AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I know.” And she did. He was way out of her league. He was toying with her for the moment. Most likely because she was so different from the women he usually knew. Once he realised that different didn’t equate to exciting, he’d move on.
“Well, lady of the night, I have an early morning meeting.” She stood and pressed a kiss against her friend’s hair. “Try to get some rest today. You look tired.”
Jane started into her coffee. She was tired, but there was no way she’d rest. She had too much to do. The main resolution she had to stick to was not to let her involvement with Carter Mann-Hughes derail what she’d been working towards for so long. She had overcome too many obstacles to let one man – albeit a devilishly attractive man – take that away from her.
You’re not here. Her phone buzzed accusingly at her.
She shook her head with a small smile. Your powers of observation are mind-blowingly impressive.
Why are you not here?
Look outside, genius. She sent it with a small grin, then put the phone aside. No sooner has she clicked it against the tabletop than it beeped at her again.
You’re going to miss my pretty spectacular coffee scenario.
Her heart turned over. She hardened it. How many women had he made coffee for? I have pretty good coffee here.
Mmm. You haven’t tried mine yet.
And she never would. At least, not first thing in the morning. That was not part of the equation. She set the phone down again and tried, desperately, to put Carter out of her mind. But he kept bubbling into her consciousness, demanding attention. He made her overflow the laundry sink, when she was preparing to soak some delicates. She had to spend half an hour mopping up the floor and still she was worried it might have flooded into old Mrs Kramer’s apartment downstairs.
Thinking about him made her late for her meeting with Thomas, which she never, ever was. And it made her burn the white sauce she was making for their pasta bake. By the time Anita walked in the door, she was pretty sure she was a tangle of nerves. She hid them, for the sake of her sister.
“Hey!” She wrapped her arms around her, happy to see her back from camp with a big smile on her face.
“Hey yourself. You look terrible.”
“Do I?” Jane blew at her dark hair self-consciously.
“Well, as terrible as you ever can.”
“Whatever. How was camp?”
Anita’s smile widened. The entire left side of her face was scarred from a childhood accident, but Jane no longer noticed the disfiguration. It was only when they were out together and met new people, and she saw the way they reacted to Anita’s damaged face, that she remembered how severe the scarring was.
“Great. I got a heap of contacts for the break.”
“Good. Dinner’s in the oven – pasta bake.”
“Are you working tonight?”
She frowned. Was she? She hadn’t heard from Carter since that morning. Did he expect her just to appear at his apartment? If so, what time? What should she do? She frowned. He had said he wanted her nights. But he’d also said he would let her know.
“Janey? Are you working tonight?”
“Yeah.” She nodded. “I’m just waiting for the … err bar… to confirm the time they need me.”
Jane and Jenna had agreed, years ago, to keep the truth of what Jane did from Anita. Jane had been more than happy to do whatever she could to keep up Anita’s place at the exclusive school, but she suspected that her sister would insist on going to a public school if s
he knew how her tuition was funded. Details were best left out of it.
“I’m beat. I’m going to have a rest before dinner.” She kissed her sister’s cheek and moved towards her room.
“I’ll see you in the morning!” Jane called.
When Jenna returned home almost an hour later, Jane still hadn’t heard from Carter. A knot of doubt formed in her stomach. What if he’d changed his mind? What if one night with her had been enough? She swallowed past the anxiety and laid out three plates for dinner. She’d eat with Jenna and Anita, and then contact him. She had to be brave. If he was tired of her already, it was probably better than if the relationship continued for weeks and then he got rid of her.
She ate without tasting, and conversed without comprehending. Anita and Jenna had plenty to discuss. Jenna was a science teacher, and Anita wanted nothing more than to get into med school. Jane sat between them, a glazed expression on her non-comprehending face.
