Soul Dreams Read Online Free

push past him again, but he was standing too close.
    “No, listen.” He raked his fingers though his hair. “You’ve got it all wrong. This is Nate’s idea.”
    She stared at him. “Nate’s idea is your excuse? What does that mean, anyway?”
    “Alexis is one of his clients, too. Brand new. She’s writing a book about her year in Italy.”
    “How convenient.” God, if she didn’t get out of here soon, she’d really disgrace herself.
    “Right. Convenient. Glad you understand.” Did he think she was being reasonable about it? “He figured the publicity would give her a good push with the media. This whole engagement thing is nothing more than a publicity stunt. But you and I? We’ll work it out. I swear it.”
    “Work what out? Do you mean you’ll decide which one of us you’ll sleep with on any given night?” She studied his face, suddenly realizing what she’d thought was poetic and romantic had been nothing more than the appearance of self-indulgent weakness. She needed to get out of there before she was well and truly sick from the shame and humiliation of it all.
    “Nina, please.”
    “I think you’d better get back to your fiancée .” She pushed away from him. “And do us both a favor. Lose my phone number.”
    She made it home before her control snapped. Slamming and locking her front door, she collapsed on the floor and let the tears come. Great shuddering sobs wracked her body. She sat there until night fell and the house was dark. Like a robot, she stripped off her clothes and stood under a hot streaming shower, wishing it would wash away the last weeks of her life. She was sick to her soul, and her heart hurt with real pain. What was wrong with her? Why did men keep dumping her this way? Maybe her problem was picking the wrong ones, which might mean she should stop picking them at all.
    When she opened a drawer in the dresser to take out a long T-shirt, she found the funny little toy turkey Tom had given her staring at her from it’s place on top. Anguish pierced her, and she collapsed in a spate of fresh tears. Then she found a hammer and smashed the thing to pieces. Thanksgiving. What bullshit.
    Exhausted, she wrapped herself in a robe and fell into bed.
    In the morning, she could barely pull herself from the covers. She called the office and told them she was sick, which wasn’t a complete lie.
    “Nate really wants you in here to work with Tom and Alexis,” Diane said. “He’s been asking for you since he got in. He’s invited some people to lunch with them today, and he specifically requested you handle it.”
    “I can’t,” she croaked, in a good imitation of someone with the flu. “I can barely even move.”
    “It must have come on suddenly.” There was no denying the skepticism in Diane’s voice. “Are you sure it isn’t something else?”
    “I think I know when I have the flu,” she snapped. Then sniffled. “Please explain for me. I’m going back to bed.”
    Maybe if she hadn’t been so fresh from another disaster, she wouldn’t have been so vulnerable. Would have seen how shallow Tom really was. But her confidence had needed boosting so badly, and he’d known exactly the right buttons to push. His betrayal had completely shredded both her heart and soul. What a stupid ninny she’d been for swallowing his line. Although she’d secretly resented the secrecy she was thankful for it in the circumstances. At least the whole world hadn’t been an audience to her humiliation. She was thankful for that one small favor.
    The phone rang several times during the day. Caller ID told her it was either Nate or Diane. Then Tom’s cell number popped up, so she finally unplugged the landline and turned off her cell. Pulling a pillow over her head, she wished herself somewhere off the planet. Could she have been any more a fool? How pathetic that she’d believed every thing he’d said.
    The weekend gave her some respite from the office, at least. She huddled in bed with