Read Online Touch of Love by Ellen Wolf - Free Book Online Page B

later, he had installed her in one of the comfy rattan armchairs, with a drink and a plate. The large group split into little islands of chatter, leaving her trio on the outskirts of the wider circle. Slowly relaxing, she listened to Jake’s cheerful banter with Adam. Aunt Laura was far enough away that her loud voice only weaved in and out of Elly’s earshot.
    Jake’s phone rang unexpectedly. When he checked the display, his eyebrows snapped together in an expression of surprise. Not a good one, either.
    He apologized as he rose to his feet, leaving her alone with Adam. Please, hurry up, she pleaded silently as he walked over to the stairs leading to the gardens. Obviously, the conversation was private.
    S he had to face Adam on her own. Staring after Jake would make her look like a lost puppy. She glanced at him cautiously, from under her eyelashes. What are we supposed to talk about, anyway? Altogether, they had spent maybe twenty minutes together, most of which she’d spent watching him suspiciously, waiting for him to pull a knife in the park.
    ‘Do you approve?’ His wry question caught her by surprise. ‘Me looking more decent, I mean.’ The amusement in his eyes flustered her even further.
    Damn, but I had forgotten that he was a very straightforward person.
    ‘I am glad you’re doing better .’ She nodded, hoping to sound diplomatic. Where is Jake? She glanced around, her impatience growing. He was still talking on the phone, his hands moving in the air with agitation. ‘I thought your name was Adam, though. Where did this AJ come from?’ Her eyebrows rose questioningly.
    ‘Adam James ,’ he replied cheerfully, light dancing in his dark eyes. ‘When I was little, I found it a bit of a mouthful, so I renamed myself AJ, and it stuck. My family still likes to call me that, even though I abandoned it a long time ago.’
    Fair enough. To be totally honest, even if Jake had called his stepbrother ‘Adam,’ she never would’ve put two and two together, anyway. What were the odds of the two men being the same person? Or was it fate? Had her halfhearted attempts to erase him from her mind been noticed by some higher power?
    ‘How is the fiancé?’ Adam’s next question brought her back down to earth.
    So far, she had avoided the topic, but her luck seemed to have run out.
    ‘We broke up,’ she said shortly.
    ‘Why?’
    Ugh. Does he even realize he’s being rude? Or does he assume our brief conversation justifies his interest?
    ‘He cheated on me .’ She hoped her terse tone would be enough to shut him up until Jake came back.
    ‘Living up his threesome fantasy?’
    She was stunned that he even remembered that detail. ‘No, just a simple one-on-one with my colleague.’ She sipped her glass of wine. Or rather, she downed it in three inelegant gulps, probably shocking Jake’s family. They probably think he’s brought home an alcoholic. But she didn’t really care at that moment. If anything, it helped her to shake off some of her sadness, turning her misery into sarcasm.
    ‘On a positive note , Brad was consistent with his choice.’ She leaned over to Adam, her voice conspiratorial. ‘It was the same girl he offered to include into our sex life.’
    What the heck is wrong with me? She never behaved like that, talking about her private life with a total stranger, especially with people all around. She turned to look at Jake, who was still on the phone. She was hoping to make eye contact to let him know he needed to come back before she made an utter idiot of herself in front of everyone. He was the only person there she actually knew. However thin the bond was, he was still the closest to her. Plus, he was far easier to talk to than his stepbrother was.
    ‘That might take a while .’ Adam’s wry voice made her look back, embarrassed to be caught in the act.
    Doesn’t he miss anything?
    ‘So how exactly did you end up with Jake?’ Elly could have sworn there was some amusement hidden