Hearts in Harmony by Gail Sattler

Author:Gail Sattler
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2005-09-19T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Adrian stared at the pile of books on the coffee table. They wouldn’t be returned tonight.

He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. When had his life deteriorated to the point where the highlight of his week was going to the library on Friday night? Of course it wasn’t the library that was so special, it was that he went there with Celeste.

Adrian resisted the urge to whack the books off the coffee table. Instead, he stomped into the kitchen, where he stared blankly at the kettle and the teapot he’d bought just for Celeste.

They wouldn’t be used tonight.

Adrian strode back into the living room and flopped down on the couch.

Instead of looking at the television, his gaze fixed on the stuffed teddy bear wearing glasses that he’d perched on top of the entertainment center. Celeste had bought it for him as a joke, saying that it looked like him because not only was the bear wearing glasses, it was also wearing pants with suspenders. Therefore that meant it was an accountant, like him.

Adrian stared at a spot on the wall. He missed her teasing. He missed everything about her.

All he’d been able to do was think about Celeste. He still didn’t think he’d done anything wrong, but he had narrowed down the time of the change to when she kissed him. And she had been the one to kiss him, even though he’d meant to be the first to initiate it. The timing couldn’t be a coincidence, which meant that even though he had thoroughly enjoyed the experience, Celeste regretted it.

He couldn’t turn back the clock, nor could he pretend it hadn’t happened. He suddenly understood the meaning of the expression, being caught between a rock and a hard place.

He couldn’t do nothing, but he didn’t know what to do.

Fortunately, before he had time to fully sink into a quagmire of melancholy depression the phone rang. He reached over and answered it without getting up.

“Hey, Adrian. It’s me. Bob. Are you busy?”

The sound of an impact wrench echoed in the background, telling him that Bob and his partner were again forced to work late on a Friday night. At this point, Adrian also would have welcomed some overtime because it would have given him something else to think about besides the pathetic state of his life. Again, Adrian glanced at the pile of lonely library books that wouldn’t be returned.

He sighed. “No, I’m not busy. What’s up?”

“Paul just called me, and he was being really strange. He didn’t have anything important to say, he just told me that he was at the craft shop getting stuff for school, which I really didn’t care about. But then I heard Celeste’s voice in the background, and I started thinking. Maybe he phoned me so I could phone you and let you know where she is, and what she’s doing.”

“Uh… Yeah… Thanks…” Adrian let his voice trail off.

Bob mumbled a quick goodbye and hung up. Dial tone buzzed in Adrian’s ear.

Adrian turned his head toward the door and hung up the phone.

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