Breene, K F - Jessica Brodie Diaries 01 by Back in the Saddle (v5.0) Read Free Book Online Page B

me directions, to diving
around a hot guy into dog food, then not being able to find my wallet and
leaving with my thirty-something-dollars’ worth of groceries on credit.
    She was laughing through most of
it. When I got to the money part she stopped me. “Do you need money for that,
dear?”
    “No! Thank you, but no. I found my
wallet at the house. No, it is just so dumb that I put groceries on credit like
it was 1900 or something!”
    “Yes, I can see how that would be
embarrassing. Listen, what did this good looking man look like?”
    Thinking of him spread warmth
throughout my body with a curious shiver going down my spine. “To tell you the
truth, Gladis, I didn’t get a thorough look because I was too busy being
surprised, then tripping over my own feet. But he had the bluest eyes I think
I’ve ever seen. They were like the pictures you see of the Caribbean ocean, but the deeper parts. Clear, deep blue. Shockingly blue, even.
    “He was wearing plaid, I think.
Yuck, plaid. He had jet black hair that was a little long-ish, but not long. A
little shorter than Russell Crowe likes to keep his hair.” That comment was met
with a confused look.
    “You know, like the rugged,
outdoorsy Australians like to wear it? Like, boy short, but a little longer
than most boys, and with a little wave to it? Not hippy long or unkempt or
anything, but enough to grab a handful in cli.....”
    I can’t believe I almost said
cl**ax! To an old lady!
    Her eyes were twinkling. Gross.
    “Well, a good style, anyway. And I
think he had a bit of scruff on his face. His voice was a deep baritone. He was
tall. Must be six-two or something, because he would be taller than me if I was
wearing heels, and I am five-six when I stand up straight. And he had this
musty smell. But not a bad musty, but like a....like a… I don’t know how to
describe it, but it just crawled in my nose and acted like heroine or
something. Ohhh it was nice!”
    “Hmmmm.”
    I quirked my head at the odd
reaction, but didn't pursue. It was nice to tell someone about Mr. Hottie, or
Apollo, as I had, right or wrong, taken to thinking of him. I didn't know
enough to delve deeper.
    We moved on to other conversations,
always lively without ever lacking a topic or words. I was a babbling moron,
always had been, and she a pro at tempering stupidity. Despite the age gap, and
social status gap, and most other gaps that existed between two strangers, we
had a kindred spirit. We strangely fit together, and by the end of the night,
were old friends.
    I woke up late the next morning and
lounged around the cottage. I unpacked some clothes, took a gloriously hot
shower, and primped. It was a new town, I needed to put my best foot forward!
Also, I needed to pay that bill—this time I would look decent when I met the
workers. With brushed hair and clean teeth!
    The day was sublime. A cool breeze
with the promise of warmth to follow. I heard a bee buzzing in the distance and
smelt fresh flowers in bloom. As I exited the spiked gate, Gladis looked up
from a patch of dirt, potted flowers around her.
    “Good morning Gladis!” I boomed.
    “Ah, good mid-day to you!”
    “Can’t be out of the house too
early—it’d give the neighbors the wrong impression!”
    Gladis chuckled and nodded. “Young
ladies don’t want to seem too eager.” She went back to her gardening.
    “Do you do all the gardening,
Gladis?” I asked in awe, looking over more than a half-acre of front yard.
    She didn’t bother stopping her
digging this time. “No, dear. This is a hobby. Gardening in the sunshine is
good for the soul.”
    Getting a tan by the pool was more
my speed, but I let it go.
    I was at the Piggily Wiggly pretty
quick. Weird ass name for a grocery store—I was expecting a pig farm at
first—but it was as normal a store as Safeway, so what did I know? No Apollo’s
this time; no tripping, no making an ass of myself, no funny business.
    Ronnie, ringing people up at one of
three active check