Friends--And Then Some Read Free Page B

had regained her equilibriumand could smile over the peculiar events in the attic.
    “What’s so amusing?” He didn’t sound the least bit pleased by their adventure, and stalked ahead of her, sitting in the fan-back bamboo chair usually reserved for Gram.
    “Honestly, Jake, can you imagine
us kissing
?”
    “We just did,” he reminded her soberly, his voice firm as his watchful eyes studied her. “And if we’re both smart, we’ll forget it ever happened.”
    Lily sat on the sofa, tucking her legs under her. “I suppose you’re right. It’s just that after being such good friends for the past year, it was a shock. Elaine would never forgive me.”
    “Would you lay off Elaine? I’ve told you a thousand times that it’s been over for months.” Jake grimaced at the sound of the other woman’s name. His relationship with Elaine Wittenberg had developed nicely in the beginning. She was impressed with his writing, encouraging even. Then bit by bit, with intrusive politeness, Elaine had started to reorganize his life. First came the suggestion that he change jobs. Driving a cab didn’t pay that well, and with his talents he could do anything. She started introducing him to her friends, making contacts for him. The problem was that Jake liked his life exactly the way it was. Elaine had been a close call—too close. Jake had come within inches of waking up one morning living in a three-bedroom house with a white picket fence and a new car parked in the garage—a house and a car with big monthly payments. True, Lily was just as eager for the same material possessions, but at least she was honest about it.
    “Well, you needn’t worry,” Lily told him, taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly. “Just because we kissed, it doesn’t mean anything.”
    Her logic irritated him. “Let’s not talk about it, all right? It was a mistake and it’s over.”
    Lily arched a delicate brow and shrugged one shoulder. “Fine.” His attitude didn’t please her in the least. As far as she knew, Jake wasn’t one to sweep things under the carpet and forget they existed. If anything, he faced life head-on.
    Abruptly getting to his feet, Jake stalked to the other side of the living room. Confused, Lily watched the impatient, angry way he moved. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said on his way to the front door.
    “Okay.”
    The door closed and Lily didn’t move. What an incredibly strange night it had been. First, the golden opportunity to find that crazy song for the Texan. Then, wilder still was Jake’s kissing her in the attic. Even now she could feel the pressure of his mouth on hers, and the salty-sweet taste of him lingered on her lips. He’d held her close, his scent heightened by the stuffy air of the attic.
    But, Lily realized with a start, the kiss had been a moment out of time and was never meant to be. Jake was right. They should simply put it out of their minds and forget it had happened. A single kiss should be no threat to a year of solid friendship. They knew each other too well to get caught up in a romantic relationship. Lily had seen the type of woman Jake usually went for, and she wasn’t even close to it. Jake’s ideal woman was Mother Teresa, Angelina Jolie, and Betty Crocker all rolled into one perfect female specimen. Conversely, her ideal man was Daddy Warbucks, Bruce Willis and Mr. Goodwrench. No … Jake and she would always be friends; they’d make terrible lovers …
    * * *
    The next morning when Lily found her way into the kitchen, Gram was already up and about. Her bright red hair was tightly curled into a hundred ringlets and held in place with bobby pins.
    “Morning,” Lily mumbled and pulled out a kitchen chair, eager to speak to her grandmother.
    Gram didn’t acknowledge the greeting. Instead, the older woman concentrated on opening a variety of bottles, extracting her daily quota of pills.
    Lily waited until her grandmother had finished swallowing thirteen garlic tablets and