Read Online Want Me by Jo Leigh - Free Book Online

of respect for Mr. and Mrs. Fitz, Shannon should be out-of-bounds. Maybe he needed to go back to staying at the hotel. He could make up some lie that wouldn’t hurt any feelings. Anything would be easier than being so close when he had to keep his distance.
    * * *
    T HE TOTE BAG FULL OF FROZEN Irish stew servings banged against Shannon’s thigh as she walked down the path to the St. Marks basement door. For the first time since she’d joined the lunch exchange, Shannon wasn’t looking forward to the gathering. She had new cards ready, as always in a box so she could pour them out in a cascade of eligible men; all the drama she could fit into a dreary kitchen basement. She’d go through the motions—it was expected, after all—but her heart wouldn’t be in it.
    Work had been eating Shannon alive. Aside from the Easter preparations, the baseball team shirts, posters and calendars and the regular day-to-day pressings and bindings, she hadn’t gone a day without making cold calls, without visiting at least one new potential client, without placing at least a dozen business cards in likely and unlikely venues.
    In between, every spare second, she’d been consumed with thoughts of Nate, then feel guilty, talk herself out of that, then start the cycle over again. Midnight after midnight found her wide-awake, coming up with new approaches to get clients, or, more frequently, remembering every detail of Nate in a towel, Nate at the bar, Nate in the hallway, Nate, Nate, Nate.
    She was doing all she could to increase business at the plant, and today she’d make a stand in her madness over Nate. While she couldn’t ask him to leave the house, she could send him on a date. Hopefully more than one. And, despite her insane schedule, she would go out on dates of her own. Every night, if necessary.
    The thought of which made her feel sick.
    It was the stress. So much of it, and so few opportunities to vent. Brady had enough of his own troubles, so she couldn’t whine to him, and she didn’t want to tell the other brothers because they couldn’t be trusted not to blurt out something in front of her parents. Thank goodness for all those years of practicing to smile and acting cheerful at pageants.
    As she opened the basement door she put one of those smiles in place, ratcheted up her enthusiasm and went inside. The sound of her friends helped make both smile and attitude more true, and by the time she was in the kitchen, she felt better.
    Everyone stopped. It had been one of her favorite parts of the trading cards. The expectant hush, the anticipation, the possibilities. Her, center stage. It was Christmas every couple of weeks. No, she hadn’t found her perfect man yet, but there were so many success stories. She’d done that. Not alone, but the idea had been hers, and why couldn’t she find something equally wonderful that would bring business to Fitzgerald & Sons?
    “Shannon? You all right?”
    Ariel was at her side, looking concerned. Shannon had forgotten she’d be there despite the fact they’d spoken two days ago. Shannon wasn’t surprised to see that her cousin had gone all out for her first meeting. She’d worn her hair down, swept into a Lauren Bacall bob that looked slinky and sophisticated. Her jacket was of a theme—big shoulders, fitted waist—as was her pencil skirt and five-inch heels. It worked.
    “Shannon?”
    “I’m fine,” she said. “No problem finding the place?”
    “None. And everyone’s already been nice, although there’s no chance I’ll remember the names.”
    “I’ll take you around. After.” She held up the box of new cards. There weren’t many brand-new ones, but there were a number of men for the taking. Some hadn’t been chosen at all, though very few. Most had come back to the pile because that elusive piece of magic had been missing. Shannon had returned several cards of her own.
    The room was relatively warm, no thanks to the inadequate radiator. They were lucky, though,