answer thatquestion as they wheeled toward checkout. “I don’t know what I’m looking for yet.”
Trudi said nothing as she dug into her purse, handed the checker her cash card, then pressed a business card into PJ’s hand. “Call me.”
Peppermint Fence Day Care . The flip side listed Jack’s Physical and Massage Therapy phone numbers.
“Cute,” PJ said.
“I’m sorry, but it was declined.” The checker handed Trudi back her card.
“What? No, that can’t be right.”
“I tried it twice. Do you have another method of payment?”
“No . . . I . . .”
“Here.” PJ handed over a twenty. “It’s probably just a glitch at the bank.”
Trudi took her bagged
“Just yesterday. I’m babysitting my nephew while my sister’s on her honeymoon.” PJ moved into Trudi’s embrace, holding tight. As she pulled away, her gaze fell on Trudi’s diamond. “Wow, that’s a stone. I heard you got married.”
She peered into Trudi’s hazel eyes, searching for pain as Trudi waggled her finger. “Two years now. He’s a physical therapist and a massage therapist. He works out of our house, as well as a couple other places.”
Like the Kellogg Country Club? PJ wrestled out a tight smile.
“And we have a son.” She beamed, pulling out a picture. “Isn’t he a doll? He’s Jack Junior, but we call him Chip. He’s just a delight.”
PJ took the snapshot. “He’s a cutie.” A year old, bald, and drooling onto a blanket.
“Yeah. Mike’s so glad to have a baby brother.”
Mike. The word dropped between them like a sack of flour. Thud. PJ’s air supply cut off with the rising poof of dust. “Mike. So you were . . . ”
“Yeah. Pregnant. With Greg’s baby. Thankfully Jack’s a great dad. We’re so lucky.”
Lucky. And she said it without a hint of shadow in her voice. So maybe she didn’t have to pull Trudi into a corner, ask her hard questions in low tones. “How is Greg?”
“Last I heard, he was in Stillwater, doing time for a nasty barroom brawl.”
“Oh.” PJ handed her back the picture, noticing the rhinestones glued to the pink polish on Trudi’s nails. “Listen, Trudi, I’m so sorry that I didn’t keep in touch. I . . . should have.”
Trudi said nothing, peering over her shoulder at the contents of PJ’s basket. “Where are the Cheetos?”
PJ smiled.
“And the Cap’n Crunch?” Trudi matched her smile, gentle, the past sweet inside it.
“I can’t wait to meet Mike,” PJ said softly.
“And Jack. He’s the greatest guy. Kind and handsome.”
She might be ready to give the guy another chance. “I’m looking forward to it.”
They rolled their carts toward the produce section. PJ picked up some apples and a container of caramel sauce. Fruit. Davy should have some fruit. “What are you doing these days?”
“I run a day care out of my home. It’s attached to Jack’s office.” Trudi reached for a bunch of bananas. “Jack’s watching the kids right now. I’ve gotta get back with our morning snack.”
Then she looked at PJ with an expression PJ should have expected from a woman who knew her secrets. At least the ones that had piled up until she left town ten years ago. “Does Boone know you’re back?”
PJ hooked her foot on the edge of the cart. “I, uh . . . ran into him, yeah.”
“Did you see that he’s a cop?”
“I saw the badge.”
“A cop . Chew on that for a while.” Trudi shook her head. “If that isn’t something for a high school reunion reality show, I’m not sure what is. But he does a good job, and people like him.”
PJ closed her mouth at that. Of course they did. Boone had a charm that could noodle anyone’s common sense.
“So, are you sticking around?” Trudi said it casually, the way she might ask if they could hang out later.
“I . . . have to find a job, I guess.”
“What do you do? Maybe I know someone.”
Anything? PJ shook her head, not sure how to answer thatquestion as they wheeled toward checkout. “I don’t know what I’m looking for yet.”
Trudi said nothing as she dug into her purse, handed the checker her cash card, then pressed a business card into PJ’s hand. “Call me.”
Peppermint Fence Day Care . The flip side listed Jack’s Physical and Massage Therapy phone numbers.
“Cute,” PJ said.
“I’m sorry, but it was declined.” The checker handed Trudi back her card.
“What? No, that can’t be right.”
“I tried it twice. Do you have another method of payment?”
“No . . . I . . .”
“Here.” PJ handed over a twenty. “It’s probably just a glitch at the bank.”
Trudi took her bagged
Similar Books
