Read Online Once and Again by Elisabeth Barrett - Free Book Online

overkill, but she couldn’t afford to mess this up. Jake had decided she was useful—for the time being—but he clearly wasn’t happy to have her around, and he could always find someone else to replace her if she didn’t perform.
    Even though she was grateful to have a job, it was stifling to be stuck in this hostess role, and for now, there wasn’t any other way out. She was trapped. At least until her lawyer found Worring, got him indicted for fraud, and forced him to disgorge the money he’d stolen.
    She figured she’d be waiting a long time.
    Sitting in her stuffy office wasn’t helping her get into the right mindset for her meeting, so she went out one of the side doors of the clubhouse to the garden, where they sometimes had events. At eight on this spring morning, she had no doubt it would be chilly, but likely empty.
    But it wasn’t.
    Madison and Nick were sitting on one of the benches, side by side. They weren’t touching, but as soon as Maddy saw her, the young woman leapt to her feet. Her sandy-blond hair, usually up in a tight bun, went swinging.
    “Carolyn, hi. We were just, ah…what are you…um, I’m not on duty for another half hour and…”
    “What Madison is trying to say,” Nick said, standing smoothly, “is that we were discussing the new ownership and what that might mean for us in the short and medium terms.”
    “That seems to be the topic on everyone’s mind these days,” Carolyn said, noting the relief on Maddy’s face that Nick had interjected. “How much longer had you planned to stay at Briarwood?”
    “I’m applying to med school in the fall, so maybe another year, year and a half, while I work on my applications and do my interviews,” Nick said. “Madison’s timeline is a little longer, though if Eric keeps riding her like he did on Monday, I don’t know how long she’s going to last.”
    “I’ll last,” Maddy said, determination creeping into her voice. “I have to.”
    If anyone had it in her to last, it was Maddy. She was busting her ass, working two jobs and taking care of her mom on top of everything else. Carolyn wasn’t exactly sure what was holding this girl together, other than sheer grit. In fact, this was the first time she’d seen Maddy talking to anyone outside working hours. Were she and Nick…?
    “I have to get inside,” Madison said quickly. “I’ll see you at work, Nick. ’Bye, Carolyn.”
    She disappeared through the side door.
    Carolyn turned back to Nick. His gaze was still on the door. Nick was maybe a decade younger than she was, handsome, clean-cut, and obviously intelligent. He didn’t smile a lot, but when he did, it always reached his clear blue eyes.
    “Madison’s lovely,” Carolyn said, leaving the question she really wanted to ask unspoken.
    Nick shook his head. “We’re not together. She’s way too busy, and so am I. You know I’m also working at a research lab in New Haven, and I have to take the MCATs in a couple of weeks. How well I do on that test will determine where I can apply and what kind of scholarships I’m eligible for.”
    “You’re going to do great,” Carolyn said.
    “I hope so. I’ve wanted to be a doctor pretty much my entire life.” He glanced at the side door again. “I should get inside. Eric will have my ass if I’m not present and accounted for at starting time.”
    Carolyn sighed, wishing she could tell Nick the real reason Eric was being such a jackass. “I’ll talk to him again. See if I can get him to ease up on Maddy.”
    Nick nodded. “I’d appreciate that. She’s from Norwalk. This gig lets her be with her mom as long as possible in the mornings—she’s been sick for a while. That New Haven job is a nightmare for her. I wish she’d quit and find something closer.” He ran a hand through his thick, brown hair. “Anyway, I have to run. Thanks, again, Carolyn.”
    “Anytime.”
    Carolyn glanced down at her watch. Ten minutes until she had to give her presentation to Jake