Hooked on You by Kathleen Fuller (hot novels to read .txt) 📕

she couldn’t stop herself from checking him out. Crisp white collared shirt rolledup to the elbows, fitted blue jeans, and she caught a glimpse of his slip-on tan suede shoes. She’d never really been interestedin portraiture, but an exception could be made if Hayden was the model.

She jerked her focus and thoughts back to the front of the church, where a large wooden cross was framed by frosted glasswindows. She was surprised God hadn’t struck her down for having such thoughts in a house of worship.

For the next hour she forced herself to pay attention to the service, and she had to admit that Jared was pretty good at deliveringa sermon. From what she could remember of the former pastor, Jared was much more interesting and exuberant than his predecessor,who had been a mainstay at the church for almost thirty years.

When the service was over, she said a quick goodbye to Anita, Harper, and Olivia before they could say anything to her. Thiswas her MO—arrive as late as possible and leave as soon as the service was over. That way she hopefully wouldn’t get stucktalking to anyone. She headed outside to wait for Mimi, certain one of the BBs would bring her out of the building. She walkedto the car and leaned against it, then saw Hayden exit the church with Tanner.

He turned and their eyes met. She steeled herself, expecting him to walk over and strike up a conversation, either about repairingMimi’s house or, God forbid, trying to convince her to be the assistant coach. When she arrived home last evening, she hadstood firm with her grandmother and told her that she not only wasn’t going to be the coach but also wasn’t going to attendany of the games. If Mimi wanted to go to one, she’d have to rely on one of the BBs to take her. Her grandmother had seemedtaken aback, but to Riley’s shock, she didn’t try to change her mind.

Hayden was surprising her right now. Instead of walking over to her, he gave her a curt nod, then turned his back and launchedinto conversation with Tanner. As other people poured out of the church, he began engaging them in conversation too.

Riley frowned. He was acting like he barely knew her, when just yesterday he was sitting so close to her she could see thescar on his right knee, one she had wondered about last night when she couldn’t stop thinking about him as she tried to sleep.

Wasn’t this what she wanted, though, for him to leave her alone? And not just him, but everyone else too? As she stood aloneby Mimi’s car, longing washed over her. For Hayden and for something else she couldn’t put her finger on. Everyone here seemedrelaxed and happy. Two things she was not.

The noon sun was beating down, and she wiped perspiration off her forehead as she waited for her grandmother and questionedher decision to wear jeans on such a hot day. She hadn’t brought anything else other than shorts. She didn’t even own a skirt.

“Riley! Yoo-hoo!”

She looked up to see Bea pushing Mimi toward her, Peg strolling alongside. Mimi was grinning as they approached her. “We’regoing to The Orange Bluebird for lunch,” Erma said.

“Is that new?” Riley asked. The Sunshine Diner had always been closed on Sundays, and since it was the only restaurant inMaple Falls, The Orange Bluebird must be in another town.

“Heavens, no.” Mimi’s fingers touched her pearls. “It’s been around for years in Rockfield. It used to be called Gas and Guzzlebecause it was part of a gas station. Then it was sold to The Orange Bluebird owners and they changed the name.”

Riley couldn’t decide which name was worse.

“They have a delicious all-you-can-eat brunch.” Bea was practically licking her chops.

“Peg said she would bring me home,” Mimi interjected, gesturing to her friend.

That was unexpected. “You don’t want me to take you?”

“You’ve been running nonstop since you got here. I figured you’d like some time for yourself, so go on home and take it easy.I’ll be back this afternoon. Come on, girls!” She waved forward Bea and Peg. “I want to get there before they run out of buckwheatpancakes.”

Riley stood by the Town Car as her grandmother and friends climbed into Peg’s gold minivan. It was a bit comical watchingthe two women figure out how to get Mimi in the back seat, then wrestle her wheelchair into the trunk. Finally Junior Dobbssauntered over and helped them out. After several profuse exclamations of gratitude from the women and a tip of Junior’s baseballhat, he and her grandmother and friends exited the parking lot.

When she scanned the lot, she saw that everyone else had left, including Hayden. Now she really was alone. There was nothingto do except go back to the house.

When she pulled in the driveway, she parked and went inside, ignoring the stacks of magazines, catalogs, unfolded laundry,and layers of dust on the furniture. She slipped out of her sandals and placed them neatly near the front door, then walkedinto the kitchen, intending to fix a glass of iced tea. Instead, she paused at the table, listening. She heard the hum ofMimi’s ancient refrigerator, felt the cool, smooth, outdated vinyl flooring beneath her feet, saw the row of dust-coveredsmall ceramic roosters sitting on the ledge of the kitchen window. Like everything else in the house, nothing had changedin this room since she left. But instead of lamenting that her grandmother was stuck in the past, she found the familiarityof the kitchen comforting.

Although not the silence. It was too quiet, especially when she was used to hearing the TV blaring or Mimi chatting on thephone with one of her friends. Quiet canceled out comfort, and she slapped together a ham and cheese sandwich, poured herselfa glass of tea, and went outside.

The sun was hidden behind the clouds, but the heat and humidity lingered in the air. She wandered through the tall grass inthe backyard, stopping in front of an old tire swing. She used to play on it