At the River’s Edge The Chesapeake Diaries Read Online Free

yourself.” He’d pointed out the obvious.
    “Not the same as having hours alone in the car. When I’m home, I’m either working on a case or sleeping.” Or snuggling with Chris, but there was no reason to mention that, now that
that
chapter had ended. “It was good for me to have some uninterrupted time to think. You know, put things into perspective.”
    “Things like what?”
    “Just stuff.”
    “What kind of stuff?” he persisted.
    “I don’t think you’d like it.”
    “Try me.”
    “I’ve been thinking about making some changes in my life.”
None of which you’d approve
.
    When she hesitated, he gestured for her to continue. “Such as …”
    “Such as maybe exploring other career options.”
    “Other career options?” He frowned. “What other options? I thought you liked your job. I thought you enjoyed being a prosecutor, bringing the bad guys to justice and all that.”
    “Well, yeah, I do like that part,” she admitted. Choosing her words carefully, she added, “I’m just not sure that law is the right field for me, at least, not forever.”
    “This has something to do with you breaking up with what’s-his-name, doesn’t it?”
    “Maybe. Probably.” Time to fess up. “To be honest, yeah. But this isn’t something that hasn’t occurred to me before. It just seems that now might be the best time to consider other possibilities. You know, maybe see if there isn’t something else I’d rather do.”
    “That sounds to me like a bunch of rationalized b.s.” Jesse was still frowning. “And why the rush? Why now?”
    Sophie sighed. “When you get totally entrenched in something, it’s harder to move away from it. The longer you do it, the more difficult it is to give it up and try something else.” She averted her eyes. “I just feel that if I don’t do something now, I never will. I’ll be a lawyer forever.”
    “And that would be bad because …?”
    “Because maybe I’d be happier doing something else. Maybe law really isn’t the right thing for me.”
    “Like I said, rationalized b.s.”
    “Jess, I need a change.”
    “This guy really did a number on you, didn’t he.”
    “Yeah. He did. But the situation has also made me think about some things that I’ve been avoiding.”
    Brother and sister stared at each other for a long moment.
    “Look, the truth is, I went to law school because I thought that was what was expected of me. You, Dad, Mom … everyone in the family is a lawyer. Okay, Dad’s might not be the footsteps either of us wants to follow, what with the scandal and him having been disbarred and all, but there’s you and Mom. Not to mention our grandfather and uncle and several cousins. The law is like the family business, Jess. I never thought I’d have a choice.”
    “Okay. I get that part.” Jesse nodded. “Sure. But what’s the alternative? What else would you do? You’ve never done anything else.”
    “Not true.” Sophie smiled. “You’re forgetting about all those summers when I worked at Shelby’s. Every year, college right through law school.”
    “The diner?” Jesse choked on his coffee. “You were a short-order cook.”
    “I loved it,” she confessed. “That was the best job I ever had.”
    “Oh, come on …”
    “Nope. I loved it.
Loved
it.”
    “Well, hey, there’s a little dive over on River Road that might be for sale. You could always give up law and live out your short-order fantasies right here in St. Dennis.”
    She set her cup down on the table and met his eyes.
    “Where,” she asked, “is River Road?”
    Jesse groaned. “Forget I mentioned it.”
    “No. Really. Where’s River Road?”
    “I can’t believe I let you talk me into bringing you here,” Jesse grumbled when, fifteen minutes later, he parked in front of the old square stone building that sat in the middle of an untended lot.
    “Humor me.” Sophie got out of the car the second it stopped.
    “I’m trying to.” Jesse turned off the ignition.