Awakening by Gillian Colbert, Elene Sallinger Read Free Book Online

dissuaded no matter what Claire said. It was as if she’d decided to take Claire under her wing or something. She was constantly asking Claire’s opinion or deliberately putting her in a position to have to join the discussion. Claire had caved in the end and she had to admit it was nice to be a part of the group rather than just on the fringes. She’d even struck up an acquaintance with Bridget, a fellow newbie.
    Bridget was a chemistry professor at the local university, a fact which never failed to amuse Claire. She looked like she should be a member of the Pussycat Dolls, not teaching college freshmen about protons and electrons. She was so short at an even five feet she made Claire seem tall. Her luxurious, golden-red hair was long and curly and she kept it neatly tied up in a ponytail most days. She had clear, green eyes like so many redheads, and a dusting of freckles on porcelain skin, but she had the body of a pin-up girl. With large, full breasts and round hips, she made Claire feel positively boyish.
    But no matter how insecure she felt in her looks next to Bridget, she simply couldn’t be uncomfortable around her. The woman had a vivacious and accepting quality about her that was infectious. She made you feel better just being in her presence. She was unfailingly friendly and polite. She was funny and warm. Claire had never felt so accepted and welcomed before. In the three weeks since she’d joined the club, she and Bridget had begun to talk more and more and had even shared coffee a few times after meetings.
    ‘Thanks. It’s getting easier.’ Claire smiled at her. ‘I wish she’d let me off the hook, though. It’s almost as if she’s made getting me to speak at these meetings her personal mission.’
    ‘Oh, she has,’ Bridget said with a wave of her small, delicately boned hand. ‘Jean is like a little mother hen. I’ve known her for years. She was the president of the PTA when I was still teaching high school chemistry, but only recently did she get me join her club. She took one look at you, my friend, and decided you were going to open up.’
    Claire stared at Bridget, dumbfounded. ‘Why on earth would she decide to do that?’
    ‘All I know is she called me after the meeting to get on me about not showing up – I was supposed to be here that first night you came but I had car trouble – and mentioned to me that there was a new member who seemed afraid of her own shadow.’
    ‘What?’ Claire gave an indignant snort to which Bridget just raised her eyebrows. ‘Fine, I’m a little shy around a crowd of strangers. Is that some kind of crime?’
    ‘All right now, hon, calm down.’ She leant over and patted Claire’s knee where they sat on either side of the square coffee table in the reading area. ‘You are afraid of your own shadow, but you’re gettin’ better.’ Bridget had a slight twang from being born and raised in West Virginia that she hadn’t quite lost. As a result, she had a lilting quality to her speech that tended to lull you as she spoke.
    ‘What do you mean?’ A touch of defensiveness coated Claire’s words.
    ‘Now, hon, let’s not play games with each other. I like you and I don’t lie to people I like. You lead the discussions quite well and you voice your opinions and musings on the stories, but you clam up the instant you have to share anything personal. It’s almost as if you’re OK with people picking your brain so long as it’s neutral territory, but not with anyone getting to know you.’
    ‘ You’re getting to know me,’ Claire insisted as she sipped on her coffee. It was a new flavour, something rich and chocolaty, almost mocha-like. The silky brew flowed over her taste buds and she swallowed rapturously. Evan served the best coffee. Next to the book selection, it was her favourite part of coming to Bibliophile.
    Evan, now he was a whole different story. Where she’d really begun to feel welcome within the group, she felt only tolerated by the