Right Brother Read Online Free PDF Page B

unlocked. That equalized the balance of power and kept them both silent.
    â€œI could meet you at the café in half an hour,” Jennifer offered.
    â€œI’ve eaten.”
    â€œFor dessert and coffee then.”
    â€œHad dessert. Don’t want any more coffee.”
    This time Ashley made no pretense of hiding the eye rolling. “Well, we haven’t eaten, and I’m starved. So go away—”
    â€œAshley.”
    â€œWell, geez,” the girl said, then subsided into mumbles under her mother’s stern look. The only word he caught was dense .
    â€œI’ll come in while you get the projections,” he said. Seeing the inside might not be confirmation of what he’d been hearing, but it added to the evidence. “Then leave you in peace to have your dinner.”
    Jennifer caught the left corner of her bottom lip between her teeth. “The projections require some explanation. Come in, and if it won’t delay you too much, I’ll start dinner then go over the projections with you.”
    â€œOkay.”
    â€œGreat.” Ashley’s sarcasm was about as subtle as her eye rolling. “I’ll be in my room if dinner’s ready before midnight.” She stalked away.
    Jennifer pressed herself against the far wall to minimize contact. He accommodated her by also turning his back to the wall, to leave the most room possible for her to pass. But he’d been right about the effect of two adult bodies in this narrow space. There was no way not to touch.
    Her shoulder brushed his arm. The sleeve bottom of her big shirt feathered across him—hip, crotch, hip—and he felt the instinctive stirring.
    The top of her lowered head was under his nose. The blondhair might be matted but it smelled sweet. Her knee bumped his leg as she climbed the stairs sideways.
    Her gaze flashed to him. “Sorry.”
    â€œNo problem.”
    Once clear of him, she shot past. At the landing she drew an audible breath, then gestured for him to enter.
    A door slammed down the hallway. Jennifer seated him on the couch, excused herself, then went down the hall. He heard her open a door, speak quiet but concentrated words, close that door and open another.
    He took the opportunity to look around. The couch’s leather was good quality, but showed wear. Side chairs flanked a table under windows that had to overlook a parking lot by his reckoning. A wall unit held books, a modest TV and an even more modest audio unit. An aged air conditioner clogging one window wasn’t turned on, even though the room was just this side of uncomfortable. A dining counter separated the living room from a kitchen that would have felt at home in a camper.
    He looked down the hall and saw it made a sharp turn to the right. What were the chances he could poke around down there?
    A door opening somewhere around that bend gave him his answer. He was seated again when Jennifer appeared. She had fluffed her hair, washed her face and changed into clean slacks and a shirt.
    â€œIf you’d like to look these over while I start dinner…” She handed him a binder he nearly dropped because he hadn’t expected its weight.
    â€œWould you like something to drink?” she added.
    â€œThanks, yes.” A drink could provide a prop now, a reason to linger later. He followed her to the kitchen, taking a seat on one of two stools at the dining bar, which was empty except for a glass jar holding a yellow rose not quite opened. Not a store-bought rose, he thought, judging by the holes intwo of the leaves framing the bud. She turned, a frown between her brows again.
    The stool creaked as he shifted on its hard seat.
    â€œYou’ll be more comfortable on the couch.”
    â€œI’m comfortable here.” He could observe her. “Don’t you eat here?”
    â€œWe have a little balcony. We eat there in the summer.”
    How little was little? He’d seen no sign of a