Flat-Out Love Read Free

possibility that she might have walked into a library rather than a residence. The front hall was lined with white shelves that were absolutely packed with books. And not paperback thrillers. This was obviously not a house of casual readers. A small room opened off to the right, where a piano took up most of the sunlit space. She followed Matt to the left, into the living room, and immediately loved the feeling evoked by the décor. Tribal masks and paintings covered the walls, and a globe and a large world map sat on two end tables that encased a comfortable-looking beige sectional.
    Julie couldn’t help but notice the stark contrast between this house and her own. She liked her mother’s affinity for country plaid, yellow walls, and yard sale findings, and the way the house was always orderly and clean. Simple but homey. But as she looked around this room, Julie had to admit that there was something terribly enticing about the cluttered mass of unique statues and bold patterned pillows, as well as the general aura of academia.
    “Matt? Is that you? Did you find her?” A voice rang out from another room and was followed by the sound of quick footsteps. Julie looked up at the relieved face of the womanwho entered the room. “Julie Seagle! Are you the spitting image of your mother or what? I’m Erin Watkins. Welcome. Thank goodness your mother was able to reach me.” She crossed the floor and shook Julie’s hand.
    “Thank you so much for helping me out. It’s really nice of you to let me stay here tonight. I’m going to look for an apartment first thing in the morning.”
    Erin was nearly as tall as Matt, and Julie could feel the bones in Erin’s cool hand. Good Lord, the woman was thin. Not unhealthy-looking, but certainly delicate.
    Erin waved her hand and then brushed back a stray hair from her thick, tightly pinned bun. “I’d do anything for Kate, so you’re more than welcome to stay until you find a place. Speaking of your mother, you should let her know that you’re safe. Let me take you upstairs and show you your room, and then you can call her.”
    “I’ll show her.” Matt walked briskly over to Julie’s bags.
    “Nonsense. I know you have schoolwork to do. I’ll tell you when your father and Celeste get home with dinner. Julie, follow me.” Erin moved smoothly through the living room and picked up one of Julie’s suitcases. “I hope you’ll be comfortable here. I know you were expecting to move into your apartment today, but at least you’re not at a hotel.”
    “Mom, I really need to talk to you.”
    “Yes, yes, Matt. Relax,” Erin said.
    Julie grabbed her other bags and trailed after Erin, while Matt stood seemingly frozen in place. She turned her head back. “Thanks again for picking me up.”
    Matt nodded and rocked back on his heels, his hands in his pockets. “Sure thing.”
    Matt seemed nice enough. He was easy to talk to, if not terribly easy on the eyes, and he was certainly smart and hada sense of humor. He was a bit quirky, she supposed, but Julie guessed that she could be pretty good at handling quirky—she enjoyed a challenge. Besides, she liked that he was different from the boring crew of classmates whom she’d left behind in Ohio.
    Julie made her way up the airy staircase to the second floor. The landing was a roomy open square with four doors that presumably led to bedrooms, and a short hallway off to one side. More bright-white walls and expensive-looking artwork.
    “You’re right here,” Erin said as she pushed open a door with her shoulder. The bedroom had a definite masculine feel to it, with dark bedding and wooden shelves and a few books, pictures, stereo equipment, and DVDs. A small flat-screen TV hung across from the bed, and an empty spot on the desk had just enough room for a laptop.
    “Make yourself comfortable. The bathroom is right down the hall. I’ll put some fresh towels out for you, and…Oh, this must be Roger calling.” Erin turned her head