Now and Then by Brenda Rothert Read Free Book Online

sligh t smile curved up his lips.
    “And the rest of the time?”
    “I don’t know,” she said. “I guess I tend to keep things to myself. What about you?”
    “Usually I say what I feel, unless it would hurt someone.”
    “Layla’s the straightforward one in our family,” Emma said. “She’s looking forward to seeing you at the Labor Day party, by the way.” An edge crept into her voice.
    Cole flashed a quick look of annoyance.
    “I’m expecting you to make that bearable, you know,” he said.
    “Oh, I bet you’ll find Layla more than bearable.”
    “Will you be there, Em? At your parents’ party?”
    “I haven’t managed to escape one yet,” she said dryly. “So yeah, I’ll be there.”
    “Good. You know, my Mom’s always had this hope in the back of her mind that Layla and I would end up together.”
    “She must be conspiring with my Mom, because she’s got the same hope,” Emma said, sm iling though the thought made her sad.
    “It’ll never happen. I like Layla and all, but I just don’t feel that way about her. She’s … just not someone I’d be happy with.”
    A couple seconds passed, and Emma asked Cole about work to relieve the tension. He told her about a trademark infringement case he was working on, which brought out his enthusiasm.
    “There’s compelling case law on our side,” he said. “It makes all the late nights of research worth it when you’re confident walking into court.”
    “You like your work – it really shows.”
    “I do. But someday it would be nice to work on something that matters. Som ething that could change lives for the better. Right now I’m just a suit, looking out for corporations.”
    “How’s your sister? ” Emma asked. “She’s a doctor, right?”
    “Shay ? Yeah, she’s downstate.”
    “I never really got to know her well, since she was already in college when you guys moved in. I never saw her much.”
    “Yeah.”
    “Is she married? Does she have kids?”
    “Nope. Hey, are you up for a walk on the pier?” he asked, passing the server the check and his payment.
    “You’re not paying again,” she protested, reaching for her purse.
    “I just did.” He smiled.
    Will that smile ever stop making me feel like I just melted into a puddle on the floor? Cole Marlowe had always possessed the kind of charm that was real, not contrived. Men with fake smiles and shitty pickup lines were easy to turn down, but when Cole looked at her, Emma felt like the only woman in the world.
    I’m not, though. I’m probably the only one he knows in the city right now, so we’re hanging out. When he meets someone he wants to date, that’ll be it for us.
    “What’s your best memory from high school?” he asked as they slowly made their way to the pier.
    “Oh, there are so many to choose from,” she said sarcastically.
    “You didn’t love high school, then?”
    “ No, but it was okay in its own way, I guess. It’s where I discovered art. Without Mrs. Blickenstaff I never would have pursued it, and I can’t imagine what my life would be like without it. I had a few close friends, discovered some treasured books, had some good times. My experience was just … different … from yours, and Layla’s.”
    “Still waiting to hear your best memory,” he said, looking ahead at the pier.
    “Okay, if you really want to hear about the loss of my virginity. It was my junior year, and Connor May --”
    “No!” he protested, gaping at her. “Is that really your best memory?”
    “No, it’s a lousy one. Okay … best memory.” She leaned against the rail of the pier, gazing out at the black night water. “I won the ‘Emerging Artist’ award my junior year, which was pretty amazing. But there was also my freshman year when I was in the stands at the playoff game where you scored the winning touchdown.”
    “Really?”
    “Isn’t that your best memory?”
    He shrugged, looking away, and Emma couldn’t place his expression.
    “I guess it is,”