The Reunion Read Online Free Page A

never been married, especially in a church as big as ours. How is that possible?”
    Was that an insult or a compliment? The phrase “someone your age” certainly stung a bit. “There’s no great mystery behind it. I was in a long-term relationship with a guy named Greg. A ridiculously long time, to be honest. At first, we were both totally wrapped up in our careers. Then at some point, I started pressing the idea of getting married. After the longest time, Greg agreed we should, so we got engaged. Then we were engaged for another ridiculously long period of time, and he kept putting off the idea of setting a date. Then finally, after all that—”
    “He left you, right?”
    “Yes, for a younger woman.” A woman just about Ken’s age, she thought, give or take a year. Then it dawned on her why Ken wanted to clarify these things. He was making sure she was eligible for marriage in the church. Not that it mattered; Karen had no intention of marrying Ken, let alone going out with him again.
    “I’m sure a breakup after all that time was painful.”
    “Yes, it was.” His look suggested he had no idea.
    He reached over and slid a breadstick out from a basket. “So Miller’s your maiden name. Interesting. I thought your father’s name was Rafferty?”
    Ken would likely know about her father. He was a wealthy, influential deacon in their church. “It is,” she said. “But he isn’t my birth father. He married my mom when I was five and pretty much filled the father role for my brother Steve and me growing up.”
    Ken looked around the dining room. Clearly, he was hungry. He turned and faced her again. “Why didn’t he adopt you?”
    “I think he wanted to,” Karen said. “He said he did a few times. But my real father—well, my birth father—is still alive, as far as we know. My mom didn’t really want us to pursue finding him to get his permission. So we just left it alone. But I think of Mark Rafferty as my dad.”
    She wished the ridiculously good-looking Ken would drop this line of questioning. It didn’t feel like they were trying to get to know each other better. It felt like an interrogation, like he was running through some kind of checklist, seeing if he approved of her pedigree. Then she remembered, Gail had said Ken was an attorney. A handsome young attorney.
    Technically, it wasn’t an exaggeration.
    “So you don’t know where he is?”
    “Who?”
    “Your birth father.”
    The waiter showed up with their main entrée. Karen whispered a quiet Thank you, Lord . “Oh look, our food.”
    The waiter now enjoyed Ken’s undivided attention. Moments later, the food on his plate did. Karen was glad. And she was glad that he’d been raised right and would never talk with his mouth full. So for the next fifteen minutes, except for Ken’s occasional delighted moans, she ate her spinach-stuffed tilapia with fire-roasted tomatoes in peace, while he ate his porcini-crusted filet mignon with herb butter.
    She tried to think of questions she could ask when this chewing match was over. Not that she wanted to know him better; she just wanted to shift the focus off her. She wouldn’t have minded it as much if he’d asked questions about her favorite movies or what kind of books she enjoyed. Maybe her favorite music, what she liked to do in her downtime. She didn’t really want to tell him such things, but it would have been nice if he’d asked. No matter. After tonight, he wouldn’t get the chance to know her better. She had just thought of a way to make sure this would be their first and last date.
    “So Ken, I’ve got something I’d like to ask you.”
    He waited a moment, swallowed the last bite on his plate. “Yes?”
    “Maybe you can help me understand something about dating. Something I’m having a hard time understanding lately.”
    “Oh? Uh . . . I guess I could try.”
    “What is it with guys nowadays wanting to go out with women way older than they are? You’re a guy, I thought