Read Bodice of Evidence for Free Online Page A

taking you back with us.”
    â€œMaybe you should come spend the night at our house,” Mom turned to look at me. “You had quite the scare.”
    â€œI’m fine, Mom. Keep going Dad, I’m a half a mile down.”
    â€œI know,” Dad muttered.
    â€œYou shouldn’t be alone,” Mom insisted.
    â€œGage is coming by,” I said. “I won’t be alone.”
    â€œHow is that going?” Mom asked. “No one thinks it’s weird that you broke up with Bobby to start going out with his best friend?”
    â€œMom.” I had to work hard not to roll my eyes. “I told you, I out grew Bobby. I broke up with him before anything happened between Gage and me.”
    â€œNot that I was ever his biggest fan, but how does Bobby feel about all that?” Dad asked as he weaved in and out of traffic like an Indy 500 driver.
    â€œIt doesn’t matter what Bobby feels.” I sat back and crossed my arms over my chest like a twelve-year-old. I wondered why being around my parents had us all regressing about fifteen years. “Gage asked me out and I’m willing tosee where it goes. I’m taking it slow. I promise. Right now I need to put every waking hour into my new business.”
    â€œTell me exactly what you do again?” Dad asked. Whenever I would start talking about the details of my new business, his eyes would roll back in his head and my words would go in one ear and out the other.
    â€œIt’s called Perfect Proposals, Dad. I plan proposal events and then the engagement party. Like I did for Felicity. You liked my
Great Gatsby
engagement theme, didn’t you? I’ve got this other guy who wants to do a
Serendipity
-themed proposal. His girlfriend loves the movie.”
    â€œSee, there’s another thing I don’t understand,” Mom said, her face to Dad as if she knew I would tell her she was old-fashioned and he wouldn’t. “What is the big deal about proposals? In our day a guy asked a woman’s parents for permission and then got down on one knee and popped the question. There may or may not have been a ring involved. And marriages lasted. Nowadays you kids have to have elaborate proposals, wear quarter-million-dollar dresses, and spend thousands on a wedding so you can spend an equal amount on the divorce six months later.”
    â€œNot everyone spends huge sums of money, Mom,” I said. “People have budgets they work within. Not everyone is as extravagant as you see on television. And, not everyone gets divorced. There are marriages that last. Probably just as many now as in your day.”
    â€œPeople had more sense in our day,” Mom grumbled. “If you ask me, anyway. Not that you did.”
    â€œDad, my place is on the left. On the left!”
    He took a left curve into the parking area of my apartment building. Tires squealed and I rolled around the backseat wishing that the big Buick had shoulder seat belts instead of the old-fashioned lap belts.
    â€œThere you go.” Dad put the car into park and turned back to look at me. “Be careful with that new guy, do you hear me? Lots of people rebound after a long-term relationship. Don’t expect too much.”
    â€œYes, Dad, I hear you.” I unbuckled and leaned forward to give him a quick kiss on the cheek and then I gave Mom a kiss as well. “Take care of you.”
    I scooted out of the backseat, opened the car door, and stepped out into the cold and dark. The rear door to the complex was brightly lit so I moved toward it. Dad peeled out behind me. My cell phone rang as I entered the building. I pulled it out of my purse and saw it was Gage. “Hello,” I said as I stuck my key in my lock and unlocked the door. “Are you headed over?”
    â€œNearly there,” Gage said. “Are you all right?”
    â€œYes, I’m fine now.” I let the door slam behind me and I tossed my keys in a small basket by