Unforgettable by Adrianne Byrd Read Free Book Online Page A

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    â€œI’ve been here a few times,” the stranger replied, amusement lacing in his voice. “What about you?”
    Diana glanced up at the guy and was impressed by the man’s well-groomed features. When his striking hazel eyes slid in her direction, she quickly glanced away again.
    â€œIt’s my first time here,” Louisa shouted and smiled as if the man were Harry Belafonte. “Both mine and Diana’s first time.” She touched her granddaughter’s hand. “Isn’t that right, sweetheart”.
    Diana’s skin crawled with humiliation. “Right, Granny. ”
    The old woman just chuckled and batted her eyes playfully up at him. Diana started believing that there might be something to the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers, because she truly didn’t know or understand the woman pretending to be Louisa tonight.
    â€œBy the way, I’m Louisa. My good friends call me Lou.” She batted her faux eyelashes again. “As you know, this is my grandbaby, Diana. Diana, please say hi to the man.”
    Sighing, Diana forced her gaze upward. “Hi.” For her lackluster performance, she immediately received a swift kick from under the table. “Ouch!”
    â€œHello. I’m Alan.” He glanced between the women, then over at the only person yet to be introduced.
    â€œOh, where are our manners?” Louisa continued to holler over the music. “This is our good friend and neighbor, Timothy Banks.”
    â€œHello, Tim.”
    â€œHello.”
    The men’s hands reached across the table for a brief handshake.
    â€œWell, I actually came over for a dance partner,” Alan said.
    â€œOh, she would love to.” Louisa clapped her hands.
    â€œNana!”
    Louisa’s sunny smile beamed over at her granddaughter.
    â€œWhat?”
    Alan cleared his throat. “Actually…I was asking Tim.”
    Louisa’s smile flat-lined as she slowly turned her attention to her neighbor.
    Tim, however, perked up. “I’d love to.” He jumped up from his chair and tossed a wink over at Diana.
    After Tim and Alan left the table it took all the restraint Diana had not to burst out laughing.
    Louisa looked at her granddaughter. “What just happened here?”
    â€œNothing that you didn’t deserve.” Diana smirked.
    Their drinks arrived at the table and Diana grumbled about having to pay for them.
    â€œAre you going to act like this the whole night?” Louisa asked, frowning. “No wonder you have trouble meeting men. Don’t you ever smile?”
    â€œNot if I can help it.” Diana flashed her teeth, but the grimace didn’t remotely resemble a smile.
    Louisa shook her head. “You get that contrary spirit from your father’s side of the family. He didn’t care for smiling too much either.”
    The barb stung, mainly because she didn’t know much about her father and she didn’t want to associate anything negative with what little she did know. In the next moment, some young buck appeared at the table and this time asked Louisa to the dance floor.
    â€œNana, I really don’t—”
    â€œOh, relax. I didn’t come here tonight just to watch you sulk in the corner.” Louisa stood from the chair and clutched on to the twenty-something man’s arm. “I’ll be fine.”
    There wasn’t a point to arguing, Diana soon learned, as Louisa laughed her way to the dance floor.
    Diana’s pride suffered a massive blow when she realized that a seventy-two-year-old woman was picked over her. “I’m more hopeless than I thought.” She rolled her eyes heavenward and prayed for strength to get through the evening.
    A man on the balcony of the second floor caught her attention. “Mr. Taylor,” she whispered.
    Her gaze remained glued on him while he laughed and hobnobbed with model-thin women in expensive stilettos. Jealousy hit her like a