Jennifer L. Jordan - Kristin Ashe Mystery 5 - Disorderly Attachments by Jennifer L. Jordan

Author:Jennifer L. Jordan [Jennifer L. Jordan]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
ISBN: 9781883523749
Google: mhCKAQAACAAJ
Amazon: 1883523745
Publisher: Spinsters Ink
Published: 2006-12-30T03:00:00+00:00

Destiny turned back the covers and slid into bed next to me. "She's doing all she can, but it's overwhelming. We have a short window to match the funds. Whatever we can't match, we lose. I hate stipulations. I understand the philosophy behind them, but in practical terms, they put pressure on donors and staff. I feel like a used-car salesman, twisting people's arms to meet a deadline that benefits us, not them."

I stroked her hair. "Are you sure you can't postpone some of the work with Carolyn O'Keefe, at least until the grant period expires."

"I tried. But she's insisting on meeting almost daily, in person or by phone. She wants to prepare as much as possible before the educators' conference in Steamboat Springs. Which makes sense," she said, her voice disappearing, "but this schedule is killing me."

"It'll be over soon."

"I hope so." She snuggled against me and murmured, "Thanks for understanding, Kris."

"Sure," I said, unconvincingly to my ear, but she didn't notice.

Within minutes, she'd fallen asleep, and for a long time, I left the light on and watched her.

****

Wednesday at noon came all too soon, but as long as I kept breathing through my mouth, I knew I could last ten more minutes.

While I sat fully clothed on the toilet in the ladies room at the Westin, three hundred yards from the source of my avoidance, I put a hex on Fran ^teen. She'd brought me to the Denver Women's Chamber of Commerce •Meeting thirty minutes earlier, only to abandon me.

"We'll get more done if we split up," she reasoned, then she headed straight toward the most attractive woman among a crowd mingling near the registration table.

In her absence, I'd tried several times to hold a conversation that lasted longer than ten seconds, but nothing clicked.

Failing at networking, I staked out a seat at a back table and killed a few minutes acting as if I were intensely interested in my newcomer's grab bag. I took out each item, studied it and pretended I wasn't in a windowless, arctic-cold room, surrounded by people who were ignoring me.

By the time I'd emptied the bag, I could only conclude that the women's movement had been a figment of my imagination. Forget the free consult for Botox, 20-percent off coupon for treatments at a day spa and booklet on dressing for success. The stack of recipe cards, swatches from an interior designer and child-rearing tips really raised my ire. Only the miniature highlighter and key-chain flashlight had a chance of escaping the nearest trash can.

I played with both for a while, but when three coworkers at a utilities company sat across the round table for eight and dismissed me after brief introductions, I'd had enough.

I figured the bathroom would be a safe refuge for the remaining minutes, but I hadn't factored in the stench. The floral deodorizer was only managing to coat, rather than eliminate, the ripe smell. Nonetheless, I waited until the last possible second to exit the bathroom, barely allowing enough time to scurry to my seat before Shirley Bassett took the stage.

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.