Goddess of Love Read Online Free PDF Page A

said.
    â€œHoney, let’s keep that for our inside thoughts, shall we?” Stacy said. Then she glanced at Pea and whispered, “Even though it’s totally true.”
    Pea pretended not to hear either of them, which was easy. Her entire being was focused on her dream man striding toward her with her dog—who was actually wagging her tail—held firmly in his arms.
    â€œHere ya go, ma’am.” He handed Chloe to Pea.
    â€œTh-thank you,” Pea stuttered. “How?”
    â€œHow?” he repeated.
    â€œThe kitty-kittying. How did you know to do that?”
    â€œJust makes sense. You said she thinks she’s a cat, and you have a cat, right?”
    Pea nodded.
    â€œThat’s how you call your cat. Right?”
    Pea nodded again.
    â€œI figured she’d recognize the call.”
    Griffin scratched Chloe on the top of her head, and Pea watched in astonishment as her dog—her man-hating dog—closed her eyes and sighed happily.
    â€œThat’s just part of it, though,” Griffin said. “I was counting on Chloe smelling Cali.”
    Pea suddenly understood. “Your cat?”
    â€œMy cat.” Griffin gave Chloe one last scratch, then turned back to his men. “Okay, let’s get this loaded up. Have a good day, ma’am.” He nodded politely to her and then to Stacy. He winked at Emili, and then he was gone.
    â€œEm, honey, go on inside and wait for Mommy. I’ll be there in just a second,” Stacy told her daughter.
    â€œAre you and Pea going to talk about how pretty that fireman was?”
    â€œOf course not, honey. Now go on.”
    â€œâ€™Kay! Bye, Pea.” Emili skipped off to her house, singing a song about lemon drops and unicorns.
    â€œOkay, I’d forgotten how drop dead Mr. Tall Dark and Fireman is. I can definitely understand why you’ve had a thing for him for ages,” Stacy said.
    Pea put Chloe down and the dog trotted over to the tree and began sniffing all around the trunk. “Do not even think about climbing up there again,” Pea told her sternly. Chloe glanced back at her and snorted. “I swear that dog understands every word I say,” Pea muttered.
    â€œHello! Sexy, incredible man. We were talking about him and not your insane Scottie.”
    â€œShe’s not insane,” Pea said automatically. “And yeah, he’s gorgeous and I might have a little crush on him.”
    Stacy rolled her eyes, which Pea chose to ignore. “But now he’s gone. I don’t see the point in going on and on about him.”
    â€œLike you haven’t gone on and on about him before?”
    Pea silently chastised herself for the one or two—okay, ten or twelve—times she’d mentioned to Stacy how hot she thought their neighbor was. “Whatever,” she said, trying to sound nonchalant and dismissive. “He’s still gone, and there’s still no point in talking about how gorgeous he is.”
    â€œThe point is, Ms. Totally Single, that he seemed interested in you.”
    â€œGet real, Stacy. He wasn’t interested; he was polite. There’s a world of difference.”
    â€œBullshit.”
    â€œStacy, he didn’t even remember me, and today makes the fourth time we’ve met. Men like him are not interested in women like me.”
    â€œSo he has a crappy memory. Lots of guys do. And women like you? What does that mean?”
    Pea sighed, and didn’t feel up to mentioning that Griffin’s memory hadn’t failed when she’d walked up. “Women like me—short, plain, forgettable. He belongs with a model or a goddess. He doesn’t belong with me.”
    â€œYou know, that’s your problem! You defeat yourself before you even start. I’ve told you before that all you need is a little self-confidence. You’re perfectly fine looking.”
    Perfectly fine looking . Didn’t that just sum it all up? There was