Abandon by Stephanie Dorman Read Free Book Online

her about that later.  
    “Alright group,” he said, hitting the door of Jake’s jeep. “Let’s roll.”  

Chapter 7:  Annalise
    Deep Creek Lake, Western Maryland
December 19, 2012
    The ride to the house had only taken about thirty-five minutes, since there had been no other cars on the road and all the streetlights had been dark.  She lightly pressed on the brakes as she turned onto the gravel driveway that she assumed should be leading her to her client’s house and glanced in the rearview to make sure all the other cars were following her.  As Cort’s car, which was the tail end of their caravan pulled around the corner she sped up a little on the driveway to the house.  According to her directions, the house was a mile off the road, and fairly secluded.  It was the kind of house she would have loved to stay at under different circumstances, especially with Cort.  She imagined if they hadn’t broken up, they probably would have spent New Years out here with the same group of people.  Maybe that’s how she should take this trip, as a vacation with her friends.
    She was still feeling a little off though, like something wasn’t quite right with the situation.  Maybe it was because she was still reeling from seeing the guy at the gas station and hadn’t yet found a way to deal with that experience.  Maybe it was because she hadn’t known how to address Cort the first time she saw him.  It had been awkward, her little wave.  She had hoped to embrace him, and maybe see a light in his eyes that was just for her.  Instead, she had waved, and he had looked annoyed.  She hoped that faded quickly, they were going to have to find a way to work together and find a common ground sooner rather than later if they weren’t going to kill each other.
    When she reached the house, she pulled her car up to the garage and parked on the grass near it.  She turned down her music and rolled up her windows, but didn’t get out.  She had to find a way to better address Cort this time than that stupid wave.  She should hug him, maybe even give him a kiss on the cheek.  That would a go a long way to repairing their relationship.  Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of the car and looked at the group of people standing in front of the garage.
    The first thing she noticed was the blonde who didn’t belong.  She looked impossibly perfect with her tailored and fitted jean jacket, white tank top and jeans that looked like they were painted on her.  She had Dulce and Gabanna sunglasses holding her hair back out of her eyes, and she was looking at her perfectly manicured french nails like she was already bored with the situation.  Most importantly, she did not look like someone who had been at the rally point before, and she did not look like the frumpy, overweight wife of her client.
    Annalise’s brain feverishly searched for a reason she would be there.  Maybe she was Jake’s girlfriend, but she had been right next to Jake’s Jeep and there hadn’t been anyone in the seat next to him.  If she was with Jenna and Kevin they would have introduced her, Jenna would have made sure of that.  The only person left was Cort.  She felt a surge of anger and depression rise up in her throat.  She was with Cort, and Cort didn’t have any siblings or know any girls that looked like that when she was dating him.  She looked at Jenna desperately, hoping that Jenna just forgot to introduce her, but the pity look on Jenna’s face told her everything she needed to know.  That perfect specimen of the human body was Cort’s girlfriend.  Cort had invited her here, and he had brought his girlfriend.
    Annalise felt her feet start to tingle with the urge to take the couple steps back to her car, start the engine and drive all the way to Tennessee to be with Meredith.  She had made a mistake in coming here.   She hadn’t even realized the fact that she had mentally assumed if Cort was bringing her here that he wanted to be