Anything But Mine by Barbara Justice Read Free Book Online Page A

want to do it, but you have to. He paid a lot of money for the privilege of taking you out to dinner, and I have to get back to his assistant. She’s called quite a few times trying to set the date up.”
    Turning to his computer monitor, Mike consulted Jen’s schedule, and added, “It looks like you have some free evenings between now and your next trip to Europe for the Italian Vogue photo shoot. Let’s try to arrange for you go out with him sometime before you fly to Europe.”
     
    Jen grudgingly agreed, and as she got up to leave, said, “Just let me know when and where I have to show up for the ‘date’.”

    Once back in her apartment, Jen picked up the turquoise silk yarn she had purchased on the way home from her meeting with Mike, and began to work on knitting a simple halter top that she could wear once the weather turned warmer. As she knit, she became acutely aware of the quiet in her apartment.
     
    Feeling lonely, Jen picked up the phone, called her friend Catherine, a substitute teacher and plus- size model, and invited her over for dinner. I’ll pick Catherine’s brain tonight, she thought. She’ll know what to do about the Drew situation. And if she doesn’t have any ideas, she can always ask Luke, she thought, hoping that her best friend or her boyfriend would help her convince Drew to give a long- distance relationship a chance.
     
    Catherine arrived a few hours later, just as Jen finished preparing dinner. “I don’t know about you, but after the holidays I’m definitely not runway- ready , so I hope fish and a salad is okay with you,” Jen said, as she placed the salad in the refrigerator and slipped the salmon into the oven. She retrieved two wine glasses from a cabinet while Catherine opened a bottle of pinot grigio and poured them each a glass.
     
    “So…I have some news,” Catherine said, as she stuck her left hand out, revealing a sparkling diamond on her ring finger.
     
    Jen squealed with joy as she hugged her friend. “You’re engaged! I’m so happy for you and Luke! When did he propose, and how did he do it? Tell me everything!”
     
    Catherine took a deep breath, and explained that Luke had proposed over a quiet dinner the previous night. “It was so romantic,” Catherine said with a sigh. “Jen, I’d really love it if you would be one of my bridesmaids. If you hadn’t insisted I go with you to the basketball game that night, who knows what would have happened, or if we ever would have dated,” Catherine said, thinking back to the night two years earlier, when she and Jen went to cheer on Chris, Luke and Drew, who were the stars of their college basketball team. “So, will you be one of my bridesmaids?”
     
    “Of course, Cath! I’d be honored to be a bridesmaid.”
     
    As Jen tossed the salad, Catherine asked, “So, how is Drew’s father doing? Any idea when he will be coming back to New York?”
     
    They sat down at the table, and Jen filled her in on all the details, including her last conversation with Drew when he urged her to get on with her life without him. “I don’t know what to do,” she confided. “We’ve tried and tried, but it never works out. Part of me wants to just jump on a plane to California and surprise him, and the other part of me thinks that if he really wanted me there, he would just say so.”
     
    “He’s got a ton on his plate right now. He’s probably so overwhelmed with running his father’s business, and helping his mom take care of everything at home. Maybe you should just fly out there again and surprise him.”
     
    “But what if he really doesn’t want to see me?”
     
    “It’s a chance you have to take, Jen,” Catherine replied. “If he wants to see you, he’ll be happy. And if he doesn’t want to see you, then at least you’ll know where you stand, and you can get on with your life with a clear head.”
     
    Jen pondered Catherine’s advice while aimlessly pushing the food around on her plate with her