Free A Ghost of a Chance by Evelyn Klebert Page A

herself. It was obvious to him that this whole convoluted situation completely befuddled her. “I mean first of all I know how close the two of you are. I mean she didn’t tell me, well she told me some, but I mean I’d never do that to a friend. You know you don’t do that kind of thing to a friend. I mean not that I could. Good grief, look at her and look at me. She’s so together and I’m,” she paused reflectively. “Well, I’m not.”
    He frowned. Monica had certainly covered the bases here. No telling what she’d put in her head. This would take a little strategizing, and he didn’t have much time. “Well, um Hallie you seem like a very honest kind of person.”
    She looked at him with those soft, brown, guileless eyes. “Uh yeah, I suppose.”
    “ Well that’s why I really feel like it’s only fair to tell you that Monica, . . . well she hasn’t been completely truthful with you.”
    The eyes got wider. “She hasn’t?”
    “ No,” he lowered his voice in a grave and confidential tone, “she was too ashamed to tell you the truth, but it has been torturing her. And well I can see how much you care about her.”
    She looked a little panicked. She was buying into it. “I do care. I guess.”
    “ I don’t know if I should say anymore.”
    “ Please. What is it?”
    “ Really, I would be betraying a confidence.”
    “ You must tell me.”
    “ I don’t know.”
    Her eyes were like saucers, “PLEASE!”
    He took a deep breath and put on his most pained expression. “It’s not me that Monica is crazy about. It’s Samory. She’s fallen in love with him.”
    “ What?” it came out in a whimper.
    “ She’s afraid to tell you. They both are. They don’t want to hurt you.”
    “ Both?” Even softer.
    “ I’m sorry Hallie. I felt you should know.”
    “ Oh no,” and then “ What should I do?” almost directed to the cosmos.
    Perfect, “Well, if you want to know what I think.”
    The eyes came back to him imploringly. He almost felt a bit guilty, almost. “Yes, what do you think Jack?”
    How he liked the sound of his name on her lips. “There is a way you could spare them and yourself,” and then he paused dramatically wondering if this was going to thud like a lead balloon. “You could let me kiss you.”
    She straightened up, looking suspicious, “What?”
    “ Yes, when they come over let me kiss you. That would make both of them think that you’ve moved on.”
    With much skepticism, “Don’t you think that’s kind of quick?”
    “ No time like the present.”
    “ I don’t know.” There was hesitancy, maybe confusion.
    All he had to do was push like crazy.
    He glanced over at the dance floor. The music had paused. “It’s so important Hallie. But you have to make up your mind quick,” he added with urgency.
    “ I have a cold.”
    He looked at her intensely. “Hallie, I don’t care.”
    “ It might be catching.”
    He glanced back over his shoulder. Samory was heading toward the table his face animated by a broad smile. He turned back to Hallie. “I’ll risk it. Come on, be bold Hallie.”
    She looked at him with a touch of skepticism, and then a new expression, one of curiosity, passed over her features. It sort of made his heart stop for a moment, and then miraculously she nodded. He reached over to her and softly touched the sides of her face with his hands.
    Her skin was warm – maybe a fever from the cold. Gently, but passionately, he began to kiss her. Merely an instant after the first contact his plan was forgotten. He forgot about Samory and Monica and the whole ridiculous situation. All that existed was the sweet sensation of her lips, her breath – the rich breath of life. The kiss deepened and his arms went around her, pulling her more closely. The feeling was the sweetest, most intense one he could ever remember. He was home with her, really home and damn everything else.
    And then he was back home, Hallie’s home, in front of the fireplace in her