Every Girl Gets Confused Read Free

that. I’m headed back to Fairfield this comingSaturday to help plan her shower. I’m even helping her pick out a gown.”
    â€œRight. You do the wedding gown thing now.”
    â€œThe wedding gown thing?”
    â€œWell, you know. You work at that shop,” he said. “And you’re living with your aunt Alva, Queenie’s sister. Heard about that too. I just wondered if you were coming home for the big day, is all. But you’ve answered that question . . . and I’m glad. Really glad. It’ll be great to see you again. I mean that. I really do.”
    This whole conversation was beyond strange. Why would Casey Lawson care if I worked at a bridal shop, or if I came home for my grandmother’s wedding? Why did it matter if I was living with my aunt in Dallas? The guy couldn’t care less about me. He’d made that obvious months ago . . . hadn’t he?
    â€œSo, are you bringing that guy with you?” Casey’s words startled me back to attention.
    â€œBrady?” Now I hesitated. “Not sure if he can come to the wedding. He’ll be having another surgery on his knee soon, so I guess it depends on how he’s healing. If he’s well enough I’m sure he’d love to come. He adores Queenie, and vice versa.”
    â€œRight. I read all about it online.” He laughed. “I mean, I heard that he’s having surgery, not that he adores Queenie. I guess we can count the Mavericks out for the playoffs this year if Brady’s not coming back to the game.” Off Casey went on a tangent, talking about basketball. As if this call had anything to do with that.
    I waited until I just couldn’t take it anymore before interrupting him. “Why did you call again, Casey?”
    â€œI . . . I just miss your voice, Katie. We used to do everything together. We were the dynamic duo. Now I’m stuck here in Oklahoma in the middle of an oil field and I’m—”
    â€œLonely.” We spoke the word together.
    â€œYeah.” He sighed. “I guess it was inevitable. Or maybe I had it coming to me.”
    He had it coming to him, all right. But that was none of my business. Not anymore. Still, maybe I should encourage the guy. “I happen to know there are a ton of available girls in Tulsa. We get a lot of bridesmaids from that area. Just look around you, Casey. God will bring the right person.”
    â€œHe did.” Casey cleared his throat. “I mean, he will.”
    That first part totally threw me. If my ex was trying to send me some sort of signals, they were mixed at best.
    At that moment the hallway outside my office door came alive with activity. Dahlia and her team of sewing aficionados came out of the studio at the back of the hallway, voices raised in some sort of argument. Nothing unusual about that these days. From the doorway, I heard Brady talking to them. Scolding, really. No doubt he was ready to leave. And though the sound of my ex-boyfriend’s voice held some appeal, I found far more reason to end the call when I turned and saw the “come hither” look in Brady’s eyes.
    So I ditched Casey. Quickly. And after a couple of deep breaths I wondered why I’d even bothered to take the call in the first place. Everything about it just felt wrong.
    â€œDo I even want to know?” Brady stepped into the room and I could read the concern in his eyes.
    I tossed my phone into my purse and tidied up my desk, preparing to leave. “Casey.”
    â€œYeah, gathered that much. What’s his deal?” Brady’s gorgeous blue eyes narrowed a bit.
    â€œI think he’s lonely.”
    â€œLonely?” Brady pulled me into his arms and planted kisses in my hair. “He’s going to have to call someone else to ease hispain. Want me to tell him that? I’ll be happy to.” He ran his fingertips along my hairline and I rested my head against his