Read Online Only You by Deborah Grace Stanley - Free Book Online Page B

open the door for her, his chest pressed up against hers. She inhaled sharply. He enjoyed the contact, too. After he leaned back, she slowly slid across the seat, but turned back before getting out. “Oh, my jacket. I almost forgot.”
    They both looked at the soaked blanket lying in a wad behind the seat. He imagined it smeared with chicken salad and sticky fruit. “Why don’t you keep mine. I’ll drop yours off at the cleaners.”
    She smiled then, some of her good humor returning. “Thank you for lunch.”
    He smiled, too. “You’re welcome.”
    On impulse, he leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. It wasn’t anywhere near the kind of kiss he wanted to give her. The kind he’d dreamed of giving her while he’d lain awake most of the night, but it seemed the safest thing to do at the moment. He comforted himself in knowing there’d be other opportunities. He’d see to that.
    She smiled a smile that women had used to ensnare men since the beginning of time. Cole had to admit as he watched her run up the brick sidewalk to her front door, she had him good and trapped.
     
    *
     
    As soon as the meeting of the Historical Society ended, Josie escaped to her office and closed the door. The looks she’d gotten from Mrs. Church and Mrs. McKay during the long meeting could have wounded.
    She had just sat down at her desk when the door to her office opened and Mrs. McKay swept into the room. “Here you are.”
    Like mother, like son. “Mrs. McKay.”
    “I need to speak with you, Josephine.” If the woman pursed her lips any tighter, they’d shatter.
    Though it grated, she would play at being contrite. It was expected. “I’m sorry I was late to the meeting, Mrs. McKay. It won’t happen again.” No need making excuses.
    “See that it doesn’t. Now about the matter I wished to discuss with you…” The painfully thin, elderly matron lowered herself to perch on the edge of the leather wing chair positioned in front of Josie’s desk.
    “Yes?”
    “Josephine, I know you have been away from Angel Ridge for some time. You’ve lived in larger cities these last years where a young lady’s conduct is not so closely scrutinized.”
    She paused. Josie couldn’t imagine where this was going, but she had a sinking feeling it would end somewhere in the vicinity of Cole Craig.
    “Here in Angel Ridge, there is a certain code of conduct that a lady of your station is expected to follow.”
    “A lady of my station?”
    “Certainly. A young lady of breeding and education who is an esteemed member of the community should conduct herself accordingly. She should consort with gentlemen of similar status and experience, attend the proper social functions, become involved in philanthropic pursuits by joining the right clubs, serving on the right committees.”
    Josie must have appeared completely baffled, because Mrs. McKay continued, “The Garden Club, the Association of University Women, the Junior League, to name of few.”
    “I see.”
    “Good. Then I need not state that associating with young men from the wrong side of the ridge would be frowned upon by the members of The McKay Foundation board. The Foundation that funded your education and provides the salary for your position here.”
    Josie seethed, but said, “I understand.” She got it loud and clear. They owned her, just like this town had owned her all her life.
    “Good. I’m glad we had this little chat. Now, how is the new cataloging program working? Are we on schedule for the Memorial Day debut?”
    “Everything is going as planned,” she lied. It would be a cold day before she admitted that anything was amiss to this insufferable woman.
    “Splendid. I’ll let you return to your work, then. I expect you’ll stay late to compensate for the time you lost today. Good day.”
    Josie’s first impulse after the door clicked shut behind the witch was to hurl a crystal paperweight at it. She held back only because it was the one her parents had