Read Online Pride's Prejudice by Misty Dawn Pulsipher - Free Book Online Page B

seen the empty Pringles can and the chocolate wrapper?
    "I'm
tired, Lucy," Kara announced abruptly.  "Let's get some rest so
we can help with Jenna when she wakes up."
    "Jenna's
probably contagious, anyway," Lucy agreed.
    Kara
glared at Lucy, presumably for blowing her altruistic cover.  Then she
hooked Lucy by the arm and hauled her off in the direction of their
palace-tent.
    We
have a regular Mother Theresa on our hands, Beth thought wryly as
she zipped up the tent and wandered over to the fire pit.
    The
up-ended chairs had dried and been righted, and Les sat in one of them, looking
dazed and worried.  Beth, deciding that Les was the only person she could
remotely tolerate at the moment, pulled up another chair and seated herself
beside him.  The self-same instant he launched an assault of inquiries
about Jenna.  Once he was finally out of verbal ammo he fell silent and
thoughtful.
    William
was at the picnic table gutting and cleaning the trout.  Beth wondered
what Kara's reaction would be if she found a slimy pile of fish entrails on her
pillow.  Would asking William for the innards raise any suspicions?
    "Les,
how long have you known William?" Beth asked in a low voice.
    "I
guess it's been about five years now.  We were roommates in college. 
Complete opposites," he admitted, grinning.  "I majored in art
and he majored in finance."
    Beth
smiled at Les's confession.  "You're still good friends, after all
this time, though.  I guess opposites attract."
    Les
shrugged, smiling.
     "What's
his family like?"
    "He
just has one sister, Gianna.  Both his parents passed away before I met
him."
    "What
happened?"
    "His
mother died when he was really young….she got sick or something.  His
father just died a few years back…..a heart attack, I think."  Les
looked as though the gears in his mind were creaking with the effort of calling
up the details.  "Anyway, since then he's had legal guardianship of
Gianna.  He takes good care of her.  She goes to some kind of private
school for girls, so during the school year William kind of travels
around."
    "How
old is she?"
    "She
just turned seventeen, I think."
    "That
makes William……?"
    "He's
twenty-six, a year older than me."
    "Hm,"
was all Beth said.  A few minutes later, "What does he do?  I
mean for work?"
    "He's
an investment banker - independent.  He's been working from my
house.  He has an office in New York, though, and an apartment - where
Gianna comes home for holidays and that sort of thing."
    Beth's
eyes fell on William as she digested the information.  As if she'd called
his name he glanced up, doing a double take when he took in the continuity of
her gaze.  She looked away casually, glad to hear Les talk about something
else.
    "Jenna
says you guys have known each other practically your whole lives."
    "Pretty
much.  She moved to our town when we were four."  William joined
them now, drying his hands with a paper towel.
    "You
must know everything about each other, then," Les said, looking hopeful.
    "Ooooh,
yes.  No secrets."
    "Typical. 
That's how all girls are," William piped up, plopping into the chair on
Les's far side.  He closed his eyes and leaned back, as if trying to take
a cat nap.  "They're not happy unless they're talking."  He
unscrewed a bottle of water and took a drink.  "Blah-blah, blah-blah,
blah."
    Les
passed a hand over his eyes.
    Any
discomfiture Beth felt melted away as her irritation flared up.  "I
agree completely," she began airily.  "Bonding time is much better served over Sports Center and X-box with a hand down your pants."
    William
opened his eyes and let his head loll forward.  Looking directly at Beth,
he said, "You need two hands for X-box."
    When
Beth's affected indifference melted into a glare, his face split into a wide
grin.  A grin that showcased his perfect white teeth and made his dark
eyes dance.
    "Your
serve," he prompted, still smiling.
    When
Beth didn't answer, William sat back in triumph.  Holding