The Vineyard by Barbara Delinsky Read Free Book Online

order.”
    Olivia came out of her chair. “I did.” She held Natalie’s package to her chest. “It’s on the storage shelf out back.”
    â€œWe need it for the Brady prints. I told you I wanted to do the copy work today.”
    â€œIt’s there. Otis? I have to show you something.” The timing wasn’t right. He was not going to be receptive. But she couldn’t wait. She had to act on this now.
    He walked past her to his desk on the far side of the room, and began flipping through yesterday’s mail.
    Olivia followed him and held out the package. “This came, too.”
    He scowled at it. “What?”
    â€œIt’s from Natalie Seebring. More photographs. But there was a letter with them. I think you should read it.”
    â€œIf she doesn’t like what we did, she can stuff it,” he said, but he held out a hand. “Show me the thing. I have work to do.”
    She gave him the letter and waited impatiently while he read it. His expression remained dark. The timing wasn’t only
not
right. It was
awful
. But if Asquonset was going to happen, if she was going to beat out more qualified applicants, she needed the elements of enthusiasm and speed.
    Otis finished the letter, flipped it over, and looked at the blank back, then flipped it front again. He gave Olivia a long look. She held her ground. He read the letter again. By the time he had finished the second reading and looked at the page for a while, she could tell his mood had mellowed.
    â€œI know what you’re thinking,” he said with a touch of what sounded like sadness, and Olivia felt suddenly disloyal. Otis was her employer and a friend.
    â€œWell, you’re retiring,” she reasoned. “Seven more weeks and I’m out of a job, and anyway, you’ve stopped taking new work. We can finish what you have in two weeks. We can. Really.” When he was silent, she added, “If we don’t, I could come back for a day or two.”
    â€œThat’s not the point. The point”—he held up the letter—“is that this is only a summer job. You need something full-time.”
    â€œBut nothing else has come up. I’ll keep looking. I can do it from there. This just buys me a little time.”
    He frowned, brooding. “That’s not the point either, I guess. There’s something else. I’ve been watching you work on the Seebring job. You’ve become attached to it.”
    â€œI just love old photographs.” They were rich. They conjured a time when life was simpler and more romantic.
    â€œThese more than others. Why?”
    She was embarrassed. “I don’t know.”
    â€œYes, you do. Natalie has you wrapped around her little finger.”
    â€œThat’s not true. I’ve never even met the woman.”
    â€œNot that I blame you,” Otis went on. “She had me wrapped around her little finger once, too, so I know how that is.”
    Olivia was startled. “You knew her?” She had assumed that Natalie was simply another client drawn to the studio by its reputation. Then she remembered the yellow envelope with Otis’s name on the front. Horrified, she pulled it from the large manila envelope. “I’m sorry. This was tucked in with the photographs. I didn’t open it.”
    Otis did that himself and pulled out a yellow card. He was barely ten seconds reading it when he began to smile. It was a sheepish smile that lingered, even when he rapped a fist to his heart and rolled his eyes. “Shot down again.”
    â€œExcuse me?” Olivia asked.
    â€œShe’s remarrying. Once upon a time, I fancied it would be me.”
    Olivia was doubly surprised. This was a whole
other
twist on Natalie knowing Otis. But then what Otis had said registered fully. “Remarrying? Where’s Alexander?” Granted, Olivia hadn’t seen photos from the last decade, but it had never occurred to her