The Husband List by Janet Evanovich, Dorien Kelly Read Free Book Online Page B

be.”
    He smiled at her analogy. “Newport has its share of zoolike qualities.”
    “As does my life,” she said, her tone light. Then she sighed. “And while we might joke about this, I do have to warn you to stay out of Mama’s path … which means you need to stay out of mine.”
    “Thanks for the advice, but I like being in your path. It leads me to unexpected places.”
    “I’m going to start trying for more appropriate destinations,” she said.
    “Impossible.”
    Caroline laughed. “You do know me, don’t you?”
    “I’d say I’ve gotten to know you a lot better over the past twenty-four hours,” he replied.
    She stood silent. He knew they were both thinking of that kiss.
    “So why are you out here, Jack?” she eventually asked.
    “I had things to think about, so I walked. And you?”
    “I wanted to relish my last breaths of guaranteed freedom. We’re staying with one of Mama’s friends in Newport while Rosemeade is being improved. I don’t have set escape routes at Mrs. Longhorne’s.”
    “You’ll find them,” he said. And make her mother mad with worry once she did, too.
    “I’ll do my best,” she agreed.
    He inclined his head toward two deck chairs not under a direct spotlight. “Care to join me?”
    “Why not?” she said. “Mama is sound asleep, and the twins haven’t yet learned to take advantage of those times.”
    After they’d sat, Caroline asked, “Are you leaving the ship in Newport, too?”
    “Yes. My father seems to have landed a house there. I’m going to make it my base while I do some business in Providence.”
    “Ah! Is this part of your business expansion that Eddie mentioned the other night?”
    He couldn’t believe she recalled what had been no more than a passing reference, and that she sounded excited, too. “It is, but I won’t bore you with the details.”
    “Talk of embroidery stitches bores me, not business.” She edged around in her chair so she was facing him more directly. “You have no idea how difficult it is to induce a gentleman to speak to me about business.”
    She underestimated herself. For another of her haphazard kisses, he’d probably spill the ingredients to his Pennsylvania brewery’s best-selling ale.
    “I’m not surprised. Most of the men you meet don’t actually set foot anyplace more taxing than their yachting clubs,” he said aloud.
    “Which explains why their conversation is limited to the weather.” Caroline shook her head. “Why can’t we all be more direct?”
    Jack laughed. “I haven’t seen you be indirect.”
    “Much to my mother’s chagrin. But I am a bit of an oddity when compared to the other girls I know.”
    “You’re not an oddity. How about we just say you’re a rare bird?”
    She fell silent for a moment, then said, “Speaking of which, who was the woman you were with today?”
    Jack grinned. “That’s direct, all right. Flora Willoughby is a friend.”
    “I see,” Caroline said, sounding a little choked.
    “There’s no need to start tiptoeing now. I didn’t say she’s my mistress or lover, I said she’s my friend.”
    He took a moment to decide how much he should share with Caroline. She craved direct conversation, but she remained a pampered heiress. “Flora’s a retired actress. A number of years ago, she was also a flame of my father’s. I liked her. She was raised as the only daughter in a priviledged Chicago family, but disowned when she left to follow her own dreams of acting. She was an improbable mother figure, but she was the closest I’d had in a while.”
    “Your father introduced her to you?” Caroline asked, sounding as shocked as Jack expected.
    “Da is even less concerned with etiquette than I am,” he said. “But she never stayed under our roof, and he was never less than a gentleman toward her.” Jack looked into the darkness, then added, “Da wasn’t interested in marriage, though. Flora wasn’t willing to be less than his wife and so she moved on. She and