Jezebel Koko Brown (best books to read non fiction txt) 📖

Celeste uncurled herself from the settee.“Well, I’m not that kind of woman. I have a career and Idon’t need a man to complete me.”

Maggiecocked her head. “You’re what those drugstore novelscall a modern woman aren’t you?”

Theway she said ‘modern’ and ‘woman’ made themsound like dirty words. Even if she didn’t need to defendherself, Celeste’s tongue had a mind of its own.

“There’smore to life than babies and a man.”

“No, nothing wrongwith having a career. God made us all equal, some more than others,but he didn’t make us an island. We thrive in each other’scompany. And no amount of money and prestige will keep you warm atnight.”

“Sobasically you’re telling me to keep the candle burning in thewindow. Give him the benefit of the doubt for why I haven’theard from him in five days.”

“I’mnot telling you to hold out too long, but if you like your young manyou should give him the benefit of the doubt. Heck, I would evenseek him out, find out what happened. There could be a good plausibleexcuse for why he hasn’t shadowed your doorstep. And youbetter do it before some other woman will.”

And be a double fool. Noway, no how. Bristling, Celeste sat back down and reopened her book.

Maggie lingered in thedoorway, but Celeste refused to acknowledge her any further. “WellI better go. You don’t pay me to be a philosopher.”

“See you tomorrowbright and early,” Celeste said still not looking up. As faras she was concerned the conversation was over.

Unfortunately it didn’tdie a quick death.

An hour later, Celeste stillfretted over the conversation, especially the part about anotherwoman.

Wasthat the reason why Shane never showed up for dinner the other nightand why she hadn’t heard from him since?

Celeste set her book asideand rested her head in her hands. Why did she even entertain the oldbusy body? Celeste had cataloged Shane right along with the rest ofher mistakes.

Nooo!Maggie had to put a different spin on things.

Vexed, Celeste stood. Wasshe overreacting? Could there be a perfectly logical reason for hisdisappearance? Or had he simply played her the whole time? And ifhe’d moved on, why couldn’t she?

Deep down, Celeste knew shewouldn’t get any peace until she had some closure. Mind madeup, she walked into the front hall and pulled out her overcoat.

Celeste took a local busnorth from Fort Greene to the Navy Yard. Normally, she would’vetraveled by foot, but a light snow had started to fall, blanketingthe sidewalks with white powder.

The temperature had droppedas well and with a show in less than six weeks there was no way shewas going to risk her big break with a case of pneumonia.

She alighted at FlushingAvenue, then walked the short distance to the Navy Yard AthleticClub.

Celeste had no earthly cluewhere Shane lived. If she’d been quicker on the jump, a halfhour earlier, she could have caught him finishing up his dailyconditioning. So she was hoping someone from the gym could point herin the right direction.

Already acquainted with theplace, Celeste didn’t linger in the front lobby. She walkeddown the short hall into the open gym.

Other than a couple offighters sparring in a corner ring and a young boy sweeping thefloor, the place was deserted.

Pot-bellied and needing ashave, the welcome wagon strolled out of a side office. Celesteremembered the cantankerous bastard from the last time she’dpaid a visit. Before she could turn heel, his voice rang out. “Don’t you read?”

“I can read andwrite.” Out of the corner of her eye, Celeste noticed the boyhad abandoned his chore and took an interest in their conversation.

“Thenwhat the fuck are you doing here?” he asked, getting right upin her face. Even though her palm itched to slap the cigar out ofhis mouth, Celeste greeted his reticence with a steely resolve. Thisjerk had nothing to do with her and Shane so she refused to let himrun her off.

“I’mlooking for Shane Brennan.”

“I know who you’relooking for, toots.” His gaze raked over her in a way that madeher feel dirty. “He ain’t here.”

Dirtylooks aside, Celeste wasn’t ready to throw in the towel. “Whenwas the last time you saw him?”

“Earlier today.”

So he hadn’t lefttown. Celeste’s heart soared and then tumbled at the news. “Canyou tell me how I can get in touch with him? Maybe I can have hisaddress.”

Theman’s gaze drifted to the loading dock door. “Notpossible. He’d have my dick in a sling if I did.”

What was he trying to hide? Was Shane with another woman?

Celestedidn’t want to jump to conclusions, but she wasn’t bornon Monday. She’d played this game of Hide and Seek withcountless men. Now with the shoe on the other foot, she wished shecould go back and apologize to every single one.

“Peter, do me afavor,” the curmudgeon barked, catching the kid off guard,making him drop his broom. “Escort this lady outta here andlock the door behind her.”

He’ddismissed her, the old coot. Head held high and not waiting on herescort, Celeste marched back the way she came with the boy strugglingto keep up.

“Excuse me, miss.”

“What?”Celeste didn’t mean to bite the kid’s head off, but shewasn’t feeling rather amicable at the moment.

“Are you a friend of aShane’s?”

Wary, Celeste eyed the kid. Was he asking out of curiosity or simply twisting the knife. “Yes,I am. What’s it to you?”

“If you want to talkto Shane, he’s around back.”

Elated, Celeste moved to goback through the gym.

“Not that way,”he said, grabbing her arm. “Go through the alley.”

“Thealley?” Skeptical, Celeste hesitated. “If this is atrick, kid, I’m coming back in here and tap dancing all overyour behind.”

Momentslater, Celeste was freezing and feeling completely duped. There wasno Shane or no one else for that matter. Nothing but an old green buswith shamrocks painted in the windows.

Celeste’s eyesnarrowed. The last time she was here there were men’s clotheshanging from a clothes line.

Followingan overriding suspicion, she walked around to the passenger entrance.The door was decorated with a pastoral scene and even an impishLeprechaun holding a pot of gold.