Read Online Second Chance by Audra North - Free Book Online Page A

was happy to take a look, but it seemed like she was just using it as an excuse, anyway, to put some distance between them.
    Shit, he was an idiot. He’d thought she was into him, but obviously not.
    It hurt. For the first time in years—hell, ever—it hurt that a woman didn’t want him. Because this time, it wasn’t his money or his connections that she knew about. It was him.
    And she’d turned that down.
    “Marnie, I—” He’d meant to apologize, but it all happened at once. A loud banging sounded at the front doors of the library, the lights flickered back to life, and that wooden box that she’d set on the circulation desk earlier slid off and crashed to the floor with a loud crack !
    They both jumped and shouted in surprise, but this time, she didn’t come running to him for protection.
    That…well, that really, really hurt, that she’d stayed away. Instead, they stared at each other across the space of the few feet between them, though it felt more like a deep, wide chasm.
    Bang bang!
    The knocking at the library doors sounded again.
    “That must be the driver from the car service.” Collin hesitated, just for a moment, hoping—for what? He wasn’t sure. That maybe she’d ask him to stick around? Go have dinner?
    Don’t be stupid. Go home. Do your job. Forget about this whole thing.
    Right.
    “That’s probably my ride. I’d better go.”
    She nodded and gave him a weak smile. “Good to see you again. Thanks for all your help.”
    We just kissed! Why are you dismissing me?
    He wanted to shout it, but instead he simply remained silent, and after another second’s hesitation, he finally forced himself to turn and walk away.
     
     
     

Chapter Nine
     
    “What is the matter with you?” Bill popped back into view the second Collin left the building.
    “What do you mean, what’s the matter with me ? You were the one acting like a jackass, trying to get rid of Collin!” Marnie was so confused, she wanted to cry. Had she made a mistake? It certainly felt like it.
    “I wasn’t trying to get rid of him!”
    “Then why were you making fun of him while we were talking?”
    “Because you were wasting time, talking about things that didn’t matter! You should have been kissing him. You should have been telling him you needed a guy just like him in your life! He should have been saying the same thing to you!” Bill huffed. “I mean, except for the guy part.”
    “Are you insane? You’ve got to be insane. Is that why you’re a ghost? People don’t say things like that to each other after meeting for the first time in years and spending an hour together!”
    “Well, they should.” Bill had stopped shouting now, at least. “Look.” He pointed to where the wooden box had fallen to the floor. Where he’d pushed it, most likely. “I think you should open the box.”
    It looked the same as before, except that there was a crack on the side from the impact of hitting the ground. But it hadn’t broken completely open. She eyed it warily. “Why, is something in it going to jump out and scare me? Just another one of your pathetic little parlor tricks?”
    Bill sighed. “We’re a ridiculous pair. Open the damned box, Marnie.” His words lacked heat, but rather were full of a weary resignation that tugged at her heartstrings. She might not like feeling manipulated, but she could see things from his point of view. Condemned to live out eternity in a library…she’d probably have pulled a few pranks and meddled in plenty of people’s lives by now, just to relieve the boredom.
    “Okay. I’ll open it. And…I’m sorry.” She reached out to put a hand on his shoulder in an automatic gesture of comfort, but her fingers went right through his body, like they were falling through an especially dense patch of air.
    “Oh, man, that feels creepy.” He shivered and eyed her warily.
    “Seriously? You’re saying that it feels creepy for me to touch you ? Of all the nerve…” She was frowning at