Faith in You by Charity Pineiro Read Free Book Online Page B

could be bothering her. Her upcoming test to be licensed as a Registered Nurse, the student loans to be paid off, and finally, Paul Stone. “If it’s about money --”
    Carmen’s head snapped up, her eyes widening in surprise. “Money? No, luckily your husband is one nice boss. He just gave me a raise the other day.”
    She nodded, picked up her soda, and took a quick sip. “How’s the studying going?”
    Her sister shrugged half-heartedly. “Okay, I guess. But I really need to put in a lot more time over the next few weeks and I’m worried that Paul might not understand.”
    Now Connie knew the source of her sister’s concern. “Paul has a lot of responsibilities himself. I’m sure he’d understand,” she urged, but seemingly failed to convince her sister.
    “It seems to me Paul just likes to have fun. I’m not complaining because in the past two months we’ve had a lot of fun together. We’ve been to the Seaquarium, the clubs down in South Beach, windsurfing …”
    Connie listened as Carmen ran off a litany of places she and Paul had been to and knew now why Paul looked as haggard as he did. To be taking Carmen to all of those places and still keep up with his work, he must be burning the midnight oil regularly.
    “I mean,” Carmen railed on, gesturing with her hands in frustration. “I like to do things, but there’s more to life than just fun.” She ended her sentence with a huff.
    “I’m shocked to hear this coming out of
your
mouth for a change. That was my number one line to you during high school.”
    “That’s not fair,” Carmen shot back and at the hurt look on her face, Connie felt chagrin. She reached out and took hold of her sister’s hand. “I’m sorry, sis. It’s just that you and I are so different that way and I could never understand. You had your fun, but you also accomplished a lot and I’m very proud of you. Never doubt that.”
    Carmen’s eyes glinted at her sister’s comment and it was all she could do to not start bawling. She had been feeling so out of sorts lately, not herself. She was used to being in control of herself and her life, but now with Paul, that had all seemed to change. “I really like him,” she admitted to Connie.
    “How much ‘like’?” her sister pressed.
    “
Really
like,” Carmen replied. “He makes me feel things I ….” She tossed her hands up in confusion.
    “Have you slept --”
    “No, Con. It’s not like that. Not yet anyway.” Carmen glanced down at her plate, deep in thought before facing her sister again. “You remember when we were talking about precautions?”
    Connie nodded. “I know you and the Rivera boy --”
    “Did it once. Just once, although I made you believe otherwise. There haven’t been any others since then.”
    Connie was relieved and glad that her sister had such sense in today’s age of assorted sexual diseases. “And Paul?” she asked.
    Carmen shrugged and started to shred her napkin into confetti. “He touches me and I melt. I think of what I want him to do … I’m doomed, Con.”
    She reached out and stopped Carmen from continuing to tear the napkin into little bits of paper. “You’re in love, Carmen. And I think he cares as well.”
    “I can’t tell. He’s never serious. He always wants to be doing all these things. It’s almost as if he’s never done any of them before.” It was part question, part statement, hoping Connie had more insight into the man who had attracted her so.
    The waitress came over then, took their dessert orders, and cleared away their plates. Connie resumed their conversation. “I get the feeling that maybe this is all new for Paul. He’s always been too serious, almost stodgy. Not all that friendly. At first I thought it was snobbiness, but now,” Connie motioned with her hands, the uncertainty clear. “I think he’s lonely and insecure. Not all that sure of how to deal with people. You’ve changed that and him.”
    For the better
, Carmen thought, her