Forgiving Patience Read Online Free Page A

on
about her wedding. She said something about a friend coming up for it, but I
didn’t know it was you she was talking about. You must be so excited. Me—I love
weddings and all. They’re so romantic.” She brought both hands to her chest,
her round face lost in the thought of love.
    Anna couldn’t help but smile. Georgia
was like a ray of sunshine, inside and out. Even though Anna didn’t believe
everyone could find love and happiness, she liked the woman’s childlike look on
life. She could see that Garrett was becoming annoyed with Georgia.
    “Yes, Em is my best friend. You know
what? Why don’t you come to the wedding, since you love them and all. I know Em
wouldn’t mind. In fact, she would insist that you come. You two seem like you
would hit it off. You can be my date.” Anna didn’t know why she’d just invited
someone she didn’t know to a wedding that wasn’t even hers, but she liked
Georgia and wanted her to feel welcomed. Plus, she wasn’t lying; she did think
Georgia and Em could be friends. The only problem would be they both would be
talking so much they probably wouldn’t hear what the other was saying.
    “Are you sure? I don’t want to impose
since I just met Em and you and…well, everyone.”
    “You wouldn’t be imposing. Like I
said, you can be my date. It will save me from being the only girl going alone.
The old women around here like to talk. At least now they can’t say, ‘Oh look
at that Anna Kelly, she came here alone. Must not have found her a man yet.’
Now they will just think I’m into women. That makes for more interesting
gossip.”
    A giggle escaped Georgia. “Well, if
you insist, consider me your plus one. I think you and I are going to be good
friends.”
    “Me too.” Anna really believed that
for some reason. The woman seemed genuine, and she liked that.
    Cutting in, Garrett asked, “I must
have forgotten about the party. You want to come back to my office? I figure
you have a lot you want to discuss. That is, if you have time?”
    Garrett sent Georgia home for the day
and showed Anna to his office in the back. His personal space looked very
similar to the front area Georgia occupied. He had a few plaques hanging on the
beige walls, showing some of his accomplishments and his state license. A
desktop computer and the usual office supplies—a stapler, tape dispenser, cup
of pencils, and lots and lots of sticky notes sat on top of his desk. A house
plant that had seen better days sat in one corner of the room, but everything
else was something you would see in every business office. The office held
nothing more than what was needed.
    If—no, scratch that— when she got her own office, she wanted
to be wrapped in the solitude of green walls with splashes of burnt oranges,
reds, and chocolate browns. In her mind, she envisioned a simple black desk,
although nothing as massive as the one Garrett sat behind, a built-in bookshelf
housing all of her favorite novels so that on late nights when she needed a
break from paperwork she could pick up a romance novel and lose herself, and of
course, she needed a couple of filing cabinets and some actual office supplies.
She wanted to feel at home there. A place that represented her.
    Garrett took his place in an
executive-style chair behind a large walnut desk while she took the guest chair
across from him.
    “How was your drive? It’s a scorcher
today.”
    “It wasn’t too bad. Just long.”
    “Have you been by to see Emilee yet?
I know she’s looking forward to your visit.”
    She could tell he was just making
small talk but she decided to play along. He looked nervous, and she sort of
felt sorry for him. “No, I’m going to see her tonight. I just wanted to stop by
here before I go back home and throw myself together.”
    “Oh—right. I forgot you mentioned the
party.”
    “It’s going to be over at the City
Banquet Hall. I think everybody Mr. and Mrs. Bradshaw have ever talked to will
be there. Of course, Em