Breaking Josephine Read Online Free Page B

say we can call the catering crew, clean this up, and get out of
here.”
    A sense of relief
rushed through me. I didn’t want to spend any more time than absolutely
necessary on the beach tonight. I busied myself gathering all the table
decorations and helping the catering crew clean up, anything to keep from
thinking about the stone mansion and its occupant. By the time we finished, I
felt exhausted and drained and just wanted to be home, in my comfy pajamas,
forgetting the day while I slept. I looked up and saw William’s Jeep Wrangler
pulling away into the darkness. Macy almost hopped her way to me and sighed,
full of happiness.
    “Isn’t he just
wonderful? And Colin is too, right? I saw you two talking quite a bit!” she
said, elbowing me in the ribs.
    I pushed her arm
away and answered, “I’m glad you’re happy Macy. And Colin is, well, interesting
I guess. But, seriously, I’m freezing. Can we dish over how amazing William is
at work tomorrow?”
    “Ugh. Work. I’m
seriously going to be dragging tomorrow,” Macy grumbled as she hooked her arm
in mine and pulled me towards her car. “Of course we can dish tomorrow, and
then you can tell me all about what you thought of the party and how glad you
are that I introduced you to Colin.”
    “I’ll say anything
if we can just get in a heated car!” I said, as we ran towards Macy’s car,
hopped in, and Macy drove me home.

Chapter 3
    The
next week went by in a blur. I had extra shifts at the restaurant since tourist
season had picked up and not all of Sam’s regular college-student summer help
had made it back to town. I welcomed the hours, as not only did I make more
money, but they gave me less time to think about my blue-eyed mystery man. I
had almost begun to think I’d made him up entirely.
    “You’ll never
believe who’s back in town,” Macy whispered to me while we picked up orders
during the Saturday morning rush.
    “Who?” I asked,
feigning interest. Macy always tried to bring me into her social circle,
gossiping about the wealthy families who vacationed in town during the summer. I
never wanted to hurt her feelings by letting her know I didn’t care, so I
played along.
    “Dex Hartley,” she
said.
    “I’ve never heard
of him. Who is he?” I asked, without looking up from my ticket and the orders
of scrambled eggs, pancakes, and waffles I needed to pick up.
    “You’ve never
heard of Dex? Or the Hartleys?” Macy exclaimed. I looked up to see her putting
down her tray and looking at me like I had two heads. “Where have you been
living the past year? Under a rock?” she continued.
    Macy’s assumptions
that I cared about her society friends were getting under my skin. “No. I’ve
been living in reality. Unlike some people I know,” I answered. I picked up my
order and walked out into the restaurant, not giving Macy a chance to say
anything more.
    We steered clear
of each other as best we could the rest of our shifts. As the morning went on,
I felt more and more remorse for snapping at Macy. She didn’t mean to offend
me, and she didn’t know the details about my past and how hard it had been when
I had no one and almost nothing I could call mine after my mom died.
    When our shifts
ended, Macy walked out to her car and I ran after her. “Macy, I’m sorry. I
shouldn’t have snapped at you like that. I didn’t mean it. I’m just tired and
stressed since I’ve been working so many shifts, and I took it out on you. Forgive
me?”
    Macy looked at me
for a moment, and then nodded. “Yes, I forgive you. And I’m sorry if I offended
you, I didn’t mean to, you know.”
    “I do. It was all
my fault. How about we head over to Mable’s for a coffee and you tell me about
this Dex Hartley guy I’m already supposed to know all about.”
    “That sounds like
a plan,” Macy said as she smiled at me, “let’s go.” She unlocked her car doors
and we climbed inside.
    We pulled up to
Mable’s, a small coffee shop overlooking the