Love Letters Read Online Free PDF Page A

after her father died. Although he didn’t provide the same spark she felt when she met Josh, she felt safe with him. He offered the security her mom wanted for her, and she was certain, with time, he would ease up on work and realize what was most important.
    “ But now Josh is back.” Nicole pursed her lips.
    Before Chloe could answer, she saw a blue Ford Mustang pass by. She glanced over to see if it was Josh only to discover that it wasn’t. Did she want to see him again? She knew that she and Richard would do great … or at least she hoped so. But then again she didn’t want to wake up after thirty years and realize he wasn’t the one.
    Oh no! I refuse to be like my parents or Nicole’s parents. And yet she couldn’t imagine the pain she’d go through if Josh left her again. Like Nina Taylor after her husband left her, a little voice in her head reminded her, a voice that sounded just like her mother’s. She rubbed her arms at the sudden chill.
    Occasionally, they would see Nina around town and Suzanne would point her out to Chloe. “See how awful she looks?” her mother would whisper. “That’s what happens when you let your emotions get the best of you.”
    Nicole snapped her fingers to get Chloe’s attention. “I’m just worried about you, girl. And I have to admit I’ll miss you when you move.” Nicole looked out the window of the Jetta and bit her lip.
    “ That’s so sweet of you,” Chloe said, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. “I’ll call you every day. And who knows, you and Matt can come visit us on the weekends.”
    “ I’m going to miss our spur of the moment luncheons, especially the juicy gossip we have about Mrs. Hamilton.” Nicole loved to tell Chloe about her client who was having an extra-marital affair.
    “ You’ll always be my best friend.” Chloe stuck out her pinky finger.
    “ You’ll always be mine,” Nicole said, clutching her finger.
    “ Now, can we look at some cake?”
    “ Cake it is.” Nicole smiled.
     
    ***
    Josh was sitting inside his office with his feet up while balancing the sales of the day when the phone rang. “Surfing Buddies, how can I help you?”
    “ Josh … it’s me.”
    Josh put his feet down, turned his chair away from his desk and sighed. “Yes, Trish. What can I do for you?”
    “ Oh, don’t you say that to me, you know why I’m calling,” Trish whined. “I miss you, babe.”
    He tensed at her words. How many times did he have to tell her that it was over between them? He had tried to be as gentle as possible, yet she didn’t seem to get the message. Perhaps he should be more firm. “Trish, we’ve already discussed this before and I don’t want to —”
    “ I know we have,” Trish interrupted. “But can’t you at least give me another chance? It’s not like we went out for a month. We were together for three years.”
    Josh bit his pencil. “It was off and on again, Trish, and what difference does it make now?”
    “ Because I love you, Josh, and I will never stop loving you. So please give me another chance.”
    Josh took a deep breath. “Trish, I’m only going to repeat this once. You and I are very different from each other. You like living the fancy life working for your high-paying, glamorous job, while I’m just not that kind of guy. I can’t live your superficial lifestyle. I’m sorry, Trish.”
    He could hear her sobbing over the phone. “Why can’t you change for me?”
    “ You never accepted me for who I am, Trish, yet you say you love me,” Josh said. “When you love someone it has to be unconditionally.”
    “ I know why you went back to Half Moon Bay,” Trish said, lowering her voice. “It’s because of Chloe isn’t it?”
    Josh gripped the phone tighter. He regretted having told Trish about Chloe. Aside from Trish, Chloe had been his only other real girlfriend. He was a one-woman type of guy and he had to admit that seeing Chloe again yesterday had brought back wonderful memories. She