Read Online Pretense by Lori Wick - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lori Wick
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Family, Man-Woman Relationships, Christian fiction, Religious, Christian, Sisters, INSPIRATIONAL ROMANCE
Ads: Link
minutes with little need for conversation.
Not until Marrell had stood had she realized how tired she was, but the photo of Shay and Marty came to mind.I don't hate the man, I just can't live with him. With a huge sigh, Marrell moved a little deeper into her husband's embrace.
Marrell was nervous on Tuesday evening. Half of her expected Shay to call and cancel, and the other half hoped she would. How well did she know Shay now? What if she decided she wanted Paul?
Marrell felt horrible for the thought and pushed it away. No matter what Shay had been into, she would not try to entice Paul. Marrell was sure of that. Not to mention Paul; he was not interested in other women. Marrell had always known that. A marriage built on suspicion was no marriage at all.
"How's it going?"
Marrell turned in surprise to find the man of her thoughts standing in the kitchen doorway.
"You're early."
"Yeah. I assumed you were working yourself into a trauma, but I must have been wrong."
"Why do you think you're wrong?"
He shrugged. "The table's set, the house looks great, the girls aren't fighting."
"Well, I'm glad to know that the surface looks good."
Paul came and put his arms around her for that.
"What has your imagination dreamed up?"
"That she'll decide she wants my husband next."
"Oh, Mary." Paul's voice was low.
"I'm sorry, Paul. I'm going to give you a horrid impression of her. I love Shay. I wish I hadn't even thought of it."
"I'm sure we'll get along fine. And even if she did put designs on me, there's only one woman I'm interested in."
57
"I just finished telling myself that." Paul kissed her. "Where are the girls?"
"They want Shay to see their rooms, so they're fixing them up." Paul kissed her again. "I'll check on them on the way to the shower. Is there anything else you need?"
"No. You're home, and that's all that matters." Paul smiled before moving on his way. The clock read 5:20. Shay would be there soon. The lasagna was in the oven, and the salad and dressing were waiting in the refrigerator. She wouldn't do the bread until after Shay arrived. It was one of the few meals she never messed up, but she was still nervous. The sound of water came from upstairs, and she knew Paul was in the shower. The thought calmed her. She didn't have to face this alone. She was glad she'd met Shay again, but if for some reason it didn't work out, she always had her husband and girls. Telling herself she was finally ready to face the evening, Marrell went back to work on the pot she was washing.
"I can't believe how pretty they are, Marrell," Shay said several hours later.
Marrell smiled. Paul had just taken the girls off to bed, and the women had already started their coffee in the living room.
"We think so," Marrell replied, "but we're just a bit biased."
"Mackenzie's huge gray-green eyes and brown hair, and D.J.'s blond hair and blue eyes-I can't believe it. But then you've always been pretty."
Marrell laughed, but then she had been laughing all evening. She had expected Shay to arrive in a sad state, but in truth she'd been in a very good mood. There were moments when Marrell caught a look in her eyes, but Shay was swift to disguise it. Now, however, with no one else looking, Marrell caught sight of the pain that she had masked.
"How are you doing?" Marrell asked for the first time.
"All right." Shay's voice was soft. "He actually came to the office yesterday to see me, but I think I made him see that I was serious. He was upset but didn't cause a scene. I wanted to cry my eyes out after that but didn't and found that I actually had done the right thing."
58
"I wondered about that. I was prepared to have you call at any moment and tell me that I should have minded my own business and that you never wanted to speak to me again."
"No," Shay shook her head, "I wouldn't have done that. In fact, on Sunday night I called my grandmother and told her everything. She said that little Marrell Walker was the best thing that ever
Not until Marrell had stood had she realized how tired she was, but the photo of Shay and Marty came to mind.I don't hate the man, I just can't live with him. With a huge sigh, Marrell moved a little deeper into her husband's embrace.
Marrell was nervous on Tuesday evening. Half of her expected Shay to call and cancel, and the other half hoped she would. How well did she know Shay now? What if she decided she wanted Paul?
Marrell felt horrible for the thought and pushed it away. No matter what Shay had been into, she would not try to entice Paul. Marrell was sure of that. Not to mention Paul; he was not interested in other women. Marrell had always known that. A marriage built on suspicion was no marriage at all.
"How's it going?"
Marrell turned in surprise to find the man of her thoughts standing in the kitchen doorway.
"You're early."
"Yeah. I assumed you were working yourself into a trauma, but I must have been wrong."
"Why do you think you're wrong?"
He shrugged. "The table's set, the house looks great, the girls aren't fighting."
"Well, I'm glad to know that the surface looks good."
Paul came and put his arms around her for that.
"What has your imagination dreamed up?"
"That she'll decide she wants my husband next."
"Oh, Mary." Paul's voice was low.
"I'm sorry, Paul. I'm going to give you a horrid impression of her. I love Shay. I wish I hadn't even thought of it."
"I'm sure we'll get along fine. And even if she did put designs on me, there's only one woman I'm interested in."
57
"I just finished telling myself that." Paul kissed her. "Where are the girls?"
"They want Shay to see their rooms, so they're fixing them up." Paul kissed her again. "I'll check on them on the way to the shower. Is there anything else you need?"
"No. You're home, and that's all that matters." Paul smiled before moving on his way. The clock read 5:20. Shay would be there soon. The lasagna was in the oven, and the salad and dressing were waiting in the refrigerator. She wouldn't do the bread until after Shay arrived. It was one of the few meals she never messed up, but she was still nervous. The sound of water came from upstairs, and she knew Paul was in the shower. The thought calmed her. She didn't have to face this alone. She was glad she'd met Shay again, but if for some reason it didn't work out, she always had her husband and girls. Telling herself she was finally ready to face the evening, Marrell went back to work on the pot she was washing.
"I can't believe how pretty they are, Marrell," Shay said several hours later.
Marrell smiled. Paul had just taken the girls off to bed, and the women had already started their coffee in the living room.
"We think so," Marrell replied, "but we're just a bit biased."
"Mackenzie's huge gray-green eyes and brown hair, and D.J.'s blond hair and blue eyes-I can't believe it. But then you've always been pretty."
Marrell laughed, but then she had been laughing all evening. She had expected Shay to arrive in a sad state, but in truth she'd been in a very good mood. There were moments when Marrell caught a look in her eyes, but Shay was swift to disguise it. Now, however, with no one else looking, Marrell caught sight of the pain that she had masked.
"How are you doing?" Marrell asked for the first time.
"All right." Shay's voice was soft. "He actually came to the office yesterday to see me, but I think I made him see that I was serious. He was upset but didn't cause a scene. I wanted to cry my eyes out after that but didn't and found that I actually had done the right thing."
58
"I wondered about that. I was prepared to have you call at any moment and tell me that I should have minded my own business and that you never wanted to speak to me again."
"No," Shay shook her head, "I wouldn't have done that. In fact, on Sunday night I called my grandmother and told her everything. She said that little Marrell Walker was the best thing that ever
Similar Books
