Hard Choices by Theresa Ellson Read Free Book Online

my normal business-slacks-plus-boring-business-blouse work “uniform,” I’d thrown on a red linen sheath that Molly had talked me into buying. She’d picked out a long black blazer to go with it. Even I knew I looked fantastic in it.
    “Red sheath, black blazer.”
    “Take the coat off. Show off your arms. You look amazing in that dress, and you know it. Now go look in a mirror, and ask yourself, why wouldn’t he look at you?”
    Suddenly, I looked down at my left ring finger: that’s why. I was still wearing my wedding set. It hadn’t occurred to me until just that second to take it off. It had been a part of me for twenty-two years. How had I not ripped it off the second Scott moved out? “Fuck!” I muttered under my breath.
    “Uh oh,” snickered Molly, “she’s dropping F-bombs! What’s going on?”
    “I’m trying to get my wedding ring off!” I snarled.
    “Atta girl!” Molly cheered.
    Just then, my office phone rang. “Hold on, Molly! Your brother’s calling!” I switched my cell phone to my other ear and picked up my office phone. “This is Lyssa,” I said in a parody of my professional voice. I heard Molly guffaw on the other line.
    “Lyssa, if you’re not too busy, would you join me in my office for a few minutes?”
    Whoa. If he was calling me into an interview this early in the game, he must really like this kid. “Yes, of course, Robert. I’ll finish up here, and be there in about five minutes.”
    “Thank you,” Robert said and hung up.
    “Don’t worry about me!” Molly said excitedly.
    “I’m not worried about you, dumbass! I have to get this stupid ring off! And put some lipstick on! Bye!” I hung up the phone to peals of Molly’s laughter.
    I tore off my blazer, threw it over my guest chair, and headed out my door and down the hallway to our restroom. I kept a little make-up bag in there so I didn’t have to carry stuff in my purse. I found some lotion in there and slathered it on my finger. I managed to work the ring up over the knuckle, but then I yanked so hard, my ring went flying. “Fuuuuuuuck!” I hissed under my breath. I’ll look for it later, I thought, besides, it’s worth what, 250 bucks? No great loss…
    I rummaged around for lipstick, but only came up with clear lip balm. “DAMN IT!” I muttered under my breath. I leaned into the mirror, then bit my lips to redden them and get them a little swollen. As I manically wiped lip balm across my lips, I caught my reflection and stopped.
    What the hell was wrong with me? Forty-one years old, I’d been single for less than three months. And I thought I had a chance with a twenty-something who looked like he’d walked off a billboard ad? Was I out of my mind ? I smiled at myself a little sadly, a little empathetically. “It’s all right, Lyssa,” I whispered to myself. “A girl’s gotta dream, right?” I stood up, smoothed my dress and took a deep breath. I needed to go do my job. I needed to interview this kid for a position with us. I needed to pull my head out of my ass.
    I took one last deep breath, shook my head a little to clear my fuzzy brain, and walked out the bathroom door, down the hallway and around the corner… smack into Aaron the Billboard Model, who was coming down the hall with Robert.
    “Oh! Excuse me!” after my pep talk to myself, this was exactly what I needed as part of my reality check: to make a total fool of myself in front of this gorgeous kid.
    “No, excuse me,” he said. Wow. Even his voice was sexy. Deep, velvety smooth. My inner cougar growled. A little. I looked up into crystal blue eyes framed by thick, dark-blond lashes. I caught my breath as he held my gaze, his expression registering surprise, then changing to… something else, as a slow smile spread across his face.
    Belatedly, I realized we were still standing practically on top of each other. In a reflex to keep me from falling, he had instinctively gripped my elbows when I’d bounced off of him. And he