Calling Me Home Read Online Free

forward to tonight.
    I got a reply straight away. I miss you. I can’t wait to see you.
    My skin hummed and my grin spread.
    “Someone’s a lucky man.” I glanced up to find Richard looking between me and the flowers. My face fell.
    “I . . .” How did I respond to that?
    He rested his hand on my shoulder. “I mean it. He’s a lucky guy. You don’t need to explain.”
    I exhaled. “I’m sorry,” I said. I couldn’t offer any platitudes. Couldn’t say it wasn’t serious. I was as serious about Luke as I’d ever been about anything.
    “Don’t be. You’re amazing. Of course you have suitors left and right. I’m surprised I was allowed to be one of them, even if it was for a short time.”
    My heart ached at his words. He was such a generous man, and in so many ways it would have been so much easier if I could have fallen for him.
    “Well, I happen to know that you have them queueing around the block. And rightly so,” I said.
    He brushed a strand of my hair away from my face and smiled, but didn’t reply. My phone buzzing in my pocket interrupted the moment. “I’ll see you around,” he said, and then he was gone.
    “Hi, Haven,” I answered. It was unusual for her to call in the middle of the day. My mind flicked to her growing bump. I hoped nothing was wrong.
    “I’m sorting out Christmas. We need a plan. You’re not going to Hong Kong?”
    She was right; I wasn’t going to see my parents. There was little chance I’d get enough time off work to fly out there, and anyway, last time I’d been my mother spent the whole time accusing my dad of cheating on her. He’d denied it, but they’d done nothing but row. It had been exhausting and anything but merry. “Nope.”
    “So I thought it would be easier to eat out rather than do it all ourselves. I found a great place in Mayfair. I’ve booked us in for dinner tonight to test it out.”
    “I can’t go tonight. Can’t you take Jake?”
    “No, he has some investor thing, and anyway, I want to go with you.”
    “Well, I’m busy.” I raced through the possible lies I could tell her that might satisfy her that I couldn’t cancel when she asked me the inevitable.
    “Why can’t you come?”
    “I have a thing.” Could I get away with being vague? I didn’t want to lie to her.
    “A thing? What sort of thing? What’s going on?”
    “Nothing, just a business school thing. Like a mixer.” I cringed as I spoke.
    “Before you’ve even got in? That’s a bit cruel if you don’t get accepted, isn’t it? They’re dangling what might have been in front of you.”
    My stomach churned, but I just wasn’t ready to hear what she had to say about Luke and me. I wanted to be on more solid footing before we told her, before we told anyone. Haven’s opinion mattered to both of us, and if she wasn’t going to offer her blessing, I needed to feel comfortable enough with Luke and me to give her time to change her mind—to win her over. Of course, what I really wanted to do was separate the part of her that was Luke’s sister and tell my best friend that I’d found the love of my life. As much as I was afraid I couldn’t handle her disapproval, I still wanted to share my excitement. I knew that the best friend bit of Haven would be nothing but delighted that Luke and I had found a way to be together.
    “I don’t know. I just have to go.”
    “Suit yourself. Go meet with new, fun, interesting, childless people. I don’t care.” Haven’s tone was melodramatic, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
    “I can go tomorrow night. How about that?” As I was saying the words, I realized that it obviously meant that I couldn’t see Luke if I was out with Haven, and although I didn’t want us to be too much too soon, I wasn’t sure how I would handle a whole day without seeing him.
    “Okay, I’ll rebook. Jake might make tomorrow. Shall I ask Luke and Beth?”
    “I don’t mind.” I tried to sound casual, but I was conflicted. I would get to see