The Wishing Hill by Holly Robinson

Author:Holly Robinson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2013-05-29T16:00:00+00:00

chapter thirteen

The first of March was such a mild day that Claire decided her lightweight barn jacket would be enough. She even left her gloves in the car as she met Giles at the Y. They swam together, Giles matching his laps to hers, then had lunch at the new Chinese place. They were the only diners and the waiter hovered too eagerly, making Claire feel even more self-conscious for having put on lipstick and bought a new sweater for today.

They hadn’t done more than kiss, yet she couldn’t help staring at Giles—his arms, his hands, his broad chest—and her heart thudded like a virgin’s. She felt light-headed and ridiculous for feeling this way. Who would have thought, at her age, that lust was a possibility?

It had been nearly a decade since her last relationship with a man. Who knew what worked and what didn’t, with people their age? She didn’t want to imagine the terrifying possibility of trying to make love with Giles and having either of them fail. Best to stay friends who enjoyed lunches and holding hands, the occasional movie. Far more appropriate. Her life was content.

Liar, a tiny voice blared in her head, even as Claire declined when Giles invited her back to his house, saying she had too much to do.

Of course she didn’t have too much to do. Nothing, in fact. Claire felt edgy and disgruntled. She needed to work up her courage to confront Desiree. She put on her jacket again and took Tadpole out to the yard to see how her bushes were faring after that last hailstorm.

She wondered whether Juliet had been to a doctor yet. She hoped so. She hoped, oh, for so many things where Juliet was concerned.

Almost as if Claire had conjured up Juliet out of her thoughts, the girl came walking up the hill toward her. Claire’s first impulse was to flee inside and lock the door. What if Desiree had told her something awful?

Well, if she had, it was Claire’s own fault. She was the one who had stirred up trouble, confronting Desiree before she had a real plan to get her sister to agree that it was time to tell Juliet the truth.

Claire forced a smile and waved at Juliet as she came up the driveway. The dogs made the first few minutes easy. Hamlet and Tadpole greeted each other like old friends, the Pekingese standing on his hind legs and doing a funny twirl that made both women laugh. Juliet stroked Tadpole’s sleek walrus head until the old fool leaned against her legs with his eyes half closed, besotted.

“How are you?” Claire said. “I was just wondering how you were feeling, and whether you’d found a doctor.”

Juliet smiled, but her dark eyes were made even darker by the bruised-looking circles of fatigue. “I’m exhausted, actually, but at least I’m keeping my food down now. I have my first appointment tomorrow.”

“Good.” Claire cocked her head, studying Juliet’s shape openly now. “You’re showing a little.”

She had meant this as a compliment, but Juliet paled.

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.