I Love You Again by Kate Sweeney Read Free Book Online Page A

room,” Dale said, dangling her key. “Which room is yours?”
    Roz smiled sweetly and picked up another key. “Miss Weston has the adjoining room with her mother. I put you next to them. How’s that?”
    “That’s great,” Dale said. “Thanks.”
    “Mark, would you please help with the luggage and show this lady to room three?” Roz took the key from Dale and gave it to him.
    “Oh, sure,” Mark said, smiling at Bess.
    Roz handed Kit the key to her room, which Kit took without looking at Roz.
    “Mark is it?” Helen said to him. “When you’re done, would you please take our luggage up, as well?”
    “Yes, ma’am. I’ll be right down,” he said, smiling at Bess.
    Bess rolled her eyes but smiled in return. She really wanted to blow him a kiss but didn’t want to incur Stella’s wrath let alone encourage the youngster.
    Kit followed Mark and Dale, but not before she gave Bess and her mother a look of certain death, which Helen took gracefully, blowing her a kiss. Bess instinctively held on to the little gold cross around her neck; she wasn’t Catholic, but right now, she’d kiss the pope right smack on the steps of St. Peter’s if it meant salvation from Kathleen Weston.
    “What a delightful young boy.” Helen leaned on her cane and sighed.
    Roz watched them disappear up to the second floor, then almost savagely turned to Bess and Helen. “Helen,” she said angrily.
    “Are you snarling at me?”
    “Hold on, Roz,” Bess said, backing up. “Let me explain. I only knew Helen was coming. It was to be a surprise for you. I know you’ve missed her. I thought she was the guest with the champagne.”
    “Some surprise,” Roz said dryly.
    Bess set her sights on Helen. “And you, you insane woman. You told me you were planning something for Kit’sfiftieth.”
    “I did. I just didn’t tell you where. Now where do I sign in?” Helen slipped on her reading glasses. “Did you feel all the daggers being thrown by Kit?” She continued to laugh as she looked around. “I love this place, Roz. You’ve done well. You’ll have to give me the ten-cent tour later. Although I should be upset. I haven’t been invited before this.”
    Roz hung her head and breathed deeply through her nose.
    “You look like you’ve lost weight. And you need to dye your hair. It’s much too gray. Is it the stress of running the lodge?” Helen asked, peering over her glasses.
    “No, Helen.” Roz looked up. “It’s moments like these.”
    “Don’t blame Bess—”
    “I wasn’t…”
    “Let’s not quibble. Come here and give me a kiss.”
    Roz immediately walked around the desk and pulled her into an affectionate hug.
    Bess’s eyes filled with tears when neither woman let go for a long moment; she heard them whisper to each other and honestly felt as though she were intruding on the reunion.
    Roz pulled back and kissed her forehead. “You look good, Helen.”
    She looked up and cupped Roz’s cheek. “And you look lonely, Rosalind.”
    Roz shook her head. “I don’t have time to be lonely, you meddling old woman.” She kissed Helen’s cheek. She glanced at the staircase once again. “So who’s the kid?”
    Helen laughed. “Now that’s the Roz I miss. Kit is trying to recapture her youth, I think.”
    “Still?” Roz asked sadly.
    “Yes. They met a few weeks ago at some ridiculous skydiving thing. That’s what Dale does for a living, I suppose. I don’t particularly care for her, though I’ve only met her a couple times. She’s always so agreeable. Ohh , Mrs. Weston, you look so nice. Ohh , I love your hair.” Helen waved dismissively. “It’s annoying.”
    Bess agreed. “She’s Eddie Haskell to Helen’s Mrs. Cleaver.”
    Helen threw her head back and laughed. “Oh, my darling daughter,” Helen said, shaking her head. “Doesn’t even like to fly, but she’s willing to jump out of a perfectly good plane.” She laughed then. “But she backed out at the last minute. There’s some hope