Dying For You Read Online Free PDF Page B

No, there’s no one. I’m the last of my family line.”
    “Oh. I am, too. Except for my father and his wife. I’m…I’m sorry.”
    “It’s not your fault, Cathy. You’ve got to stop apologizing for events you can’t control.”
    “Okay.” She took the plunge. “But, um, but the fact that you’re here flat on your, um, back for the week is very much my fault, and I—”
    “Now, Cathy, we’ve been over this. I was stupid, and I paid the price. I’m grateful for the use of your guest room, and promise I won’t be a burden on you much longer.”
    “You’re not a burden,” she said truthfully. She couldn’t believe she was thinking it, much less saying it, but she added, “It’s nice to have company. I’m still not used to living in such a big house by myself.”
    “You weren’t really by yourself, though.” He scraped the last of the noodles from the bottom of the bowl, then handed it to her.
    “What?”
    “Old houses have stories,” he clarified. “Histories. It’s hard to feel alone when you’re in the middle of history.”
    “Oh. Hmm. Uh-huh. Ken, are you on any medication that I, as your hostess, should be made aware of?”
    “Gosh,” he said, handsome brow knitting in thought. “Not that I know of. Maybe some, what do you call them, antibiotics? You can check the bag the hospital sent me home with, if you like.”
    “Because you don’t seem yourself. At all.” Thank goodness! Still. Very odd. She’d been bracing herself for Sullen Shirtless Lawsuit Ken. This smiling, pleasant stranger in Ken’s body was a complete shock. Argh. She shouldn’t say shock.
    “I know I seem different, Cathy,” he was saying. “But there’s a reason for it.”
    “There is?”
    “Yes, of course. You’ve given me a second chance at life. I don’t plan to waste it this time.”
    “Nikki helped.”
    There was something warm on her leg. She assumed he was experiencing a moment of incontinence, then realized he had rested his hand on her knee. “You’re lucky to have a friend like Nikki,” he was saying, “but she’s not really my kind of girl.”
    “Oh yes? You mean the tall, gorgeous, fearless type? A real turn-off, huh?”
    “I like them smart and petite, with cheekbones you could cut yourself on.”
    Totally weirded out, she moved her now-sweaty knee away from New and Improved Ken. “Oh. Well. That’s, um, nice. Would you like more soup?”
    “I think I’ll rest now, if you don’t mind.”
    “Okay.” She stood. “Just, um, yell or something if you need anything.”
    “Of course. Thank you again for the fine lunch, Cathy. But it’s Cathleen, isn’t it?”
    “What?”
    “That’s what it is, for real.”
    “Nobody…I mean, everyone calls me Cathy.”
    “Yes, but Cathleen suits you better.”
    “Okay. Have a nice nap.”
    Completely mystified, she walked out, feeling his gaze on her until she closed the door.

Chapter 11
    “Okay,” Nikki was saying as Cathy not-so-ceremoniously shoved her toward the door, “
I
have an annoying neighbor, too, and while he isn’t quite as yummilicious as Ken, he’s definitely got potential, so if you could just come over and kill him—” She teetered on the steps, and Cathy gave her one more gentle shove. Arms pinwheeling, Nikki went down. “Aigh! All right, all right. At least think it over, willya?”
    “Good night, Nikki.” She shut the screen door, then locked it for good measure. Friends, she added to herself. The ultimate mixed blessing.
    And speaking of friends, she’d been missing one lately.
    “Jack?” she whispered in the kitchen. “Are you there? It’s okay if you’ve been hiding because of all the ruckus lately, but it should settle down soon.”
    Nothing.
    “And me without my car keys,” she joked, which was a lie, as she knew right where they were. Still, Jack had been unable to resist finding them before.
    Nothing. Dead silence.
    She gave up and climbed the stairs to bed.
    Cathy woke hours later, scared out of