Forsaking All Others Read Online Free PDF Page A

menus off the table and carried them into what appeared to Jessica as a cozy alcove. The space was very intimate and she liked the feel of it.
    The waiter showed up within a few minutes of the couple taking seats, bringing along with him a carafe of hot coffee. Jessica wasn’t big on coffee, but she did drink it occasionally. She let the waiter know she preferred a small pot of chamomile tea when he took their breakfast orders.
    Weston’s order indicated to Jessica that he was a hungry man again this morning. She wasn’t that surprised by the amount of food he ordered, considering the size of the meal he had practically inhaled last evening.
    Jessica’s order consisted of two boiled eggs, a turkey sausage patty and a small order of home-fried potatoes. Instead of toast, she ordered a freshly baked blueberry muffin, and then orange juice as an afterthought.
    â€œHow did you sleep last night, Jess?”
    â€œOnce I managed to get there, I knocked out completely.”
    â€œDid you have as hard a time getting to sleep as I did?”
    â€œI wasn’t able to fall right off. Had quite a few things on my mind.” Mainly you.
    â€œSure you don’t want a cup of coffee? It’s pretty good stuff.”
    â€œNo, thanks. I’ll wait for the tea.” She looked out the window. “It’s such a beautiful morning. I can’t get over the magnificent view from our town house. I’ve heard so much about Aspen. I’m glad to actually experience it. It’s like another world.”
    â€œYou haven’t seen the half of it. This place is amazing. I read somewhere that Mariah Carey’s been living here for a couple of years.”
    â€œI read that, too. Quite a few celebrities live here in Aspen, either full-time or part-time.”
    â€œA wonderful place to visit, but I don’t want to live here.”
    â€œYeah, I know. Nowhere for Wes but NYC.”
    Weston leveled curious eyes on Jessica. Something about the way she had snapped out her last remark had him wondering. She had sounded a bit annoyed. He quickly dismissed the thought since it made no sense at all.
    The waiter came and dropped off Jessica’s tea and immediately took off again.
    The couple got into a conversation about how the real-estate market had boomed in California. It was unbelievable the way it had suddenly shot through the roof.
    Jessica mentioned that the folks who had taken out interest-only or arm home loans were in for a rude awakening. Weston figured they could beat the odds if they could refinance at a fixed rate before the bad stuff happened. A lot of people had also opted for balloon payments, all just to own a piece of hot California property. Shanties and fixer-uppers were even selling for indecent amounts. Things were now starting to cool off a bit. Both Jessica and Weston expected a lot of home foreclosures to occur in the very near future.
    â€œNew York real estate has been high for a long time. I’m sure you do well.”
    â€œExtremely. That’s why I don’t understand why my parents want to up and move to L.A.”
    â€œMaybe because your father was born and raised there.”
    â€œI guess. They’re financially set, so they don’t have to worry about money. Dad does complain about the harsh winters in New York.”
    Jessica faked a believable shiver. “If it’s anywhere near as cold in New York as it is here, I can’t blame them for wanting to move to California. Don’t think I could brave winter weather like this year after year. The roads are frightening. Seeing the snowstorms on television is enough for me.”
    â€œIf you grew up in winters like this, it’d be just a way of life. People manage it all the time.”
    The return of the waiter kept Jessica from responding to Weston’s comments. Not wanting to get into the subject of living so far apart, she saw the interruption in conversation as a good thing. The