The Girl in the Comfortable Quiet Read Online Free PDF Page A

now everyone wants a piece of him. He is big business not a musician
anymore. But you’ve got to lay down the law, Chrissie, and not let them walk
all over you.”
    I tilt my head to meet Jack’s eyes directly. “I
would have, but no one told me what was happening. Including you. Why didn’t
you tell me?”
    He looks uncomfortable. “You don’t need any
stress, any pressure right now. I thought damage control the best option.”
    Smiling, Linda leans around Jack to look at me.
“I’m the damage control.”
    They both laugh, but something about their manner
is bugging the hell out of me.
    I step out of Jack’s embrace. “I should probably
say hello to Michelle and thank her for all she’s done.”
    Linda lets out an exasperated breath. “Crap, what
am I doing monopolizing the guest of honor? We’re going to have plenty of time
to catch up this week.” She turns to my father. “Jack, get your girl out to the
party. But don’t let that bastard Ernie near her.”
    Their eyes meet. “I won’t,” he says in a silly,
exaggerated way. “I definitely don’t want you pissed at me. The best part of
the morning was watching you run all over Ernie.”
    She arches a brow. “Aha.”
    Grinning, Jack shifts his gaze from her, and
before I can try to figure out that one, my dad is guiding me through the
crowd.
    We step beneath the tent, and this time, I’m
gratefully swallowed up in the large circle of Stantons. Soon, Jack and I are
both smiling and laughing, trying to keep up with their racing chatter and
festive spirit.
    “Chrissie!”
    My smile grows enormous and I whirl in the
direction of Mia Stanton’s voice. For a moment my eyes fix on Linda, standing
alone at the edge of the party, her posture a smidge like that of a security
guard and her gaze observing everything.
    My heart contracts, though I’m not certain why.
Only the way Linda is watching me makes me sad. Very, very sad.

 
    CHAPTER THREE
     
    I
sit in the passenger seat as Jack slowly drives the last miserably bumpy mile
to my house.
    I sneak a peek at him from of my peripheral
vision. This is strange. Really strange. Jack driving me home in my car. Linda
following behind in Jack’s. Wouldn’t it have made more sense for Linda to take
me back up the mountain since everyone after the party made such a fuss over my
exhausted state and none of them wanted me to drive?
    Somehow it just sort of happened this way. And
it’s definitely lame to be bothered by it since I really am too tired to drive.
I lean my head against the window. Maybe it’s only because I’m ready to be done
with this day.
    “You hanging in there, baby girl?”
    The way Jack says that tells me he’s worrying
about me. I’m not sure it’s just about my being pregnant or because I did a bad
job today of hiding how irritated I am with Neil about the Ernie thing.
    “Sure, Daddy. I’m great.” I turn my face toward
him and smile. “It was just a long day for me. Kaley and I are not used to this
level of excitement.”
    I make a comical face.
    Jack laughs. “Me, too.”
    I pull down the visor and look in the mirror. I
frown. “Is Linda still behind us? I can’t see her. If she gets lost on the
mountain we may never find her again.”
    Jack’s chuckles deepen. “She’s there. The woman
drives like a maniac. I couldn’t shake her if I wanted to.”
    His voice is affectionately teasing and my
memories carry me back to the Rowans’ red Ferrari and my drive with Linda in
upstate New York. Then in an unavoidable flow my mind drifts to Alan.
    I chase away my wandering thoughts by wondering
how Jack would know that Linda is a crazy driver. I frown. Probably just a
natural assumption given her personality.
    My mobile phone starts ringing. I grab it from my
purse and flip it open, reading the caller ID.
    Good one, Neil. Call when I’m pissed at you and
trapped in a car with Jack so I can’t get as angry as I want to.
    I hit the answer button and put the phone to my
ear.