Just One Reason Read Online Free PDF Page A

watching Leah answer the phone and input data into the computer for a new listing, I excused myself to go to the bathroom.  When I returned Lana was talking quietly to Leah, and I got the distinct impression they were talking about me.  Especially since Leah snapped her head around when I walked in and smiled guiltily at me.  She clearly wasn’t a good liar.  Lana, on th e other hand, was much better.
    “Lindsay, I’m going out to preview a few new listings for a buyer, so I won’t be back in the office this afternoon.  You and Leah can hold down the fort until 4:00, then go ahead and go.  It’s Saturday, so find something fun to do,” she said before she breezed out the door.  Yeah, right - find something fun?  The only person I knew in town would probably run the other way if he saw me.
    It was pretty easy to catch on, and Saturday was a slow time in the office, so I answered the phone the rest of the time and made Leah lay down on the couch in the reception area.  She might not be able to see her feet, but I could, and her ankles had become cankles.  I was typing a phone message into the system when Leah sat up and peered at my toes.  “That’s a pretty color on your toes.  I can’t even reach my toes, and there’s no way I’ll let my husband paint them.  That would be a mess.”
    I frowned at her and glanced at the clock - 3:45.  I’m sure Lana wouldn’t mind if we closed up shop a little early today.  I grabbed my purse and handed Leah’s to her.  “Come on, Leah.  We’re going to get you a pedicure.”
    She blinked at me in surprise.  “Oh, I don’t know.  I’m trying to save any extra money for when I’m off work with the baby.”
    I dragged her out the door and l ocked up behind us.  “My treat,“ I said. “And I insist.  I’m not taking no for an answer.”
    She smiled sweetly and clapped her hands . “Well, okay.  If you insist.”  I had passed a small nail salon on my walk here, so I asked Leah if that place would be good.
    She laughed, “Well, it will have to be.  It’s the only place in town.”
    Oh, right.  I would have to get used to small town living.  Fortunately, Nancy’s New Nails took walk-ins, and the place was empty when we walked in.  Not sure if that was a good sign or not.  Manicures and pedicures were my go to activity whenever Taryn or I were feeling down, so I decided to get my nails done too.  I convinced Leah to get the gel polish even if it was more expensive, because it would last longer.  It was fun, and I hoped that Leah and I could become friends.  With Taryn several hours away I would need to make friends here.
    We sat side by side in the pedicure chairs, and I could tell Leah was enjoying the hot bubbling foot bath.  I asked her, “So , Leah, did you grow up here?”
    She turned her head to face me but kept it relaxed back against the head rest.  “Yup, I’ve lived here all my life.  My husband, Josh, and I were high school sweethearts.  Though he was a senior when I was a freshman, so he had to wait for me a while before my p arents would let me date him.”
    “How old are you?”  I asked.
    “Twenty-one,” she replied, “You?”
    I nodded and answered, “Same.  Twenty-one.”  I chewed on the inside of my cheek and did the math in my head.  Leah and I are the same age, and her husband is three years older, just like Grady.  I remember Grady talking about a friend named Josh, though I had never met him.  Surely it wasn’t the same Josh.  Even in a town this size there had to be a lot of guys named Josh…who were twenty-four.  Shit.   I really hoped the one potential friend I had here wasn’t married to the best friend of the guy whose heart I broke five years ago.
    “Lindsay, are you okay?  You look kind of freaked out,” Leah said.
    I snapped out of m y daze and put on a fake smile.  “Sure, I’m fine.  What color did you decide on?”  I successfully changed the subject as Leah showed me the