Read Online Obsession by Traci Hunter Abramson - Free Book Online
Authors: Traci Hunter Abramson
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“Charlie, this is Eleanor Burgess.”
“Good to meet you, Charlie.” Mrs. Burgess shook his hand briskly and then turned back to look at Kendra. “I didn’t know you were dating someone.” Her eyes narrowed. “How come I didn’t know you were dating someone?”
Charlie laughed, and for the first time since he had knocked on Kendra’s door, he felt himself relax. To his surprise, the tension he noticed in Kendra seemed to ease as well.
Kendra gave a little shake of her head and said, “We aren’t dating.”
“You aren’t?”
“Nope, afraid not.” Charlie shook his head.
“Well, why aren’t you?” Mrs. Burgess demanded. “Two single, good-looking kids like yourselves. You need to stop worrying so much about your careers and start paying more attention to the important things in life.”
Charlie glanced over at Kendra. With her hair pulled back in a ponytail and her face free of makeup, she looked like she was still a teenager. He noticed her fighting back a smile, and she winked at him before turning her attention back to Mrs. Burgess. Her voice was like an innocent schoolgirl’s when she asked, “You mean, there’s more to life than making money?”
“Money!” Mrs. Burgess thumped her hand on the counter for emphasis and narrowed her eyes again. “Why, money is the root of all evil. Says so in the Bible too.”
“I think I read something about that.” Kendra gave her a casual shrug and a grin. Then she moved forward and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ve missed you.”
“You’re a bad girl, Kendra Blake.”
“You must have me confused with my sister.”
Mrs. Burgess hooted with laughter. “That sister of yours always says the same thing when I scold her for anything.” Her laughter faded when she noticed Kendra’s shoes, or lack thereof, for the first time. “Where are your shoes, girl?”
“Let’s see.” Kendra seemed to consider for a minute, and when she spoke, there was both warmth and humor in her voice. “I think they’re in the trunk of my Mercedes, but I might have left them at my house in Malibu or maybe at Daddy’s house in Palm Springs.” She paused for a second. “Or they could be in my place in Phoenix.”
Mrs. Burgess stood up and wagged a finger at her. “Don’t you play little rich girl with me, young lady. There’s no excuse for coming up into this weather unprepared.”
Kendra bit back on a smile. “Yes, ma’am.”
Charlie watched the banter between the two women, a little surprised to see Kendra with her guard down. She didn’t look like the disinterested rich kid who had grown up in the spotlight, nor did she look like the pop star whose photograph was constantly on the covers of magazines. Instead, she looked like a normal girl chatting with the store owner as though they were family.
Apparently determined to solve Kendra’s wardrobe problem, Mrs. Burgess took her hand and started to pull her toward a small clothing section at the back of the store. “Let’s see what we can find for you to wear.”
Charlie called after them. “I’ll take care of my grocery shopping while you deal with the shoe problem.”
He couldn’t help but grin as Mrs. Burgess lowered her voice fractionally and told Kendra, “Nothing like trying on shoes to send the men running.”
Charlie shook his head as he grabbed one of the little carts next to the door and started browsing. If Kendra planned to stay for a few weeks, he had to assume that Elias would want him to stay for the duration. He wasn’t crazy about misleading her about why he was here, but for now, those were his orders. As soon as he got back to his cabin, he would put the call into Elias and give him an update.
Charlie glanced out the store window and considered for a minute. Realizing that coming back into town for supplies would be difficult until after the storm had passed and the roads were cleared, he tried to decide what supplies he might need.
He’d been so eager to see if Kendra was
“Good to meet you, Charlie.” Mrs. Burgess shook his hand briskly and then turned back to look at Kendra. “I didn’t know you were dating someone.” Her eyes narrowed. “How come I didn’t know you were dating someone?”
Charlie laughed, and for the first time since he had knocked on Kendra’s door, he felt himself relax. To his surprise, the tension he noticed in Kendra seemed to ease as well.
Kendra gave a little shake of her head and said, “We aren’t dating.”
“You aren’t?”
“Nope, afraid not.” Charlie shook his head.
“Well, why aren’t you?” Mrs. Burgess demanded. “Two single, good-looking kids like yourselves. You need to stop worrying so much about your careers and start paying more attention to the important things in life.”
Charlie glanced over at Kendra. With her hair pulled back in a ponytail and her face free of makeup, she looked like she was still a teenager. He noticed her fighting back a smile, and she winked at him before turning her attention back to Mrs. Burgess. Her voice was like an innocent schoolgirl’s when she asked, “You mean, there’s more to life than making money?”
“Money!” Mrs. Burgess thumped her hand on the counter for emphasis and narrowed her eyes again. “Why, money is the root of all evil. Says so in the Bible too.”
“I think I read something about that.” Kendra gave her a casual shrug and a grin. Then she moved forward and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ve missed you.”
“You’re a bad girl, Kendra Blake.”
“You must have me confused with my sister.”
Mrs. Burgess hooted with laughter. “That sister of yours always says the same thing when I scold her for anything.” Her laughter faded when she noticed Kendra’s shoes, or lack thereof, for the first time. “Where are your shoes, girl?”
“Let’s see.” Kendra seemed to consider for a minute, and when she spoke, there was both warmth and humor in her voice. “I think they’re in the trunk of my Mercedes, but I might have left them at my house in Malibu or maybe at Daddy’s house in Palm Springs.” She paused for a second. “Or they could be in my place in Phoenix.”
Mrs. Burgess stood up and wagged a finger at her. “Don’t you play little rich girl with me, young lady. There’s no excuse for coming up into this weather unprepared.”
Kendra bit back on a smile. “Yes, ma’am.”
Charlie watched the banter between the two women, a little surprised to see Kendra with her guard down. She didn’t look like the disinterested rich kid who had grown up in the spotlight, nor did she look like the pop star whose photograph was constantly on the covers of magazines. Instead, she looked like a normal girl chatting with the store owner as though they were family.
Apparently determined to solve Kendra’s wardrobe problem, Mrs. Burgess took her hand and started to pull her toward a small clothing section at the back of the store. “Let’s see what we can find for you to wear.”
Charlie called after them. “I’ll take care of my grocery shopping while you deal with the shoe problem.”
He couldn’t help but grin as Mrs. Burgess lowered her voice fractionally and told Kendra, “Nothing like trying on shoes to send the men running.”
Charlie shook his head as he grabbed one of the little carts next to the door and started browsing. If Kendra planned to stay for a few weeks, he had to assume that Elias would want him to stay for the duration. He wasn’t crazy about misleading her about why he was here, but for now, those were his orders. As soon as he got back to his cabin, he would put the call into Elias and give him an update.
Charlie glanced out the store window and considered for a minute. Realizing that coming back into town for supplies would be difficult until after the storm had passed and the roads were cleared, he tried to decide what supplies he might need.
He’d been so eager to see if Kendra was
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