Free Getting Some Of Her Own by Gwynne Forster

thing.”
    â€œWhat?” Willis asked.
    â€œI was talking to Susan.”
    Her breathing returned to normal, but if she didn’t get out of there, she would begin to hyperventilate, for her undergarments were already damp. “Send me a contract,” she said to Willis in a voice unlike her own, grabbed her jacket, and headed for the door.
    â€œYou didn’t need to do that,” she heard Lucas say to Willis. “No matter what you think, she’s a client.”
    The sound of Lucas’s steps thudded on the stairs behind her, but she wouldn’t look back.
    â€œWait, Susan.” She didn’t stop. “You either wait or I’ll follow you home or wherever it is you’re going.” She waited.
    â€œGet this straight, Susan. Unless you tell someone what happened between you and me on October the eighth, it stays between you and me. I don’t kiss and tell. I apologize for Willis’s childish behavior. He’s just begun to make money with this business, and it’s been a long, hard pull for him. He’s a good guy in every respect, or I wouldn’t partner with him.”
    â€œHe has decided that he doesn’t like me.”
    â€œThat isn’t true. He has decided that there’s something between the two of us and that we both lied to him when he asked us what we meant to each other. He’d rather we had told him that it was none of his business. Willis and I have different parents, but otherwise, we’re brothers.”
    â€œAll right. May I leave now?”
    He held both hands up, palms out. “Ok, Susan. You’re the queen of denial. See you tomorrow evening at Wade School.”
    Susan didn’t answer. If he wanted to bend her, he had a lesson coming. She got into her car, ignited the engine and, although she headed home, a wrong turn took her to the underpass beneath the Salem River, and she emerged on Fifth Street at the town’s center. She glimpsed an upholstery-fabric store, parked, and went in to introduce herself and examine the merchandise.
    â€œWell, I was wondering when we’d run into each other.”
    She looked up to see Jay Weeks standing beside her. “Hi. Do you shop here?”
    â€œIf I get in a rut. Otherwise, I shop in Baltimore. How’s your shop coming along?”
    â€œIt should be ready in a couple of weeks. Willis Carter is doing the work.” She noticed that his eyebrows shot up and quickly returned to their normal position.
    â€œWhen are we going to have lunch or something?”
    â€œWhat about now?” she asked him. “It’s one-thirty, and I haven’t eaten.”
    They walked across the street to a mom-and-pop barbecue specialty café. “I hear you’re living in the Greer place. How’d that happen? A lot of people would have liked to buy that house. It won a national award.” They ordered barbecued pork sandwiches and coffee.
    â€œI know. I inherited it from my aunt. I’m having the kitchen completely renovated before I move in.”
    â€œI wish I could have gotten that house. Bon appétit.” He bit into the sandwich. “Lined up any work yet?”
    â€œI’ve just begun to work on my ad material. I hope to get started sometime in January.”
    â€œMmm. Going anywhere for Christmas? If you aren’t, you’re welcome to come with me to Vermont. I’m going skiing.”
    She was careful not to show her surprise at the suggestion or to behave as if it implied anything untoward. “Thanks, but I hope my mother will come for Christmas.”
    â€œIt’s hard to find any real fun here in Woodmore. Sometimes I get bored as hell. You’ll see.”
    They spoke of mundane things, passing the time and, after an hour, said good-bye and went their separate ways. She couldn’t make up her mind about Jay. She wasn’t looking for a man, but if she was, she doubted that she would consider him. Still, he