Don't Look Back Read Online Free Page B

the bar; the two men are immersed in conversation with their backs toward me. In a split second, I wedge myself between them, taking the Hearst brothers by surprise.
    “Hey, guys!”
    They turn their heads in my direction in disbelief.
    “Katie?” Terry and Joe speak simultaneously, their matching green eyes wide in astonishment.
    Joe snaps out of his shock first, stepping back and opening his arms to hug me. Joe is about six foot four inches tall, towering over his younger brother, and has always been a handsome man and a terrible flirt. In his mid-forties, he is still slim, with a full head of sandy blond hair, and tonight he looks dashing in grey pants with a cream button-down shirt tucked in and open at the collar. Why do men get more debonair with time while women just age? Joe leans in to kiss me on the cheek. His cologne smells good, and I am reminded how much I miss that. Dave seldom wears cologne, and it’s a shame because there is something very powerful and sensual about an incredible-smelling man.
    “It’s good to see you, Katie.” He smiles, his eyes roaming over my curves shamelessly. Typical flirtatious Joe. He looks over at his brother with a hint of excitement in his voice and a twinkle in hiseye. “Terry, I had no idea Katie was coming. You didn’t say anything. What a huge surprise this is going to be.” Joe grins at his brother. There seems to be sarcasm in his voice, but before I can think too much about it, Terry is hugging me, his welcome warm and genuine.
    “Wow, this is a surprise, Katie! I had no idea you were coming,” he stammers, and he kisses me on the cheek in greeting. “How did you know? I mean, who told you? I mean …” Terry’s a little flustered, and now I’m convinced he thinks he has offended me with his questions.
    “Jenny told me. Relax,” I say, patting Terry’s arm. “It was Jenny who invited me. Diana doesn’t have any idea I’m here, it’s a total surprise. She hasn’t even seen me yet.” I hope Terry will loosen up a little.
    Poor Terry. He does appear a bit stressed, and I start to wonder if he thinks Diana invited me. That would indicate she knew about the party all along, that she knew it wasn’t the small, intimate dinner he’d told her he was planning. Maybe he feels he has failed in his efforts to surprise her, but I already know she was surprised when she saw this wasn’t the small affair she was expecting. Either way, I don’t think he has anything to worry about. I know she has no idea I am here.
    “Well, let’s go surprise her, shall we?” Terry says, grabbing his beer off the bar. I follow, using his body as a shield, bending down slightly so Diana won’t see me coming. Joe stays back at the bar, choosing to enjoy his drink and the reunion from a distance, a big cheeky grin on his face.
    I peek over Terry’s shoulder as we cross theempty dance floor, a little apprehensive about making a scene. I hope Terry does this casually and doesn’t embarrass me. Diana has her back to us, engaged in conversation with someone, when suddenly Annie spots me hiding behind her dad and comes rushing across the dance floor, arms outstretched, her mouth open wide, screeching my name in a high octave.
    “Aunty Kaaaaaaatttttttiiiiiieeeeee!” I hear as I am knocked sideways by the sweetest little ten-year-old, brown haired, freckled English girl I have ever seen. She is a duplicate of her mother at that age. My surprise is blown, and Terry steps aside in defeat as I look at Diana. She is standing about ten feet away, wide-eyed, mouth open, paused in mid-sentence, staring at me and Annie. Annie’s arms encircle my waist, her face pushing up against my ribs. She is jumping up and down, hugging me tight.
    With the entire room watching, I casually wave at my best friend and mouth “Surprise!” to her from across the dance floor. Diana walks over and joins Annie, throwing her arms around me, too.
    “Katie, oh my God, what on earth are you doing here?” She