Right Next Door by Debbie Macomber Read Free Book Online Page A

phone. Robin walked briskly to the kitchen, set her coffee on the counter and picked up the receiver.
    â€œHello.”
    â€œRobin, it’s Angela. I’m not catching you at a bad time, am I?”
    â€œNo,” Robin assured her. Angela worked in the same department as Robin, and over the years they’d become good friends. “What can I do for you?” she asked, as if she didn’t already know.
    â€œI’m calling to invite you to dinner—”
    â€œOn Saturday so I can meet your cousin Frank,” Robin finished, rolling her eyes. Years before, Angela had taken on the task of finding Robin a husband. Never mind that Robin wasn’t interested in meeting strangers! Angela couldn’t seem to bear the thought of anyone spending her life alone and had appointed herself Robin’s personal matchmaker.
    â€œFrank’s a really nice guy,” Angela insisted. “I wouldn’t steer you wrong, you know I wouldn’t.”
    Robin restrained herself from reminding her friend of the disastrous date she’d arranged several weeks earlier.
    â€œI’ve known Frank all my life,” Angela said. “He’s decent and nice.”
    Decent and nice were two words Robin had come to hate. Every man she’d ever met in this kind of arrangement was either decent or nice. Or both. Robin had come to think the two words were synonymous with dull, unattractive and emotionally manipulative. Generally these were recently divorced men who’d willingly placed themselves in the hands of family and friends to get them back into circulation.
    â€œDidn’t you tell me that Frank just got divorced?” Robin asked.
    â€œYes, about six months ago.”
    â€œNot interested.”
    â€œWhat do you mean you’re not interested?” Angela demanded.
    â€œI don’t want to meet him. Angela, I know you mean well, and I apologize if I sound like a spoilsport, but I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had to nurse the fragile egos of recently divorced men. Most of the time they’re emotional wrecks.”
    â€œBut Frank’s divorce was final months ago.”
    â€œIf you still want me to meet him in a year, I’ll be more than happy to have you arrange a dinner date.”
    Angela released a ragged sigh. “You’re sure?”
    â€œPositive.”
    There was a short disappointed silence. “Fine,” Angela said in obvious frustration. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
    â€œRight.” Because she felt guilty, Robin added, “I’ll bring the coffee.”
    â€œOkay.”
    Robin lingered in the kitchen, frowning. She hated it when her friends put her on the spot like this. It was difficult enough to say no, but knowing that Angela’s intentions were genuine made it even worse. Just as she was struggling with another attack of guilt, the phone rang again. Angela! Her friend must have suspected that Robin’s offer to buy the coffee was a sign that she was weakening.
    Gathering her fortitude, Robin seized the receiver and said firmly, “I’m not interested in dating Frank. I don’t want to be rude, but that’s final!”
    Her abrupt words were followed by a brief shocked silence, and then, “Robin, hello, this is Cole Camden.”
    â€œCole,” she gasped, closing her eyes. “Uh, I’m sorry, I thought you were someone else. A friend.” She slumped against the wall and covered her face with one hand. “Ihave this friend who’s always trying to arrange dates for me, and she doesn’t take no for an answer,” Robin quickly explained. “I suppose you have friends wanting to arrange dates for you, too.”
    â€œActually, I don’t.”
    Of course he didn’t. No doubt there were women all over San Francisco who longed to go out with Cole. He didn’t require a personal matchmaker. All someone like him had to do was look interested