Tangerine Morning: Jezzica's Story (Serenity Cove Series) by Rita Garcia Read Free Book Online Page A

break a confidence. You’re my sister and you come first. Mike called me.”
    “He called you ?” Anger flared in her eyes, replacing the shadow of sadness.
    “Hang on a minute.”
    “I can’t…” Catylen started to interrupt again.
    Jezzica sat up straighter in her chair and reached across and touched her sister’s hand. “My concern is for you. If you decide to divorce Mike, I’ll be sitting right next to you in court. Mike doesn’t claim to be innocent. He claims to love you and want you back. Isn’t a marriage worth one conversation before you make your decision final?”
    Catylen took the tissues Jezzica offered. “Samantha mentioned a Christian counselor, Dr. Ellie Clarimonde. I’ve been thinking about calling her—would you go with me?”
    “Of course. I don’t share your views on God—but I’ll always be by your side supporting you—that’s what sisters do. Maybe she’ll come here?” Jezzica sipped her latte, which had cooled a little too much.
    “I’ll call her right now.” Catylen jumped up with a new determination.
    “Now you seem more like my sister—a woman of action.” Jezzica nodded as the French doors closed behind her sister.
    Catylen waltzed back out on the deck, and her smile once again reached her eyes. “Dr. Ellie is on her way over. I told her we would order sandwiches for an early dinner.”
    Jezzica hoped Caty wasn’t expecting more than Dr. Ellie could deliver. She acted as though she expected Dr. Ellie to arrive with a Mary Poppins’s style bag—filled with miracles. “If you decide you want to talk in private, I’ll go into the bedroom and read.”
    “Seriously? I don’t think so. But I’m going to change.” Catylen brushed at the cat fur on her sweats.
    With the cat curled next to her on the sofa, Jezzica thumbed through a pamphlet citing places to visit and things to do in Serenity Cove. A knock sounded, and she opened the door for room service.
    The server set up a table and arranged a grouping of finger sandwiches along with a fruit plate, complete with a bone china tea service. The delicate cups were graced with a thin gold band and petite roses in reds and yellows surrounded by tiny green leaves.
    Catylen waltzed back into the room and smiled at her sister. She’d replaced the sweats she had on earlier with slacks and a shell top. “Wow, look at this spread.”
    Jezzica signed the receipt and clicked the lock behind the server. “You’re right—we need silk gowns to wear.”
    The doorbell chimed and the smile left Catylen’s face. “What am I going to tell her? I don’t know what to say. Why did I call her?”
    “Be yourself. Dr. Ellie will guide the conversation—that’s her job.” Jezzica motioned toward the door. “Might be a good idea to let her in.” She wanted to make the pain in her sister’s eyes go away. What if Geoff had lived and he’d ever betrayed their marriage vows ? Her mind wouldn’t go there—wouldn’t believe it to be a possibility. If only he’d lived . She closed her eyes against the tears threatening the back of her eyes. This was her sister’s crisis—she had to pull herself together. With a deep intake of air, she blew out the what ifs and focused on the problem at hand.
    Dr. Ellie stepped into the room, and both of the sisters responded with a surprised look of recognition. Only when they had known her, she hadn’t been Dr. Ellie—she’d been Ricky, Robbie, and Ronnie’s mom, and they’d spent the summers in a cottage near theirs.
    “We used to hang out with your sons on the beach and when we were small all of us went to story time with Miss Anne.” Catylen related the memories, her voice filled with warmth.
    A smile brightened Dr. Ellie’s face. “Yes, I remember you two. You looked so much alike—except for size, you could’ve been mistaken for twins.”
    Jezzica noticed her Aussie accent had survived over the years. “Dr. Ellie, how long have you lived in the United States?”
    “My father