Paige Torn by Erynn Mangum Read Free Book Online Page A

grin.
    â€œAnyway, I am hoping maybe you could find a time to meet her for coffee or something this week and just talk to her and make her feel welcome?”
    I pull my planner out of my purse. “Sure, I can meet with her on Thursday.” I can skip my Pilates class this week for a girl in need.
    â€œPerfect.” Rick smiles at the two of us, all cheekily. “Sorry if I interrupted anything.”
    I narrow my eyes at him. Natalie has been trying to set me up with someone since I met her. The first guy was a wannabe youth pastor from Corpus Christi who made my name into a six-syllable word.
    Needless to say, it did not work out. I have all these expectations of what my future husband will be like, and while most of them have been formed from watching Pride and Prejudice too many times, one of the bigger ones is that I like how he says my name.
    I’ll be listening to him say it for the rest of my life. I figure I should enjoy it.
    Besides, I’m pretty sure no one in history has ever said “Lizzy” as wonderfully as Mr. Darcy.
    It’s important.
    â€œNo.” Tyler shrugs to Rick’s question. “Just chatting. Well, you have a great time at the grocery store, Paige, and I’ll see you both on Wednesday night.”
    I wave. “Bye, Tyler.”
    â€œYeah, see ya,” Rick says.
    Tyler walks across the parking lot to his truck and climbs in.
    â€œSo,” Rick says, drawing the word out. “Tyler.”
    â€œSo,” I mimic. “I’m leaving.”
    â€œClean laundry and a hot meal!” he yells as I climb into my car.
    I shake my head for his benefit as I start my car, but I can’t help the grin.
    * * * * *
    The grocery store may be my least favorite place on the planet. Because not only do I have to face the fact of just how much of my paycheck I’m eating every week, but the things I’m craving most for dinners are inevitably not on sale. Ever. My appetite has never lined up with the sale ad.
    All those budget experts who say you should scour the sales ad before you go to the store and stick to the perimeter of the store while you’re shopping obviously never had the sudden and very strong desire for chips, queso, and Oreos.
    If I have these cravings now, I will be about the worst pregnant woman in all of history, someday, far down the road.
    I push my cart down one of the freezer aisles and pause in front of the frozen pizza section. At least once a week I eat frozen pizza. It’s easy and relatively cheap when you consider it feeds me for about three days.
    My phone buzzes as I decide on a Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza. And bonus! It even comes with half a dozen presliced cookie dough cookies.
    â€œHi, Mom,” I answer the phone.
    â€œHi, honey. How’s your Sunday going?”
    I talk to my mom probably three or four times a week, but she always, without fail, calls me on Sunday afternoon to catch up.
    â€œGood. Just trying to get some grocery shopping done before I meet Layla.”
    â€œMore party planning?” Mom knows all about the Prestwicks’ anniversary party. As far as I know, they are planning to come. They’ve hung out with Layla’s parents a few times over the years and get along pretty well.
    â€œWe’re picking out invitations.”
    Mom pauses. “You know, seeing as how Layla and Peter just got engaged, you’d think he would have more of a hand in planning his future in-laws’ party.”
    â€œPeter is Peter,” I tell my mom.
    She laughs. “Well, your dad and I are just sitting here very lonely from you leaving after Christmas and — ”
    That is when I hear my dad in the background. “We are not lonely, Paige!”
    â€œLyle, for the love of — ” Mom hisses at him. Then she turns on her sweet voice for me again. “And we were just wondering when you thought you would be back down here.”
    â€œI don’t know, Mom. Sounds