Seth (Casella Cousins #2) - Kathryn Shay Page 0,2
backlog.”
“What else is new?”
“This time it’s serious.”
He frowned. “Because I’ve been out?”
“Partly, but in any case, we need more counselors and we still can’t get the funding for them.” The plight of social organizations that helped the poor.
“Can I do anything from home?”
“Yes, if it won’t tax your recovery.”
“Please, I’m going nuts.”
“That’s what you said on the phone. You’ve been with us a long time so I trust you with this. I brought a stack of case files. I was thinking you could go through them and prioritize them.”
“You mean rank the applicants’ misery.”
“I see it that way, too. If you don’t want this distasteful job, it’s okay.”
“No, I’ll try to be objective.” Not his strong suit, though.
“You’ll have to set up phone interviews. You’re still getting paid because your…injury happened at Legal Aid.” Her eyes clouded. “I’m so sorry for that. I know I told you that before, but I am.”
He squeezed her arm. “Ellen, I’m doing fine. It was no one’s fault but Malone’s.” The guy who stabbed him. “Did you get an alarm system put in?”
“Yeah. Of all things. We received an anonymous donation for it.”
“Where from?”
“New York City. I have no idea why. We got a cashier’s check and a note telling us to use it for security.”
That seemed like Hayley’s hand. He’d ask her point blank.
“So, you’ll do this, Seth?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Let me know when you’ve decided on the first five we’ll take. That’s all we can handle now. And thanks. I’m glad you didn’t quit.”
“What for?” His hand went to his stomach. “A little cut like this?”
“Your injury was a lot more than that. You’re a good guy, not bitter about what happened to you.”
“That’s what they keep telling me.”
* * *
Julianne showered and dressed for her date in a calf-length deep peach skirt and matching T-shirt. But before she left, she went to a closet and fished out the journals from over the years in case she needed to remember something tonight.
She kept a record of her online dates from a service called RightMatch.com. Everybody told her these sites could be dangerous, but she didn’t want to date a colleague and she didn’t socialize much. She used to have Seth’s family in her life and that was enough. Besides, she knew a lot of people who’d met their soulmates through the internet.
You already met your soulmate.
Stop it, Julianne.
She opened the book. And looked back.
Two years ago: Tristan Long, tall, blonde, handsome, a lawyer in Hidden Cove, nice guy. The relationship lasted six months, but they didn’t have a lot in common.
Eighteen months ago: Mitch Preston, dark eyes, dark hair, a middle school music teacher, sweet. Too sweet, as it turned out. She’d written: Why can’t I fall for somebody like this?
A year ago: Carlo Monti, very Italian, she’d liked his possessiveness at first. Then he became overly controlling. Too bad, because the chemistry was great. He’d been the first guy she’d slept with since Seth.
Six months ago: Drew Anderson, friendly, average guy, solicitous lover. But he was a sports fanatic, and all he wanted to talk about or go see were sporting events.
There were two more, but she closed the book. Her online life had not been fruitful.
Maybe tonight would be better.
With still a half hour to go, her phone buzzed. Her sister, Liliana. Julianne clicked into FaceTime.
“Hey, sis, just checking to see how you are.” Liliana was dressed in a navy suit with a white blouse. Her light brown hair was pulled back in a bun, which accented her high cheek bones.
“Hi, Lil.”
“Do you have time to talk?”
“Yeah. You still at work?”
Liliana was an undersecretary to the governor of D.C. She had ambitions and immersed herself in Washington politics. “Yeah, no rest for the weary.”
“Do you do anything outside of work?”
“Do you?”
“Yeah, I go out.”
“That why you’re dressed up?”
“Uh-huh, I’m meeting a friend for drinks.”
She heard commotion, then said, “Hold on a sec.” From a distance, Liliana asked, “Do you need something, Mark?” A mumbling. Then, “Sorry Jules, I have to go. I thought I had time to chat, given the hour, but duty calls.”
“Don’t worry about it. We’ll chat more soon.”
She and Liliana used to be best friends, growing up only a year apart, sharing all of their experiences, but had grown apart in the last ten years. She was never a Seth fan, so that caused division, too. All that made Julianne sad tonight.
Fifteen minutes later, she walked into the Hidden Cove Inn, then entered the restaurant. Several people were sitting at