Read Online The Wedding Audition by Catherine Mann, Joanne Rock - Free Book Online
Authors: Catherine Mann, Joanne Rock
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and—in another hour or two—some hot water.” He was already reading over her notes.
“Thank you.” She nodded as she slid one of the boxes he’d packed closer to her. She could see a new set of sheets still in the package at the bottom of one of them.
“What time are you seeing your grandmother?” he asked, pulling a long swallow from the beer bottle, giving her too much time to watch the movement of his throat. To see the wet shine of his lower lip.
“Nine.” She was ridiculously thirsty all of a sudden.
“I’ll meet you to walk you out a side entrance through the orchard. I don’t like the idea of people watching the roads in and out of this place.”
“Okay, I appreciate the offer.” She hugged a box to her chest and backed toward the door. Bagel hurried to beat her there, doggy nails clicking against the floor.
“I could help you settle in.” He scooped up the other box and followed her toward the door.
Then reached over her head to prop open the screen for her.
The scent of male sweat and faded aftershave should not have smelled so damn good. Temptingly so on a day when it would be worse than horrible to act on that temptation.
“I’ll be fine on my own.” She needed to be alone.
To repent for being a crappy fiancée. God, had she really been about to get married to the wrong man? And now she was drooling over a total stranger who didn’t even keep good ice cream in his house?
“At least let me carry this to your car.” He let the screen bang closed behind them as they walked out into the growing dimness.
“Thanks again for all your help.” She hastened her step and stuffed her box in the backseat of the open convertible. “I left cash for the rent under the toaster.”
“Right. My main concern is no social media. No cell phone. No way of leading anyone here.” His expression was hard. Shuttered.
He leaned down to put the second box beside the first while Bagel darted into the passenger seat through the open driver’s side door.
“You won’t regret letting me stay,” she promised, then wondered if anyone would trust her word again after the way she’d ditched Boone today.
Her heart hurt as she slid into the driver’s seat. Heath closed the door behind her, then leaned to rest his arms on the top of the door.
“Will he come after you?” he asked quietly. “The baseball player?”
Surprising her. How had he guessed she was thinking about her former fiancé?
“No.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Trust me. I’m certain.” That admission—and the way it forced her to acknowledge the truth underneath it—sank deeper than any other pain she’d felt today.
Heath nodded. Straightened.
“Then he didn’t deserve you, Red.” He reached to give her scarf a gentle tug, leaving it in place. “Sleep well.”
He stalked off toward the main house while Annamae’s scalp tingled, fingers of a phantom pleasure tripping down her spine.
And although the carriage house was a stone’s throw up the road, she punched the gas to get there as fast as she could.
Chapter Four
‡
E ighty-seven missed calls.
Half of them from her mother. A few from Lindsey offering help and a place to stay if she needed it.
None of them from her ex-fiancé.
She’d checked the voicemail from another one of the disposable phones and then set it aside. She should feel horribly disappointed. Instead, she felt relieved all the way to her toenails with chipped polish. Clearly, she’d made the right decision in calling off the wedding. Had she made the right choice in running away though?
Too late for second guessing that. She was committed to this path for now. And right or wrong, she needed the breathing room. She needed answers.
Annamae wished she’d picked up more throwaway phones to check in so people wouldn’t worry, but she couldn’t afford to leave hers on and risk someone tracking her here. The media hadn’t latched onto the sighting of her in Beulah, but just in case, she
“Thank you.” She nodded as she slid one of the boxes he’d packed closer to her. She could see a new set of sheets still in the package at the bottom of one of them.
“What time are you seeing your grandmother?” he asked, pulling a long swallow from the beer bottle, giving her too much time to watch the movement of his throat. To see the wet shine of his lower lip.
“Nine.” She was ridiculously thirsty all of a sudden.
“I’ll meet you to walk you out a side entrance through the orchard. I don’t like the idea of people watching the roads in and out of this place.”
“Okay, I appreciate the offer.” She hugged a box to her chest and backed toward the door. Bagel hurried to beat her there, doggy nails clicking against the floor.
“I could help you settle in.” He scooped up the other box and followed her toward the door.
Then reached over her head to prop open the screen for her.
The scent of male sweat and faded aftershave should not have smelled so damn good. Temptingly so on a day when it would be worse than horrible to act on that temptation.
“I’ll be fine on my own.” She needed to be alone.
To repent for being a crappy fiancée. God, had she really been about to get married to the wrong man? And now she was drooling over a total stranger who didn’t even keep good ice cream in his house?
“At least let me carry this to your car.” He let the screen bang closed behind them as they walked out into the growing dimness.
“Thanks again for all your help.” She hastened her step and stuffed her box in the backseat of the open convertible. “I left cash for the rent under the toaster.”
“Right. My main concern is no social media. No cell phone. No way of leading anyone here.” His expression was hard. Shuttered.
He leaned down to put the second box beside the first while Bagel darted into the passenger seat through the open driver’s side door.
“You won’t regret letting me stay,” she promised, then wondered if anyone would trust her word again after the way she’d ditched Boone today.
Her heart hurt as she slid into the driver’s seat. Heath closed the door behind her, then leaned to rest his arms on the top of the door.
“Will he come after you?” he asked quietly. “The baseball player?”
Surprising her. How had he guessed she was thinking about her former fiancé?
“No.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Trust me. I’m certain.” That admission—and the way it forced her to acknowledge the truth underneath it—sank deeper than any other pain she’d felt today.
Heath nodded. Straightened.
“Then he didn’t deserve you, Red.” He reached to give her scarf a gentle tug, leaving it in place. “Sleep well.”
He stalked off toward the main house while Annamae’s scalp tingled, fingers of a phantom pleasure tripping down her spine.
And although the carriage house was a stone’s throw up the road, she punched the gas to get there as fast as she could.
Chapter Four
‡
E ighty-seven missed calls.
Half of them from her mother. A few from Lindsey offering help and a place to stay if she needed it.
None of them from her ex-fiancé.
She’d checked the voicemail from another one of the disposable phones and then set it aside. She should feel horribly disappointed. Instead, she felt relieved all the way to her toenails with chipped polish. Clearly, she’d made the right decision in calling off the wedding. Had she made the right choice in running away though?
Too late for second guessing that. She was committed to this path for now. And right or wrong, she needed the breathing room. She needed answers.
Annamae wished she’d picked up more throwaway phones to check in so people wouldn’t worry, but she couldn’t afford to leave hers on and risk someone tracking her here. The media hadn’t latched onto the sighting of her in Beulah, but just in case, she
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