The Marriage Wish Read Online Free PDF Page A

dressed with care. She had shopped for a new outfit. Those in her closet held too many memories. She had found a light green, long-sleeved dress. It looked expensive, moved with grace, and it helped her badly shaking self-esteem. She had bought a purse and new shoes to go with the dress. The gold necklace and earrings she wore had been a gift from Jerry.
    She was ready before Scott arrived. To keep from pacing back and forth Jennifer went into her office, picked up the black three-ring binder on her desk and the red pen beside it. She turned on the stereo, already tuned to a favorite jazz station. Finding the page marked with a paper clip, she picked up the work where she’d left off, soon forgetting the time.
    The doorbell rang. Quickly slipping the paper clip onto thetop of the page she was on, she set the book back on the desk and went to answer the door.
    He stood there, looking at the profusion of flowers growing around her porch, elegantly dressed in black slacks and an ivory dress shirt, contained, comfortable. A pleased smile lit his face as he turned and saw her. “Hello, Jennifer.”
    She smiled back. “Hello, Scott.” She stepped back to let him enter her home. “Thank you for the flowers.” She motioned to the arrangement, already nervous.
    “You’re welcome,” Scott replied easily. “Did you have a good week?”
    “Quiet,” she replied. “Let me get my purse and jacket and I’ll be ready to go.”
    She entered the living room, and he followed her. It was a simple room. A fireplace, couch, coffee table, easy chair, two end tables, display shelves. A prominent bookshelf held all the Thomas Bradford first editions.
    The pictures caught Scott’s attention. There were several on the fireplace mantel, one on the end table. Her wedding picture. Jerry. Scott looked at the picture for several moments. His competition. He was surprised at the feeling, but it could not be ignored. He was competing with Jennifer’s memories of Jerry. Jennifer looked different in the pictures. She looked young. She looked happy. The past few years had taken a great toll.
    “I’m ready,” she said quietly.
    He turned to find she had joined him again. He smiled. “Then let’s go.”
    Scott held her jacket for her to slip on. “You look beautiful tonight,” he said softly. The soft green dress had caught his attention the moment she’d opened the door, and he’d been watching it flair around her, wondering at the elegance she presented and how many more surprises she had instore for him. She was beautiful. Her face had healed, and while she still looked thin, there was color in her face and life in her eyes tonight.
    She flushed. “Thank you.”
    He gently slipped her long hair free from the collar of the jacket.
    After she locked the front door, Jennifer walked beside Scott to his car, an expensive sports car. He held the passenger door, and Jennifer slipped inside. Her car was comfortable and dependable. This car was pure luxury.
    “How does Italian sound?” Scott asked, looking over at her inquiringly.
    “I love it,” Jennifer replied.
    Scott nodded as he started the car. “I know a great place.”
    Jennifer began to relax. Scott drove well, and she found it was a relief to be able to sit back and let someone else manage the traffic. They shared a comfortable silence, rather than the strained one she had feared.
    “I’ve been looking forward to this evening all week,” Scott said, breaking the silence.
    Jennifer looked over at him, and a chuckle escaped. “The week was that bad?”
    Scott gave a slight smile. “I’ve had better,” he admitted.
    He reached down and turned on the radio, his eyes not leaving the road. Jazz. Jennifer grinned. Okay, at least they had music in common. He clicked the volume down low. She studied him as he drove and wondered what had made his week so rough. She would have to ask him later. She liked a great deal the fact he was not threatened by the silence between them. She