Read Barbara Freethy - Some Kind Of Wonderful for Free Online Page B

season,"
she'd say. And Caitlyn always hoped that next season would be
different. That somehow, some way, she would find her passion again,
her creativity . . . her soul.

But it probably wouldn't be today, she thought realistically as she
switched the car seat from one hand
to the other and looked down at
Emily.

"Today, we just deal with you," Caitlyn said out loud, knowing even as
she said it that Emily was
another excuse in a long line of excuses.

Caitlyn could just imagine what Jolie would say when she saw Emily. It
would go something like, "Caitlyn. have you lost your freakin' mind?"
For Jolie, a thirty-year-old statuesque redhead with an hourglass
figure that drove most men to incomprehensible babble, was as blunt as
she was honest.
She'd grown up with Caitlyn and was used to speaking
her mind, even if her opinion wasn't asked for.

Caitlvn opened the front door to Devereaux's and walked up the stairs
to her second-floor shop. The bridal salon took up the entire top floor
of the Victorian, with bridesmaid, mother of the bride, and flower girl
dresses in the front, wedding dresses and three large dressing rooms in
the back. In a small alcove on the side, Jolie had also set up an
accessory business, with wedding favors, invitations, and a video
library featuring local wedding vendors.

Caitlyn smiled at a few of the women browsing through the racks in
front and headed directly to the large oak desk by the bay window thai
overlooked Union Street. Jolie sat behind the desk, adding up receipts
on her calculator. She didn't even bother to look up, so Caitlyn set
Emily's car seat down on one of the comfortable leather chairs.

"'Just a sec," Jolie said.

Caitlyn was happy to wait just a second. Emily was not. She took that
moment to open her tiny angel mouth and let out a scream worthy of any
horror movie heroine.

Jolie looked up in surprise, her eyes widening when she saw Caitlyn and
the baby. "Who is this?"

"'This is Emily." Caitlyn reached into the bag for the bottle she'd
prepared and put it into Emily's mouth, effectively ending her scream.
She'd already learned one thing—when Emily got hungry, she got mad.

Jolie stared at Caitlyn in amazement. "Who does she belong to?"

"My neighbor."

"You live in a no-children-allowed building."

"It was until last night."

"And you're baby-sitting?" Jolie ventured.

"For the moment. Matt was supposed to be back by eleven, but I'm
beginning to realize he's habitually late."

Jolie shook her head in bewilderment. "Are you out of your freakin'
mind?"

Caitlyn smiled. "I knew you would say that. You are so predictable."

"And you usually are, too. You 'houkl knr>w be'uv than to take care
of a baby,"

"Why?"

"You know what happens to women in their late twenties. The baby clock
starts licking off like a time bomb. Instead of concentrating on your
wedding sketches, you'll be dreaming about pink baby booties, and
you'll be impossible to live with."

Caitlyn immediately shook her head. "It won'! happen to me. I'm focused
on the business. You know that."

"So you say," Jolie replied, sending her a suspicious look. "But I
remember all those times you made me play house, so this dramatic turn
into career woman has me a bit confused. I thought maybe you were just
cooling off after Brian and
your broken engagement, but. . ." She paused. "You have changed,
Caity,
and I'm not sure I like it."

Caitlyn shrugged. "Everyone changes, even you. You're not the same girl
you were before Mark cheated on you."'

"Is that what Brian did to you?"

"I thought you'd decided to stop asking me that question."

"'I thought maybe you'd finally tell me. I've been very patient."

Caitlyn adjusted the bottle in Emily's mouth as she started to whimper.
"Do you think she's taking in air?"

"How would I know that? Unlike you, I've never been a baby person."

"I wish Matt would come back." Caitlyn checked her watch again. "We'll
only get busier as the day
goes on."

"Who is Matt again?"

"My neighbor. His sister