"K. D. Wentworth - Kaleidoscope" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wentworth K D)

Later that afternoon, when she was pruning her roses, she realized that
Melinda had caught Carl with another woman at the local bingo casino and ended the
relationship herself. Melinda had booked passage on a cruise to Alaska, alone. Carl
had gone out drinking and wrecked his car. His arm was broken in two places.
She would not think about it, Ally told herself firmly. It was just her
imagination running away with itself. She would call her friends, Lynn and Ron, go
out to dinner, and forget all this nonsense.
They accepted and agreed to meet her at a favorite local Mexican restaurant,
the one that resembled a festive village inside and featured a two-story waterfall. But
she waited there at the hostess station alone on the green vinyl couch, as parties of
diners came and went, for forty minutes until her cell phone rang.
Where was she, Lynn wanted to know. They were at CarusoтАЩs, a popular
Italian buffet, and the hostess wouldnтАЩt seat them until Ally arrived. Aghast, Ally
pleaded car trouble and apologized, then went straight home and shut herself into the
dimness of her bedroom. Hungry, head whirling, she curled up in her favorite old
green throw.
****
The next morning, Saturday, she remembered that the three of them had eaten
dinner at a P. F. ChangтАЩs restaurant, how Ron, engaging as ever, had teased her
about the threads of gray in her auburn hair, and Lynn had told stories of her fourth
grade classroom. TheyтАЩd ordered the monstrously large chocolate cake, split it
among the three of them, and still couldnтАЩt finish.
Her life seemed to be going on without her, splintering off into a hundred
different directions. Maybe she needed Prozac, she told herself. Or Valium. Maybe it
was time to hibernate, or she should talk to a counselor.
But no. She was just letting her mind wander. All she had to do was pay
closer attention to what was going on around her and all this ... confusion ... would
melt away.
 Just after lunch, Lynn dropped by to see Ally as she was trundling the lawn
mower around to the backyard. Her friend parked her Ford SUV on the street and
got out, long legs tan and fit. Her dark hair was caught up in a clip on the back of her
head and she wore threadbare cutoffs. тАЬWasnтАЩt that Barry a card last night?тАЭ she
said as she walked across the grass. тАЬI donтАЩt know when IтАЩve laughed so hard!тАЭ
Lynn and Carl had brought a friendтАФa single gentleman her ageтАФwith them
to FuddruckerтАЩs, Ally realized. HeтАЩd had thinning silver hair and deep brown eyes
half-buried in smile lines. He worked at the zoo with the hoofed animals, technically
known as тАЬungulates,тАЭ specialized in zebras, and had been divorced for five years.
She stared at Lynn, clutching the lawn mowerтАЩs battered handle, unable to speak.
тАЬHe wants to go out with you.тАЭ Lynn waved a persistent fly out of her face.
тАЬItтАЩs okay that I gave him your phone number, isnтАЩt it?тАЭ
тАЬSure,тАЭ Ally heard herself say, though her voice trembled. Sweat soaked the
back of her old T-shirt. тАЬHe was quiteтАФcharming.тАЭ And he had been, she knew
now. How could she have forgotten?
тАЬWho knows?тАЭ Lynn said with an affectionate smile. тАЬThis could be the start
of something big.тАЭ
****
Barry called that afternoon. They made a date for that evening, dinner at a
retro diner that served wonderful milk shakes, and then a movie. Ally hadnтАЩt been
out on a real date for more than a year now. Sweet old-fashioned anticipation
washed through her, laced with a bit of fear. What if he hadnтАЩt really called? Any