Echoes Read Online Free PDF

expression reflected his disapproval.
    “Why didn’t you tell me we were having a business dinner?”
    Jeff grasped her elbow and led her to their booth, a tight smile pressed across his tensed jaw. “We’ve been making some decisions,” Jeff said between clenched teeth.
    “You and Garry?” Lauren said, trying to make Jeff look at her again. He kept looking ahead and stepped up to the table.
    “Garry Taft,” he said, “I’d like you to meet Lauren Phillips.” Then, as almost an afterthought, he added, “My fiancée.”
    “Very pleased to meet you,” Garry said, rising and shaking her hand. He seemed unembarrassed by his earlier flirting. “Forgive me if I appear a bit surprised. Jeffrey said you had long hair.”
    “I used to,” Lauren said politely, settling into the booth next to Jeff. “I just got it cut.”
    “It’s stunning. You’re stunning,” Garry said. “You didn’t tell me you were engaged to such a gorgeous woman, Jeffrey.”
    Jeff smiled and let out something that sounded like a cross between a huff of disbelief and a nervous laugh.
    “Waiter,” Garry called as the server in black coattails passedtheir table, “a bottle of champagne, please.” Then turning to Lauren he said, “We have some serious celebrating to do here. Did Jeffrey tell you all about our big plans for him with Burrows, James, and Tompkins? The next time I treat you kids to a night on the town it’ll be in New York!” He lifted his glass in a toast to Jeff and then to Lauren.
    She turned to Jeff for an explanation. He was looking straight ahead, toasting back to Garry. Lauren knew what that clench in his jaw and his cool demeanor meant. Not to touch him or talk to him. His mind was made up. She knew he had agreed to take the position in New York, with or without her.

Chapter Four

    A lone in her quiet apartment, Lauren sat curled up on her cabbage rose couch and pulled her cotton robe tight. It was not quite dawn on this somber Saturday morning in July. This was the morning Jeff was leaving for New York. It had been two and a half weeks since the fateful dinner at The Ambassador and the heated discussion that followed at her apartment.
    They didn’t make coffee. They didn’t talk calmly. Jeff accused her of “flipping out” because she cut her hair, and of embarrassing him at dinner by turning down the champagne. He wanted to know what had gotten into her and what had happened to the soft-spoken, predictable woman he had asked to marry him.
    Lauren countered, asking what had happened to the easygoing, dependable man who wanted to live in the country. Why was he suddenly drinking so much and saying
ciao
to everyone?
    Jeff called her narrow-minded and insecure. She said hewas trying to be something he wasn’t. He told her she didn’t understand. When she replied, “Maybe I could understand if you didn’t shut me out,” Jeff got up and left, slamming the door behind him. He had done this to her twice before in their relationship. No, three times. Each time she had patiently waited for him to come back, and he had within a few hours.
    This time he didn’t return. He didn’t call. Lauren wavered between convincing herself hope still existed for their relationship and inwardly agreeing with her raw emotions that it was all over between them.
    For the next few days Lauren kept her problems to herself. She told Mindy she and Jeff had had a disagreement about New York and were still working it out. Since it was so busy at work, she and Mindy hadn’t been able to take their lunch breaks at the same time, which helped Lauren remain detached. To her, it was better to wait and pray than to announce the failure of her engagement. All couples have arguments. Maybe they would pull out of this. It would save a lot of embarrassment later if she kept quiet now.
    After three long days of little food and little sleep, Lauren received a call from Jeff at work. She met him at Giovanni’s. He apologized. She apologized. She