Blooming by Peyton Fletcher Read Free Book Online

thought.
    “I’ve
arranged to meet someone at Maxwell’s steakhouse tomorrow night. I don’t really
know the guy because we met in an online chat room, but we have some of the
same friends in common from back home.”
    Jen could
feel the room spinning she was deadly afraid that Lily was about to ask her to
go on a double date.
    Anyway Todd
won’t let me go on my own, I mean I’m 23 years old, I shouldn’t have to ask his
permission but he’s a bit, “while you’re under my roof you live by my rules,”
she said, doing an excellent impression of Todd’s smooth deep voice. For the
first time Jen looked at Lily and saw how she looked so much like him, although
she was as fair as he was dark.
    “So are you
asking me to try and talk him into letting you go? Because I don’t think
meeting a stranger you only know online is a good idea either.”
    Lily’s face
fell, “I was going to ask if you’d come with me.”
    “What after
my recent track record as suitable dinner company?” Jen tried to make light of
it as she could see Lily was getting upset. She must really be keen on this
guy.
    “Look Lily,
if you want to meet him here during the daytime I would do that for you. I can
sit back here and wait in case you send up a distress signal, but you’d have to
clear it with Todd, I don’t want to get in the middle of anything.”
    Lily looked
up at Jen in surprise, “that’s great thank you so much, it’s almost more than
I’d hoped for,” she leaned over the table and hugged Jen to her firmly.
    When she
released her again, Lily clapped her hands together, picked up her bag and
dashed out mumbling about going to make the arrangements.
    Jen finished
her coffee and looked up, to catch Ben still watching Lily as she crossed the
street.

Chapter 4
    Thursday
dawned bright and sunny - but for Jen, knowing she had another date with Todd
that evening, it may as well have been raining cats and dogs.
    She whizzed
through her work and remembered to take a proper break for lunch and to drink
plenty of water, he wasn’t going to catch her unawares or unprepared tonight. She
needed to put an end to this for everybody’s sake.
    At 5pm she
switched off her computer for the day, and decided to freshen up. Maybe if she
felt more confident, even if he wasn’t looking at her, she would be able to act
more positively.
    She bathed
and took the time to shave her legs. Something she didn’t do nearly as often as
she should, after all she lived in her jeans and she didn’t have anybody
looking there to worry about.
    Instead of
putting fresh clothes on she decided to make herself comfy in her fleecy
pyjamas and matching robe. She always found them soothing to wear and after the
other night when she’d been so drained and didn’t even bother undressing for
bed, she may as well be ready for another early night.
    When she
heard Todd approach on time again, she was already perched on her pillow behind
the door and she’d brought her bedcover and tucked it around herself.
    “What’s
this?” Todd’s voice was muffled by the door. He’d found the glass of wine and a
brand new t-shirt that she’d bought him.
    “Lily told me
what happened the other night.”
    “You didn’t
have to buy me a new shirt,” he smiled.
    “No – but it
seemed like the thing to do, I wouldn’t feel the same about a shirt of mine if
you’d blown your nose on it.”
    Todd laughed
out loud, “I’ll keep that in mind for the future and this just may become my
new favourite one. I’ll always have fond thoughts of you when I wear it.”
    “I’ve asked
you not to say stuff like that to me, I’ve told you this is not going anywhere,
I’m just humouring you because I don’t seem to have a choice.” Jen grouched.
    Todd stopped
the words about to come from his mouth, he must remember not to poke too much
fun at her - she was so damn tetchy.
    “Ok I better
not waste anymore of my time slot,” he sighed heavily, and she felt his weight
drop down and