Ready to Love Again (Sweet Romance #2) Read Free

carry things from town.”
    “About that…” I hesitated to tell him the truth.
    “What?”
    “I don’t actually have a car. I said that in the store so you wouldn’t think I was completely lame.”
    “Oh. Well, no worries, I’ll drive you.”
    “No, you won’t. You have the store to open.”
    “So I take a couple of days off. You’re doing me a favour. To be honest, the store belongs to my father and trade is slow at the moment.”
    “Oh, well, then even more reason not to close for another day. You’ll miss any trade and some money is better than none.”
    “Trust me, my folks don’t need the extra money. They’ve made their money and sit pretty on it,” Clark explained.
    “Oh. Well…I still don’t want to be a burden.”
    “You aren’t.”
    That seemed to conclude the conversation because he pulled out his iPhone and dialled for take-out.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Two
     
     
    It had been two weeks since I’d moved into the bedsit and I was getting restless. I hadn’t gotten a job and I still hadn’t sold my house—this meant I was going to be confined to this shithole bedsit longer than I had hoped was necessary.
    Clark had become a regular fixture in my life. He was always popping round for a chat or to bring take-out. We had an easy friendship. I hadn’t thought I’d make friends fast moving here—and granted, Clark was the only one so far—but I was glad to have some company.
    I had friends back home, plenty of them, in fact. But every single one of them pitied me now, I had seen it in their eyes. One of the reasons I had moved so far away was to get away from the pity that followed me round like a bad smell. I’d bump into someone and they’d give me that look, the ‘I’m at a loss for what to say to you’ look. It was inevitable, unavoidable, and weighed down on me like a millstone around my neck.
    At least Clark didn’t pity me. He didn’t really know me or my past, so he didn’t look at me like they did. Clark was a kind and gentle soul. I knew he’d feel sorry for me if I told him about my past, which was one reason not to tell him. I didn’t want to hide who I was, I just wanted to escape from being her for a while. I’d tell Clark when the time was right. He’d only been in my life two weeks, I didn’t have to spill my guts so fast. When I eventually tell him, I’m sure he’ll understand why it took me a while. Won’t he? I sure hope so!
     
    ***
     
    I finally got some luck by way of a phone call from my old employer. They had been so understanding when I left. Claire, my old boss, rang me on the Monday morning of my third week away from home.
    “I had a feeling you would need gainful employment once you got settled, so I called in a favour and got you an interview. I can’t get you the job, only you can do that, but the interview is set for Wednesday at 9 a.m.,” Claire said.
    “That’s great, Claire, I don’t know what to say. Thank you so much. I have been looking for work but it’s so hard to get an ‘in’ in this industry unless you know the right people.”
    “I know, that’s why I called in a favour over at Emerging Butterfly. You will get the job on your own merit, but it’s good to know somebody who knows somebody, right?” she said. I could hear the smile in her voice.
    “It sure is. Thank you again. I’m so sorry I left at such short notice. You really didn’t have to do this for me,” I replied, tears springing to my eyes.
    I couldn’t help but feel sad that I had to quit my old job. I truly loved working for Peterson’s and somehow knew I would never find a job that would quite live up to it.
    “Hey, it’s understandable. I would probably have done the same in your shoes. I will give you a glowing reference, of course. You were a model employee. You’re hard-working, dedicated, loyal…You really shouldn’t have a problem getting this job. They’re an up and coming company—not the most well-known yet, but