First Impressions by Nora Roberts

Author:Nora Roberts [Roberts, Nora]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi

“We’l take our chances here.” He decided next time he would take her somewhere he could buy her champagne.

“I’l have the chili,” Shane announced, bringing his thoughts back.

“Chili?” Vance frowned at the menu again. “Is it any good?”

“Oh, no!”

“Then why are you—” He broke off as he lowered his menu and saw Shane buried behind her own. “Shane, what—”

“They just came in,” she hissed, turning her menu toward the entrance and peeping around the side of it.

Curiously he glanced over. Vance spotted Cy Trainer with a trim brunette in a severely tailored tan suit and sensible pumps. His first reaction was annoyance; then, looking the woman over again and noting the way her hand rested on Cy’s arm, he turned back to Shane. She was ful y hidden behind the menu.

“Shane, I know it must upset you, but you’re bound to run into him from time to time and …” He heard a muffled sound from behind the plastic-coated cardboard. Instinctively, Vance reached for her hand. “We could go somewhere else, but we can’t leave now without his seeing you.”

“It’s Laurie MacAfee.” She squeezed Vance’s fingers convulsively. He returned the pressure, furious that she stil had feelings for the man who had hurt her.

“Shane, you’ve got to face this and not let him see you make a fool of yourself.”

“I know, but it’s so hard.” Cautiously, she tilted the menu to the side. With a jolt, Vance saw she was convulsed not with tears but with laughter. “As soon as he sees us,” she began confidential y “he’s going to come over and be polite.”

“I can see that’s going to cause you a lot of pain.”

“Oh, it is,” she agreed. “Because you’ve got to promise to kick me under the table or stomp on my foot the minute you see I’m going to laugh.”

“My pleasure,” he assured her.

“Laurie used to keep her dol s lined up according to height and she sewed little name tags on al their clothes,” Shane explained, taking deep breaths to prepare herself.

“That certainly clears everything up.”

“Okay, now I’m going to put the menu down.” She swal owed, lowering her voice a bit more. “Whatever you do, don’t look at them.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

After a final cleansing breath, Shane set the menu on the table. “Chili?” she said in a normal tone. “Yes, it’s always been good here. I believe I’l have it too.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“Oh yes, I agree.” Smiling, she picked up her water glass. Out the corner of her eye, she spotted Cy and Laurie crossing the room toward them. To kil the first bubble of laughter, she cleared her throat violently.

“Shane, how nice to see you.”

Looking up, Shane managed to feign surprise. “Hel o, Cy. Hel o, Laurie. How’ve you been?”

“Very wel ,” Laurie answered in her careful y modulated voice. She’s real y very pretty, Shane thought. Even if her eyes are just a fraction too close together.

“I don’t think you know Vance,” she continued. “Vance, this is Cy Trainer and Laurie MacAfee, old school friends of mine.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.