The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen Read Free Book Online

Josey's heart sink even lower in her chest. They had history. They had a relationship. "He's my boyfriend's best friend," she finally said. "It's four dollars even."
    "Oh." Josey dug around in her purse a little too long, working up enough courage to ask, "Do you mean you and Adam aren't a couple?"
    "No," Chloe said, as if surprised Josey would think that. "How do you know him?"
    Josey finally brought out the money and handed it to Chloe. "He delivers my mail."
    Chloe took the money, now staring at Josey. "Do I know you from somewhere?"
    "I don't think so."
    Chloe suddenly smiled. "Oh, I know! You're Cirrini, Josey Cirrini. There's a portrait of you and your father in the lobby of the ski lodge. I see it every time I go there."
    Josey hadn't thought about that portrait in a long time. Her mother had insisted on having it commissioned, and had been vehement about it hanging in the lobby for everyone to see. It had immortalized her as a fat child, but Josey had loved sitting on her father's lap for hours while having it done. "I'd almost forgotten about that. I didn't know it still hung there."
    "You know, now that I think about it, Adam did once mention he delivered the Cirrinis' mail."
    "He did?"
    "But he never said he knew you."
    Embarrassed, Josey picked up the warm white bag. "He doesn't," she said, and turned to leave. She knocked a book she didn't know was there off the counter. She picked it up and looked at the cover. Finding Forgiveness. "I'm sorry. Is this your book?"
    "Unfortunately." Chloe took the book. As Josey walked away, Chloe went to the back room, saying, "I said, go away."
    "And then Adam walked in! I couldn't believe it! Apparently Chloe's boyfriend is his best friend and he's staying with him now. I think she and her boyfriend lived together and she kicked him out."
    Josey was sitting on the floor in front of the closet, talking with animation. The white bag with the sandwich in it, long since cool because Josey had to leave it in the trunk of the car until she could sneak out and get it without her mother seeing, was sitting on her lap.
    While Josey was out, Della Lee had obviously occupied herself by playing with the things Josey had brought from her house. She was wearing a child-sized tiara and all the old necklaces from the box, and had put a rhinestone-studded denim shirt over her T-shirt. She'd gone slaphappy with her makeup—her lips were bright glossy pink and her fingernails were each painted a different color.
    "Who is Adam?" Della Lee asked, blowing on her fingernails.
    "He's my mailman."
    "Aha!" Della Lee looked up with a triumphant smile. "He was the reason you ran out of here so quickly the other day."
    Josey felt like she'd been caught with a mouth full of jelly beans.
    But Della Lee didn't seem to feel like making her squirm that day. "I always worried about Chloe being so wrapped up in Jake. She never got to know herself. You and me and Chloe," Della Lee said, flopping onto her back on the sleeping bag and pillow Josey had given her. She held her hands above her face to admire her fingernails. "We can't hold on to our hearts to save our lives. You even let yours go off in some man's mailbag."
    "You know these people?" Josey asked.
    "Not personally." Della Lee dropped her hands and stared up at Josey's clothes. "But I know Chloe is a good kid. She's . . . twenty-five, I think. I remember I was ten when you were born and twelve when she was born."
    Josey looked at her oddly. "You remember when I was born?"
    "Of course. I bet most people in town do. You were Marco Cirrini's beloved only child."
    "Oh." Della Lee hadn't made a move for the bag, so Josey proudly put it on the floor in front of her. "Long story short, here's your sandwich!"
    Della Lee turned her head to look at the bag. "I ate some things from your closet while you were out." She lifted a corner of the sleeping bag to reveal some empty candy wrappers. "I didn't think you'd really do it. Oh, I mean, I appreciate it. You're being