wouldn’t hurt anything to make up a demo CD. You have the talent to make it, but the choice is yours.”
Without so much as a second thought she shook her head. “I’m not going tochange my mind.” She stood and deposited her Styrofoam cup in the garbage on her way out the door.
The sad puppy cried pitifully when Skye replaced the barrier confining him to the kitchen. He had been frolicking between her feet and chewing on the bright, fuzzy slippers she wore. Large chocolate pools of misery watched as she petted him and whispered soothingly.
She would have to hurry and change clothes or she would be late for Janey’s birthday dinner. But every time she left sight of the pup, he would yelp and howl. Twice John Dirkson had been over to complain about the noise. Skye had difficulty keeping her temper the second time, but smiled sweetly and promised to do her best. Her relationship with John had been strained, and she wasn’t sorry to hear he was moving at the end of the month.
With the puppy moderately quiet, she chose her most becoming new dress. The musky rose color accentuated the light tones of her hair, while the soft gathers at the waist emphasized her willowy suppleness. She’d finished fastening the button-loop closure down the front and knotting the tie when the doorbell rang.
Could it be Jordan? This was the night they had set their dinner date, but he had been distant and uncommunicative the day before. No, it wouldn’t be him, but perhaps someday God would send him back into her life and she could make proper amends. She finished buckling the strap of her shoe and hobbled across her living room, one shoe on, one shoe off. It must be John to complain about the pup again.
It wasn’t. “Jordan,” she breathed, feeling stiff and nervous.
“Hello. May I come in?” he asked. His eyes widened in appreciation as he did an appraising sweep of her appearance.
Still suffering the effects of surprise, she stepped aside. “Of course; I’m sorry.”
He moved past her into the living room, his eyes warm and amused as he watched her hobbling about with only one shoe.
“I didn’t think you were coming,” she began unevenly.
“Did I say I wasn’t?” His eyes left hers momentarily and fell upon the puppy confined in her kitchen. “Your burglar alarm system?” he joked casually. “I see. Once warned, you attack the intruder, using your shoe as a weapon.” A crooked smile turned up the edges of his mouth as he glanced at the high-heeled sandal in her hand.
“Of course not.” Her step faltered slightly as she slipped the shoe on as gracefully as possible.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“What?”
“Your money? I’d hate to see you leave home without it.”
“Why are you here?” she asked him breathlessly, confused.
“I thought we had a date.”
“I … I didn’t think you meant to keep it.” Skye knew she wouldn’t be able to maintain this pretense of self-possession much longer.
“Clearly you’ve made other arrangements.” It was a statement full of irritation.
It would be easy to lie again, let him assume another half-truth. He would go then, and she knew with an unexplainable certainty that she wouldn’t see him again.
“It’s my niece’s birthday. I was going to have dinner with my family. Janey’s nine today.”
“Ahh … Jane, that’s where you got the name.”
“My given name is Jane, too.” She sat directly opposite him, pausing to buckle her shoe. “Jordan, listen. I don’t remember how the whole thing started, letting you believe the singer was someone else. I’ve felt terrible all week.”
“Let’s forget it,” he said tightly.
“I don’t want to forget it, and I doubt that I’ll be able to until I explain myself. I didn’t mean to mislead you. I’m not even sure why I did. Maybe it was because I didn’t want to talk about myself that first night. Or perhaps I wanted you to like me for myself, not for any talent I may possess. Can
Without so much as a second thought she shook her head. “I’m not going tochange my mind.” She stood and deposited her Styrofoam cup in the garbage on her way out the door.
The sad puppy cried pitifully when Skye replaced the barrier confining him to the kitchen. He had been frolicking between her feet and chewing on the bright, fuzzy slippers she wore. Large chocolate pools of misery watched as she petted him and whispered soothingly.
She would have to hurry and change clothes or she would be late for Janey’s birthday dinner. But every time she left sight of the pup, he would yelp and howl. Twice John Dirkson had been over to complain about the noise. Skye had difficulty keeping her temper the second time, but smiled sweetly and promised to do her best. Her relationship with John had been strained, and she wasn’t sorry to hear he was moving at the end of the month.
With the puppy moderately quiet, she chose her most becoming new dress. The musky rose color accentuated the light tones of her hair, while the soft gathers at the waist emphasized her willowy suppleness. She’d finished fastening the button-loop closure down the front and knotting the tie when the doorbell rang.
Could it be Jordan? This was the night they had set their dinner date, but he had been distant and uncommunicative the day before. No, it wouldn’t be him, but perhaps someday God would send him back into her life and she could make proper amends. She finished buckling the strap of her shoe and hobbled across her living room, one shoe on, one shoe off. It must be John to complain about the pup again.
It wasn’t. “Jordan,” she breathed, feeling stiff and nervous.
“Hello. May I come in?” he asked. His eyes widened in appreciation as he did an appraising sweep of her appearance.
Still suffering the effects of surprise, she stepped aside. “Of course; I’m sorry.”
He moved past her into the living room, his eyes warm and amused as he watched her hobbling about with only one shoe.
“I didn’t think you were coming,” she began unevenly.
“Did I say I wasn’t?” His eyes left hers momentarily and fell upon the puppy confined in her kitchen. “Your burglar alarm system?” he joked casually. “I see. Once warned, you attack the intruder, using your shoe as a weapon.” A crooked smile turned up the edges of his mouth as he glanced at the high-heeled sandal in her hand.
“Of course not.” Her step faltered slightly as she slipped the shoe on as gracefully as possible.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“What?”
“Your money? I’d hate to see you leave home without it.”
“Why are you here?” she asked him breathlessly, confused.
“I thought we had a date.”
“I … I didn’t think you meant to keep it.” Skye knew she wouldn’t be able to maintain this pretense of self-possession much longer.
“Clearly you’ve made other arrangements.” It was a statement full of irritation.
It would be easy to lie again, let him assume another half-truth. He would go then, and she knew with an unexplainable certainty that she wouldn’t see him again.
“It’s my niece’s birthday. I was going to have dinner with my family. Janey’s nine today.”
“Ahh … Jane, that’s where you got the name.”
“My given name is Jane, too.” She sat directly opposite him, pausing to buckle her shoe. “Jordan, listen. I don’t remember how the whole thing started, letting you believe the singer was someone else. I’ve felt terrible all week.”
“Let’s forget it,” he said tightly.
“I don’t want to forget it, and I doubt that I’ll be able to until I explain myself. I didn’t mean to mislead you. I’m not even sure why I did. Maybe it was because I didn’t want to talk about myself that first night. Or perhaps I wanted you to like me for myself, not for any talent I may possess. Can
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