In the Shadows (The Outsiders Book 1) Read Online Free

, Dave took in a breath of the fresh air and tried to calm himself. Over the past year he’d considered moving away from Chicago plenty of times. Too many sad memories, too many lost relationships. He’d felt un-rooted for some time, as though he didn't really belong anywhere anymore. Certainly not in Chicago. Reynier, because of his ties with the village and because it was about as different from Chicago as you could get, had long been at the top of his list. Too bad it was now tainted for him. Yet, he could do worse than stay there. After all, in the end, what harm had been done? Still the annoyance—yes, and hurt—at being deceived rankled. Had Simone been laughing at him this whole time? He started walking to the far end of the town.
    Ten minutes later, he sat in the living room at the home of his childhood friend, Jonas Lefevre, whom he hoped was a man who wouldn’t go blabbing to the rest of the town. He really needed a man’s perspective. Whether or not he could actually trust him, he hadn’t decided.
    “Nice home you have,” Dave said.
    “Haven’t you been here before?”
    “Don’t think so. You and Lillian were out of town the last time I was in Reynier. The time before that—must have been twelve years ago —you weren’t married yet. As I recall, you and Lillian were dating. How is she, by the way? I haven’t seen her around.”
    “She works all the time over at the butcher shop.”
    An awkward silence ensued. Dave looked around the living room at photographs on the mantel—wedding photos, vacation photos, Lillian and Jonas with their dog, Jonas working on a clock , Jonas surrounded by clocks in various stages of production—a whole life that Dave knew little about.
    Jonas poured them both some cognac. “Don’t tell Lillian. I’m supposed to be cutting back both the amount I consume and the amount I buy.”
    Dave nodded. “Your secret’s safe with me. But what if she comes home while we’re drinking?”
    Jonas took a swig of his drink. “She won’t. Her boss never lets her go home early. He leaves early sometimes to do stuff with his boys. They’re a handful. Speaking of boys who are handfuls, do you remember when we used to ride our bicycles down the hills and through neighbors’ properties?”
    Dave smiled. “How could I forget? The last time we raced down the hill, we almost caused a car accident. Mayor Rochierre phoned my grandfather and griped about our recklessness and I got grounded for a week.”
    “My father acted angry for a few minutes, but he was a softy. He didn’t follow through with his threats of punishment.”
    “Yeah, as I recall you never got punished for anything—ever. Maybe that’s why you don’t have any morals. You could probably get away with murder.”
    “Hey, I resent that.” Jonas squinted an eye at him, and then burst out laughing. “But it’s so true.”
    Dave laughed for the first time today.
    Jonas grew quiet. “What happened between you and Connie? Fabienne says you’re divorced.”
    He shrugged, and then studied this older Jonas. Slicked-back brown hair and hazel eyes, and leaning back in his chair, his legs casually flung out, one arm bent and lying over the top edge of the chair back. The guy had always been laid-back, and lucky with women, but he seemed even more self-assured now.
    “What about you? I’ve heard stories.”
    “Yeah, well, I tried to be faithful. And I did all right for the first few years. But Lillian and I, well, we don’t have any sizzle left.”
    “Does that mean you have a mistress?”
    “A mistress? Ha. That’s an understatement. Women find me irresistible. What can I say? I try to keep my affairs a secret from Lillian. I don’t know if she knows, or not. She doesn’t say anything about it.”
    “What about your business?”
    “Ah, come on, I don’t want to talk about work. Tell me about you and Connie. I never even got to meet her. What happened?”
    “There’s nothing to tell.”
    Jonas raised his