Read Halfway There for Free Online Page B

porch.”
    Ryan chuckled. “This is a tough crowd.”
    “You have no idea,” Josh told him.
    Fayrene poured the wine while Charity passed around the plate of bruschetta.
    “Where are the kids?” Fayrene asked, then turned to Ryan. “The Goldens have a son and a daughter.”
    “I’m a good breeder,” Charity joked. “They’re with my grandmother. Marsha loves her time with the kids. I swear, she’d take them every night if we asked.”
    “That’s not going to happen,” Josh told her. “We need those kids around.” His expression filled with pride. “This is Hunter’s first night away from us since being born last month.”
    “Are you panicked about him being gone?” Fayrene asked.
    “A little nervous,” Charity admitted. “But my grandmother is very capable, and it’s time to get him used to going other places. We were pretty much cocooned here for the past couple of months, so I’m excited about having a social life again.”
    Fayrene started to pour wine into all four glasses. Charity stopped her.
    “None for me. I’m still breast-feeding.”
    Josh got up and went into the kitchen. When he returned he had a glass of sparking water with a fresh wedge of lime. “For you,” he said, handing it to his wife, then sitting beside her.
    Ryan looked at Fayrene. “I checked in with Misty. She says hi.”
    “Did she? How’s she doing?”
    “Great. The kittens have their eyes open. You should see them before we leave.”
    “I’d like that.”
    “You can take a couple with you, if you want,” Josh offered.
    Charity patted his arm. “He doesn’t mean that. He’s a little overwhelmed with a newborn and kittens in the house at the same time.”
    “There’s a moratorium on pregnancies,” Josh muttered, reaching for another piece of bruschetta. He glanced at Fayrene. “What are your plans for the summer?”
    Ryan raised his eyebrows. “I don’t think I like that question.”
    Josh looked confused while Fayrene and Charity laughed. Josh chuckled a second later.
    “Sorry. I wasn’t linking those topics. I’ve been meaning to call you,” he told Fayrene. “There’s going to be a summer program at my cycling school again. There are more people interested than there were last year. I was swamped then, and I don’t know how I’m going to handle it this year.”
    “So he’s made the decision not to,” Charity said.
    “She’s right. I want to hire you to manage the whole program. Let’s set up a meeting to figure out what I need done and how many hours it will take. The workload is pretty heavy.”
    “I can handle it,” Fayrene told him, doing her best to sound confident. “I’ll call you tomorrow and set up an appointment for us to talk.”
    “Thanks.”
    Talk turned to the rapidly approaching tourist season and how the number of festivals seemed to grow every year. Charity excused herself to check on dinner and Josh went with her.
    Ryan touched Fayrene’s arm. “You still with us?”
    She’d been thinking about work rather than participating in the conversation. “It was obvious I wasn’t listening?”
    “Only to me. Was it the new job with Josh?”
    She nodded and held on to his hand. “This is a big opportunity. Not just because it’s going to be a lot of work, but because Josh knows everyone in town. He’s really connected in the business community, so if he’s happy with my work it could be a real boost to my business.”
    She thought about what she already had scheduled. “Wow—if he wants me more than fifteen hours a week, I’m going to have to hire someone part-time to help. That would be so great.”
    “I’m dating a tycoon.”
    “Not yet, but one day.”
    * * *
     
    FAYRENE SAT CROSS-legged on her sister’s sofa. Dellina stared toward the kitchen.
    “She takes this too seriously. It’s lunch.” Dellina leaned back in her chair. “Why do you have to take this so seriously?” she yelled toward the kitchen.
    “Because I’m talented and you’re not