Chemical Attraction Read Online Free

straight.”
    Reaching up, she put his tie under his collar and made a bow. “I have a surprise for you. After your speech, your black tennis shoes are by my chair.”
    Matt kissed her hand. “Bless you, my lady. I plan on sweeping you off your feet.”
    “I don’t think so, Matt,” Amanda said. “Mayor Kilmer already asked Eva to dance with him.”
    He laughed. “We’ll just see about that. I don’t care if he is the mayor and my boss. Where’s that bastard?” He mockingly stormed off as Eva grinned. Her husband rarely showed his humorous side in public.

    From the band’s table, David watched Joe lean over to say hello to Madeline at their table. Eva shushed Joe while his dad walked to the stage. His dad waited for the crowd to quiet down.
    David whispered to his father, “Focus on mom and say your speech as if only to her.”
    He knew his dad hated public speaking. Cool and calm in any dangerous situation, his father sweated in the formal scene. His dad told him that in school he’d failed his public speaking class; he hyperventilated every single time.
    Nodding, his dad took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage. “Ladies and gentleman, thank you for coming tonight. I have lived in Allenton all my life. As a police officer for the past ten years and your Chief of Police for the last two, I’ve seen our community come together after fires and floods. Seeing us regroup again makes me proud to serve my hometown.
    “We all lost someone to last year’s flu epidemic. Having lost both parents myself, I am here to remember and celebrate their lives. The program honors all twenty-three community members who have died. To raise money for a waterfront memorial, a silent auction has been set up in the front corner. The committee would welcome any size donation. As we remember the ones we’ve lost, we must appreciate those with us now. They are the ones who make life worth living.” The crowd applauded as he took another deep breath, stepped down, then leaned toward David. “Thanks, Son.”

    Joe moved next to Madeline so Matt could sit by his wife. Eva reached under the table and slid out his black tennis shoes.
    “Nice speech, that should generate donations,” Joe said.
    “The committee did want the women to open their pocketbooks and husbands’ wallets,” he replied, changing his shoes.
    Madeline looked around the room. “I’ll open mine, but it makes me angry.”
    “Angry?” Eva asked.
    Watching the door, she continued. “I’m a scientist. It makes me angry that we can’t prevent deaths like these yet.”
    “You can directly prevent this?” Joe asked, trying to get her attention.
    “I work in research and that’s my goal. Excuse me.” She abruptly stood and walked toward a crowd by the display table.
    “Boy, Joe, you really have a way with the ladies,” Matt said. “She couldn’t wait to get away from you.”
    With an open mouth, Joe stared at Madeline. “What did I do?”
    “You can’t charm everyone,” Eva replied, shrugging her shoulders.
    “I’m hungry.” Joe left for the buffet table where three women instantly surrounded him.
    Eva laughed. “That will be fun to watch,” she said to Matt.
    “What just happened?”
    “I told Madeline that if she wants a shot with Joe, ignore him. Look at him. He can’t stand it.”

    Waiting in the long buffet line, Eva watched the people around her. Joe ate at their table. Madeline joined him but sat with an empty chair between them. Amanda worked by the auction table with many doctors wandering over. BennTech’s CEO talked to a group of men she didn’t recognize. Bill Bennett, Jr. had been appointed CEO after his father died seven years ago. His dad founded the hospital and BennTech as a young man. Dr. Ben Russell and Dr. Marsha Vandeen talked away from the main group of physicians. They had their heads together and it looked rather intimate. Eva had thought Ben Russell liked hitting on young, idolizing women, not an equal like Marsha