2 Months 'Til Mrs. (2 'Til Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

your job. I hated my job for over forty years.”
    “That’s quite an accomplishment,” she said
sarcastically.
    “It supported me and my Sharon—God rest her soul—and
that made it all worth it. We aren’t all destined for greatness. Some of us are
just here to be.”
    Catherine looked over at the old man, feeling oddly
repulsed and heartened at the same time. “You really loved her,” she said
breathily.
    “Haven’t had a well-starched shirt since she passed.
And she made a mean roast beef… although her meatloaf—” He stopped and
shuddered.
    “But love is—”
    “Love is eating that meatloaf!” he guffawed. “She made
it once a week for fifty years and I choked it down every time, along with the
leftovers. Shoulda got a dog just for that reason alone, although even a dog
would have better standards.”
    Catherine felt a tight smile come to her lips,
thinking about her own kitchen inadequacies and wondering if someday some man
would love her not just in spite of them, but somehow for them too.
    She watched the teeming swarm of people in the room,
so many conversations going on at one time. The last she remembered her parents
having a party like this she was almost a full foot shorter and she’d been in
charge of watching Connor and Josephine and all the young cousins—a paid gig…. That
was the winter that Josey died and the parties ended. Catherine shivered at the
memory, rubbing her arms to warm herself. 
    The seal broke on the front door yet again, and a gust
of cold air snaked its way down the hall and directly into the family room—another
insufferable guest.
    “So glad you could make it!” Elizabeth sang from the
foyer. “I didn’t think we would see you what with your new addition.”
    “It’s tough to get out. We packed half the house to
bring with us.”
    Catherine’s breath caught. She’d know that voice
anywhere. At any other time, hearing it would make her heart warm with relief,
especially after what she had been going through for the past hour. But here? Now?
It was completely out of place. Like a knife in the back.
    She got up off the couch and walked toward the sounds
of rustling jackets and merry greetings, ready to confront the traitor in her
midst. When she reached the foyer, she found Georgia and Lacey in mid-hug. Ah,
but of course—new BFFs.
    She hadn’t seen Georgia since before Christmas because
she’d spent it in Minnesota with Fynn while Georgia was entertaining her
parents and her in-laws at her perfect suburban home in New Jersey—her first
time hosting Christmas—with her perfect newborn baby and her perfect husband.
Even her ham had come out perfectly, while Catherine had brought an inedible
broccoli casserole to the potluck at Fynn’s sister’s house and then burned the
dinner rolls when she was put in charge of browning them—although she put the
blame firmly on the electric oven, seeing as how she had a gas oven in her
apartment where she stored her measly supply of pots and pans, and she had
never burned those once.
    “Catherine! Oh my God!” Georgia squealed with delight
over Lacey’s shoulder. “I can’t believe you’re here!”
    Why wouldn’t I be here? This is my family. “I
can’t believe you’re here,” she retorted darkly.
    “No, wait, why are you here?” Georgia asked;
panic suddenly blooming on her face. “You’re supposed to be in Minnesota! With
Fynn! What happened?” She came rushing toward her, arms open wide in a gesture
that looked all too consoling, like she was certain something must have gone
terribly awry, but even though it had, Catherine didn’t want to explain herself
to people like Georgia who seemed to think that she was usually to blame when
her relationships ended in Shitsville—of course in this exceptional case her
friend would be right.
    Catherine stiffly accepted the hug, which she took
more as an invasion of her personal space than a kind greeting, and found
herself fighting for breathing room in