Who Gets the Friends? Read Online Free PDF

mountains I like to hike the trails.”
    “The last time I did that I came face to face with a bear.”
    Her eyebrows arched. “What did you do?”
    “I resisted the urge to run like hell, took his picture, then backed up the trail, very slowly.”
    “At least you kept your wits about you. Most people would’ve panicked.”
    “I didn’t say it was easy not to.”
    After dinner they walked along the cobblestone streets of the historic Oregon District, dodging the Friday night throng of partiers that crowded the bars and nightspots. Tom noticed for the first time that the lampposts were adorned with wreaths and lights.
    The week before Thanksgiving and they’re up already. Whatever happened to getting one holiday over before you started in on the next one?
    “You’re being awfully quiet,” Jessica observed. “Something wrong?”
    “No, just thinking.” He gestured at the decorations. “This early holiday cheer reminded me of something that’s been on my mind lately.”
    “What?”
    He hesitated. “Something I didn’t think much about when I moved out a few months ago. The other day I looked at the calendar and realized that Thanksgiving is next week, then we get into the Christmas rush, then the big panic over where you’ll spend New Year’s Eve and who you’ll spend it with.”
    Jessica stopped, rested her palm on his cheek and peered into his eyes. “Want to hear something funny? I was thinking the same thing the other day.”
    Tom ran his hand along her upper arm. “You were right—what a pair we make.”
    She glanced down. “Tom, you aren’t the only one who’s facing their first holiday season alone for the first time in a long time.”
    He placed his fingertips under her chin and raised her face to look into her soft eyes. “Guess that’s another thing to add to my adjustment list, huh?”
    She giggled. “I guess. What will you do?”
    They resumed walking arm in arm. “Thanksgiving is a no-brainer. My whole family always gets together at my brother’s place. It’s become a tradition. What will you do?”
    “I’m scheduled to work the holiday.”
    “That doesn’t seem right.”
    She shrugged. “Call it my good deed. One of the other nurses had plans with her family and asked if I’d switch with her. It isn’t that big a deal.”
    “Don’t you have family to spend the day with?”
    “Not close. They’re all in Cincinnati. I may run down there after I get off work that afternoon.” She paused. “I’m just not sure I want to be around all that sympathy.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “There’s bound to be some cousin I haven’t seen in a long time who’ll try too hard to make me feel better. You know, they’ll overdo it with the I-know-just-how-you-feel-because-something-like-that-happened-to-me-once routine.”
    “I know what you mean. When I was first separated I got the same thing from my oldest brother, who’s been married to the same woman for twenty-two years.”
    “How did you handle it?”
    “I listened to his well-intentioned but misguided advice, then finally said I didn’t know you’d been married more than once, Jay. He shut up about it.”
    She laughed. “Family. They always mean well, but somehow manage to fall short.”
    They stopped walking. Tom gently rubbed her cheek and peered into her eyes. They took on a murky glow in the nightlights. Jessica put her hand on the back of his neck and urged his face closer to hers, her lips parting slightly, invitingly. Tom rested his lips on hers and gave her a warm, lingering kiss. She didn’t resist when he tentatively darted his tongue into her mouth. She kissed him with a little more intensity.
    She pulled back slightly and smiled. “Spontaneous. I like that.”
    “Thank you.”
    She ran her hand along the back of his neck. “I think we should get out of this cold night air and into someplace warmer.”
    “Where would you like to go?”
    Her gaze smoldered. “My place.”
     
    Tom followed Jessica into