Forever Promised Read Online Free PDF Page B

actually had a job working somewhere Mikhail did not know but who came in to help her mother when she could. Her daughter, Kelsey, was sitting at a table, coloring in an activity book, and Mikhail smiled at her too.
    “Mom!” Kelsey said, her voice a little awestruck. “It’s Teacher Mikhail!”
    Joanna smiled at her. “Yeah, Kelse—you remember? We saw him at the wedding?”
    Kelsey had a round little face and blonde flyaway hair, and her chubby cheeks bunched up in her smile. “I remember! You wore a suit and it was hot !”
    Mikhail nodded. “Yes, indeed it was. Made my wedding in February look downright sensible.” He looked up at Joanna behind the counter, and she smiled back. Her dark hair—very unlikeher brother’s—was pulled back in a practical ponytail, and she looked hot and disheveled here in the little diner.
    “I do hate to put you out,” Mikhail started sincerely, “but if you please, might I have three”—wait, Shane might want one—“no, four sandwiches?”
    She smiled gaily as though this were not a job for her but rather a break from her regular job, and took his order, talking the entire time.
    “So, I saw you at the wedding—you and Shane are looking well! And it was so nice of the kids from Promise House to come out and help. They seem like a well-behaved bunch, don’t they?” He would have told her they were only well behaved because they’d all been wearing swimsuits underneath their nice clothes and they’d been promised a chance to go swimming once the chairs and tables had been put up, but she was on a roll. “Anyway, it was lovely to see you all. Collin texted me this morning to say they’d seen Wicked last night and, well, he was bored silly, but they were going out on the Circle Line to see the Statue of Liberty and then to a comedy club tonight. Have you heard from them?”
    She actually paused there, and Mikhail jerked, surprised to find a response was needed. “Yes. Jeff said he enjoyed Wicked very much, and if Collin falls asleep during another show, he will wake up with no eyebrows.”
    Joanna stopped then, in the middle of slicing open a roll, and looked at him carefully to see if he was joking or not.
    Mikhail shrugged. “I have no idea if he’s serious or not. You would have to ask Jeff.”
    Joanna giggled. “You know, I’ve been watching them for two years, and I knew they were perfect for each other, but until right now, I had no idea how much. So, I know your order, Shane’s order, and Martin’s order—who’s this last sandwich for?”
    Mikhail shrugged again. “I have no idea, but she’s been living off of your discarded french fries, so I’m thinking she will not care if those little green pepper things are on it or not.”
    Joanna dropped the roll in her hand. “She’s been what ?”
    Mikhail pulled up his lip. “Living off your garbage,” he said distinctly. “And hopefully she will still be there when you’re done, so if you could possibly hurry….”
    Joanna’s hands flew, and she put on the basics—mayonnaise, mustard, meat, and cheese—then wrapped it quickly and shoved it into Mikhail’s hands. He nodded thanks, grabbed a milk from the cooler, and said, “Excellent. I’ll be back to pay you and to get the rest in a few moments.”
    He figured walking out the back door would just cause the girl to bolt, so he went out the front door and then, delicately, on dancer’s feet, walked quietly back to the trash cans.
    The girl had her back to him and was scavenging through the second can, but it was full—apparently from the day before—if the stench was anything to judge by.
    “I would not eat that if I were you,” Mikhail said, wrinkling his nose. “It will make you sick.”
    The girl jerked and the lid of the big plastic can that she’d been holding over her head fell down on it instead. She pulled herself out from under it, whirled around, and groaned.
    “Aw, fuck! Now you made me go and get more of that shit on….”