Counting Stars Read Online Free PDF Page A

poor saps? They couldn’t all be poor saps. Somewhere out there, there had to be a normal, decent guy with no defects—other than that he was suffering from the same malady she was.
    An acute case of loneliness.

Chapter Three
    Caroline surveyed the contents of the freezer. What to fix for dinner? Nothing sounded good—or worth the effort of cooking, anyway. It was Friday, and she needed to get out of the house. She closed the freezer as a plan formed. She’d arrange a sitter, feed the kids macaroni and cheese, then she and Ryan could grab a burger and maybe catch a movie. It would be heaven to sit in a dark theater together, watching something that wasn’t animated, and without the threat of spilled soda or the interruption of having to take a child to the bathroom. She walked to the sink and stared out the kitchen window, thinking dreamily of the possibility.
    It was almost five o’clock. She would have to find a babysitter fast.
    She picked up the phone, hitting 2 on the speed dial for her parents. Her mom would understand her sudden need for escape. But the phone rang and rang until finally, discouraged, Caroline set the receiver down. If only her parents would quit living in the dark ages and get an answering machine or a cell phone.
    She glanced at the fridge calendar. It was September fifth, the first Friday of the month—Jane’s romance night. Well, maybe if she was just reading a book she could read it over here. Caroline picked up the cordless again, this time hitting 1 on the speed dial. She smiled when Jane picked up after the second ring.
    “So who’s your hot date for tonight?” Caroline asked as she dug through the laundry for a pair of socks. “Or should I ask which romance author has a new book out this week?”
    “No date and no book,” Jane said. “And hi to you too, sis.”
    Caroline heard the familiar sound of chocolate chips being dumped into a mixer.
    “No guy real or imaginary?” she asked, stumped both by the lack of socks in the pile of clean laundry and her sister’s answer.
    “Actually, I read two romance novels already this week,” Jane admitted.
    “You cheated, ” Caroline said. “Tsk. Tsk. You know that’s breaking your commitment with Hopeless Romantics Anonymous.”
    “Yeah, well it was a rough couple of days.”
    “Excuses, excuses,” Caroline muttered, holding up a pair of Jessica’s socks. “So what are you doing, then?”
    “Not babysitting, if that’s what you’re getting at,” Jane said. “I’ve got a batch of double chocolate chip cookies going in the oven and a pint of Häagen Dazs Macadamia Nut Brittle in the freezer.”
    Strike two. “And the man?” Caroline asked, squeezing her foot into her daughter’s sock.
    “I’m thinking it’s a Darcy night.”
    “Must’ve been some week if you’re holing up with Pride and Prejudice again.”
    Jane laughed. “You know me so well.”
    Caroline frowned. “I thought Christopher dropped one of those tapes in the bathtub last summer.”
    “Yeah,” Jane groaned. “He dropped the video in the tub, my brush in the toilet, and an expensive library book in the sink. That kid has some serious water issues.” She sighed. “But I bought the DVD set today, the A&E edition.”
    Caroline gave up on the sock. “What time you starting?” Getting out without Ryan wouldn’t be as much fun, but chocolate chip cookies and Jane Austen was a pretty good offer too.
    “I’m already on the second hour. You’re not thinking of coming, are you?”
    “Absolutely,” Caroline said, her mind suddenly made up.
    “You’d have to spend the night,” Jane said. “The last ferry—”
    “And I’d have to bring Andrew and put him to bed at your place.”
    “Great.” Jane said, meaning it. “I’d love to see my favorite nephew, and this house could do with some testosterone.” She tried to laugh. “Can you leave Ryan by himself with the rest of the kids?” she mumbled through a mouthful of cookie dough.
    “He’ll