The Life She Wants by Robyn Carr Read Free Book Online

awesome kid.”
    â€œI bet you’re an awesome uncle.”
    â€œI do my best. I teach high school so I’m kind of an expert on her species. And Jock works at an electronics store so we have all the phones and toys and laptops we need.”
    â€œThe same store he worked at way back when?” she asked.
    â€œSame one, but he’s a manager now.”
    â€œAnd you’re still teaching?” Emma asked. “I guess you chose the right profession if you’re still at it.”
    â€œI think that’s a yes. Listen, I’m sorry about everything you went through. Condolences, Emmie.”
    â€œThank you.”
    â€œThere were a hundred times I thought about getting in touch, not knowing how you were holding up. When I did finally get to it, your number had changed so I just checked with Lyle now and then. Everyone knows you had nothing to do with anything...illegal.”
    â€œThank you, again.”
    â€œWe were just talking about you a few weeks ago, wondering if you had made it back home. We were remembering the old days.”
    â€œWe?” she asked before she could stop herself.
    â€œMe. Mom. Riley. This is a coincidence, running into you here, like this.”
    A tall, skinny kid came over to the table. “Taking a break, Ms. Shay?” he asked.
    â€œJust answering a couple of questions for a customer, Justin.”
    â€œCan I help?” Justin asked, turning to Adam.
    â€œI don’t believe so,” Adam said authoritatively. “I’ll just take a moment of Emma’s time. If you’ll excuse us.”
    Justin looked taken aback, but then he turned and left them.
    â€œHe’s a despot,” she quietly informed Adam. “But jobs are in short supply, it seems.”
    â€œCould you use a letter of recommendation?” he asked.
    She stood. “I could use a do-over,” she said. “But thanks for asking. Do you teach around here?”
    He shook his head. “Napa. High school science. I’m playing a little hooky with Maddie today. We were at the DMV so she could take her test for her learner’s permit. Riley wanted to do it but the truth is, Riley and Maddie don’t do well in the car together so Maddie prefers driving with me or with Jock, and he’s working this afternoon. Of course Maddie couldn’t wait. When do you get off work?”
    â€œNot until nine, why?”
    â€œWe should have a cup of coffee or glass of wine, talk about how you’d like me to word that letter of recommendation.”
    Maddie was back, sliding into their booth.
    â€œOh...ah... Listen, you don’t know what you’re suggesting...”
    â€œI don’t? Why not? We’re still friends, right?”
    â€œIt’s not that... Well, it’s partly that since, you know...” She took a breath. She wasn’t going to say in front of this sweet fifteen-year-old, That’s my boyfriend’s baby and probably the major reason I went off the rails in the first place. She leaned closer to Adam. “Take a whiff of this place. This is what I smell like after work.”
    He threw back his head with a hearty laugh. “See you later,” he said.
    She meandered back behind the counter, kind of dazed. Half of her wanted to run and hide—being around Adam would only serve to remind her of the past and all she’d lost. But the other half was elated. Could she and Adam be friends? They’d talked a few times after Maddie was born, but their conversations had been so superficial, both of them afraid to let the standoff she had with Riley taint the relationship she had with Adam, who she had always so admired. Truth was, she’d always wondered if Adam had kept in touch out of guilt over what his sister had done.
    She’d done all right in the friends department during college and her first years as a single woman in New York, but she’d always kept people at a safe distance, afraid to trust