Echoes Read Online Free PDF Page A

“I know he is. Everything will work out fine.” Lauren was about to tell Mindy she had decided not to go to New York and to ask Mindy to pray for her as she tried to convince Jeff to give up the idea of New York. Something stopped her—something inside that had been chiding Lauren for days, telling her she wasn’t capable of making wise decisions. So she swallowed her insecurities, gave Mindy a hug, and slipped into the car, tugging on her straight skirt.
    How does Mindy manage to read my mind like that? I wish I felt as convinced as she does that everything is going to turn out okay. Maybe Jeff will tell me tonight that he’s changed his mind about New York, and I won’t have to be the bad guy in this. Maybe another position has opened up here in Nashville. Maybe he’ll like my hair …
    At exactly six o’clock, Lauren pulled up to the front of The Ambassador. After turning her keys over to the parking attendant, she slipped into the restroom to run some lipstick across her lips. As she pursed her lips together, she checked her eye makeup. It was light; a few twirls of the mascara wand wouldn’t hurt. After doing the top lashes, she decided to give a twirl to her lower lashes, which was something she didn’t usually do. Stepping back to examine her handiwork, she was surprised to see that Mindy was right. Her eyes did look much larger andmuch bluer than they ever had before. Some daring earrings would look nice instead of the small pearls she wore. With a quick squirt of perfume and a few picks with her fingers to fluff out her bangs, Lauren held her head high and exited the restroom, ready for Jeff and whatever reaction he might have.
    She slipped past the maitre d’, who was on the phone, deciding to prowl through the elegant, darkened dining room on her own. It would make her surprise for Jeff that much more fun. Lauren noticed several men glancing up from their meals as she sauntered by, but none of them was Jeff.
    A man with large, annoying eyes sat at a back booth and seemed to be watching Lauren’s every move. He had slick, dark hair and wore a trim business suit with a deep red tie. She couldn’t see the person sitting across from him in the booth because the back of the high seat blocked her view. She looked away and thought,
If that’s a woman sitting with him, she should feel insulted by the way he’s gawking at me
.
    Lauren stood in one place, her eyes roaming the room for Jeff. The crystal chandeliers cast their soft, glittery light against the rich, white table linen. Their arrows of light shot out in a precarious fashion before being extinguished in the plush maroon upholstery and the ornate Indian rug.
    The gaze of the unattractive man at the booth met her glance again. He lifted his glass to her and let his wry smile express his thoughts. His dinner guest then glanced around the corner of the booth and took a good look at Lauren. He imitated the gesture by lifting his glass with a smile before disappearing around the velvet-backed booth.
    A pixie-like smile danced on Lauren’s lips as she crossed her arms in front of her and began to tap her foot. With her tongue in her cheek, she waited for the second man to do a double take. It only took a moment before he snapped his attention back to Lauren and immediately rose to come greether. She stood her ground, waiting for him to come to her.
    “What are you doing?” Jeff said, reaching her in the middle of the restaurant and speaking in a low growl that didn’t match his polite facial expression.
    “What am I doing?” Lauren answered playfully. “I’m meeting my fiancé for dinner. What are you doing?”
    “Waiting for you. I thought you’d be late. I told Garry you’re always late. What are you trying to prove? And what did you do to your hair?”
    Lauren had never seen him so emotional in public. “We’re having dinner with Garry?” she asked.
    “Why didn’t you ask me before you cut your hair?” Jeff’s eyes scanned her as his