Second Chance for Romance полностью

I was talking about it to Trip one day when the girls returned from the pool. They came into the dining room to find out what we were talking about.

I laid out my design sketches and explained a couple of creative leaps. Trip liked the idea. So did Wren.

Christy leafed through the sketches in my book. She was an incredibly talented artist, especially where people were concerned, so I wanted her opinion. She nodded several times, and I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. She turned another page and reached the early drawings, the sketches of her.

“You gave me the idea,” I said enthusiastically. “You were curled up in your beanbag, drawing me, while I was drawing you in my head.”

“That’s pretty cool,” Trip said.

“This is me?” Christy said. She traced a finger over the sketch and then looked at the larger drawing of the building itself.

“It is. Do you like it?”

She was silent for a long time.

I found myself holding my breath again.

She looked up, her expression unreadable. “Do you think I’m going to sleep with you now?” she said. “Just because you drew me?”

I was so shocked that I didn’t know what to say. Then I felt a flush of anger. “Is that what you think this is about?”

“Well, isn’t it?”

I suddenly felt disconnected, like a wall had sprung up around my emotions.

I gathered my drawings and closed them in my sketchbook. I looked at Christy but couldn’t think of a single thing to say that wasn’t spiteful. I stared at her for a moment. Then I turned and left.

“Wow,” Wren said to her, “you really don’t understand him at all.”

I spent the next day brooding, and I avoided the house when I knew Christy would be there.

Screw her, I thought viciously. If that’s what she thinks about me…

I was so full of pent-up frustration that I challenged Glen at judo practice.

He was bigger, stronger, and a better fighter, but he couldn’t compete with cold fury. He knew I was upset, but he never said a thing, even when I slammed him a lot harder than I should’ve, especially in a friendly match.

I left before the sensei could kick me out. I heard Glen talking to them as I stormed off, telling them that he was fine, that I just needed to work some things out. I felt guilty, especially as the adrenaline wore off and I thought about what I’d done.

I went home, but only because I knew that the girls would be at the pool and Trip would be at football practice. I took a long shower and let the cold water run over me until I felt the anger wash away. Why did I let Christy get to me like that?

The phone rang as I was sitting on my bed.

“Hello?”

“Paul? Hey, it’s Mark!”

I drew a blank. “Mark who?”

“Leah’s Mark, ya doofus. I’ve been trying to reach you for days!” He laughed. “Doesn’t anyone answer the phone there?”

“Sorry. We don’t have an answering machine.”

“Hey, no problem. I understand. So let me get to the reason I called. I wanna have a small party for Leah’s birthday.”

I felt a fresh wave of guilt, but for a completely different reason: I’d forgotten.

“I know it’s last-minute,” he said, “but she’s feeling kind of ignored.”

“Ignored?”

“Yeah. Everyone’s getting ready for Kara’s wedding next week. They still…”

I wanted to kick myself. I’d forgotten about the wedding too, and I’d known for a month. Kara had even asked me to be an usher.

“…so things’re a bit crazy over there,” Mark was saying when I tuned back in. “No one’s said a thing about Leah’s birthday. Anyway, I’m hoping you and Trip and Wren can come to Atlanta this weekend.”

“Trip and Wren can’t,” I said immediately. “They’ll be in Savannah.”

“Oh. Can they do it another time?”

“No. Wren’s cousin is getting married. It’s… um… a bit of an emergency, if you know what I mean.”

He laughed. “Shotgun wedding?”

“Not entirely. They were planning to get married anyway. They had to change the date is all.”

“Ah. Gotcha. So that leaves you. Are you going too?”

“I wasn’t invited.”

“Great! I mean… well, you know. Sorry. But now you can come to Atlanta.”

My first instinct was to decline, even though it was Leah. I was in a foul mood and didn’t want to be around people, much less people I actually liked.

Mark heard the hesitation in my silence. “Leah would love to see you.”

“I know, but—”

“Look, man,” he said reasonably, “come to Atlanta. Have fun with us.”

“I’m afraid I’ll ruin things for Leah.”

“Not possible. Come on down.”

“I really appreciate it, Mark, but I’m lousy company right now.”

“What’s the matter? Never mind. This is exactly what you need.”

I sighed.

“Listen, man, get away from whatever’s bothering you.”

“I don’t think that’ll work,” I said. The problem wasn’t Christy; it was me.

“All right,” Mark said, still reasonable, “then if you won’t do it for yourself, do it for Leah.”

“C’mon, Mark, that isn’t fair.”

“Of course not.”

“You aren’t going to stop until I say yes, are you?”

“Nope. Sorry.”

“And if I’m still in a foul mood this weekend?”

“Then we gave it our best shot.”

I let the silence drag out.