Foolish Notions Read Free

she
contemplated—“paramount.”
    “I like to think so.”
    “Do you?”
    “Yes, it’s my greatest
weapon.”
    “Weapon for what?”
    “My line of business.”
    “Perhaps you can tell me about
your line of business sometime.” She paused for a moment. “I’m
Samantha.”
    James broke a smile too and extended
his hand across the table. “Samantha. I like that.”
    “Is this how you approach all
women?” she asked cautiously.
    James shook his head and took a drink.
“No, you’re the first.”
    She wrinkled her nose. “That’s
good to know.”
    “Does it work?”
    She stuck her tongue in the side of her
cheek as she thought. “It might.”
    His thumb tapped against the table with
the beat of the music. “When will you let me know?”
    “By the end of the night.”
    That was good enough for him. “How
come you’re not out on the dance floor?” He looked over
to the group that she had come with.
    She straightened her leg so it poked
out from beneath the table. “I broke it two months ago. I just
got the cast off yesterday. I don’t want to push my luck, so
I’m sitting this one out.”
    Looking a little closer he could see
that below the knee was a few shades lighter than the rest of her
leg. “What happened?”
    She shrugged. “I had a little
surfing accident.”
    “First timer?”
    “Nope. I’ve been doing it
all my life.” She rolled her eyes as she thought about it. “It
was pretty embarrassing to be carried out of the water by two
lifeguards I grew up with.”
    “I can imagine.”
    Her facial expression was of mock
contempt. “Thanks, that makes me feel better.”
    “I’m only teasing.”
He reached for her hand. “Promise me a dance when you’re
healed up.”
    “I think that can be arranged.”
    They had hit it off. They dated for one
incredible year before he asked her to move in with him. He had had
no reservations when making the transition, but he had never dreamed
that living together could have been so unbelievably fulfilling.
Everything between them was heightened. Their passion grew deeper as
they discovered new things about each other. He had never been so in
love or happier. He had had it all: a meaningful relationship with a
beautiful, intelligent woman, and a great job. Who could have asked
for more? It had been all his for the taking, until the unthinkable
happened. She had caught him in another woman’s arms. Before he
had a chance to explain, Samantha was gone. He raced home but she had
already left; she hadn’t even bothered to take any of her
things.
    James balled up his fists and sucked in
a deep breath of salty air. “What happened to us, Samantha?”
His eyes closed briefly; it didn’t matter. Not now.
    He reached for the list of nurses he
had set on his nightstand and left the room.

Chapter Two
    James held open the front door as the
last nurse left. He’d managed to organize seven interviews in
two days. “Thank you for coming. We’ll be in touch.”
    He looked at his mom across the room as
he walked into the living room. “Well, what did you think?”
He shuffled through the stack of résumés sitting on the
coffee table as he took a seat on the sofa. “I like number six,
what’s her name? Karen, that’s it. It says right here
that she has eight years of experience with this kind of care.”
    “Yes, number six,” Marie
said absentmindedly.
    “I like number two also. Lots of
experience, great personality.” James looked over the papers
before he tapped another résumé. “Rita is a good
candidate too.” He glanced up to see his mother looking out the
sliding glass window at the ocean. “Mom, are you listing to
me?”
    “Yes.”
    He shook the papers in his hand. “Then
what do you think? I’d like to hear your input.”
    Marie didn’t look at him. “I
suppose they’re nice.”
    “What do you mean you suppose
they’re nice? You didn’t like any of them?” He set
the résumés down and ruffled his hair in an agitated
manner.
    “Number