Listen To Your Heart by Fern Michaels Read Free Book Online

yourself on that cockamamie walk you have in the back.”
    He didn’t like the ladybugs. She’d get rid of them tomorrow. Every last one.
    Josie pushed open the door. “I’m home,” she yelled.
    â€œI’m upstairs,” Kitty responded.
    â€œKitty doesn’t like unexpected company. She likes to prepare for company.”
    â€œI won’t stay long. Let’s just feed the dogs, and then I’ll leave.”
    â€œThat sounds like a plan,” Josie said, flopping down on one of the kitchen chairs. “Do your thing.”
    The clock read ten-thirty when Josie finished the coffee in front of her. She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to remember what she had said under the lamppost. She shuddered when she remembered swinging around it. Had she really told him about the diplomat? Of course she had—she always had loose lips when she had too much to drink, which was usually Christmas Eve. One day out of the year she let it get away from her. Now it was two days. She cleared her throat. “Thank you for walking me home.”
    â€œIt was my pleasure. I can’t remember when I’ve had such an interesting evening. This is a very nice house. Have you lived here all your life?”
    â€œExcept when I went away to school, and then Kitty and I lived in Baton Rouge after college until our parents died. We came back here to take over the business. The article said you live here in the Garden District, too.”
    â€œI do when I’m not traveling or when I’m at our main headquarters.”
    â€œWhy did you come here today? Did you want to hire us?”
    â€œI thought I did. Now I’m not sure. Don’t look like that. It has nothing to do with you or your business. I’m not sure it’s the right thing for me to be doing. I don’t normally make rash decisions, and that was a rash decision. It might be a good idea for you to pick up your dog, and I’ll carry Zip out to our wagon and take him home.”
    The boxer reared back and let out an ungodly howl that sent chills up Josie’s spine. Rosie started to dance in circles, whining and pawing the floor.
    â€œThis is a problem,” the Cajun said. “Zip knows the word ‘home’ and he knows the word ‘wagon.’ He’s not about to go to either. How about if I leave him here tonight and pick him up in the morning. If I walk him now, he’ll be good till eight tomorrow morning. I’ll come by and pick him up then if that’s okay with you.”
    Josie rubbed her temples. “It doesn’t look like I have much of a choice. You’re going to have to figure something out. I’m not keeping your dog.”
    â€œI’ll bring some fresh beignets. You make the coffee. Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow evening ?”
    Would she? Of course she would. No, she wouldn’t. There was no point. Plus he probably just wanted her to keep his dog. No, a thousand times no. “Yes. What time?”
    â€œSeven-thirty. Commander’s Palace okay with you?”
    â€œYes, Commander’s Palace is fine with me.” She had a date. Kitty was going to be ecstatic. What to wear? She would have to go shopping.
    â€œI really like what you’ve done with this house. It feels like . . . a home. It’s warm and cozy. You know people live here. I like sunlight in the morning.”
    â€œI do, too. I think the kitchen and breakfast nook are my favorite rooms in the whole house.” Just for a moment she thought she saw the same miserable look in his eyes that she’d seen under the lamppost. Then it was gone.
    â€œI’ll walk the dogs. Ten minutes tops.”
    Josie raced to the downstairs bathroom, where she gargled lustily. She ran a brush through her hair, pinched her cheeks before she ran a lipstick lightly over her lips. She blotted it carefully so it wouldn’t look like she’d just put it on. Why am I doing