Пятьдесят оттенков серого
Chapter 24
“Nothingserious,Ihope?”
“IhaveasituationthatIhavetodealwith.I’llseeyoutomorrow.I’llsendTaylortocollectyoufromtheairportifIcan’tcomemyself.”Hesoundscold.Angryeven.Butforthefirsttime,Idon’timmediatelythinkit’sme.
“Okay.Ihopeyousortoutyoursituation.Haveasafeflight.”
“Youtoo,baby,”hebreathes,andwiththosewords,myChristianisback.Thenhehangsup.
Ohno.Thelast“situation”hehadwasmyvirginity.Jeez,Ihopeit’snothinglikethat.Igazeatmymom.Herearlierjubilationhasmetamorphosedintoconcern.
“It’sChristian.He’shadtogobacktoSeattle.Heapologizes.”
“Oh!That’sashame,darling.Wecanstillhaveourbarbecue,andnowwehavesomethingtocelebrate—yournewjob!Youhavetotellmeallaboutit.”
IT’SLATEAFTERNOON,ANDMomandIarelyingbesidethepool.MymotherhasrelaxedtothepointwheresheisliterallyhorizontalnowthatMr.Megabucksisnotcomingtodinner.AsIlieinthesun,endeavoringtolosethepale,Ithinkaboutyesterdayeveningandbreakfasttoday.IthinkaboutChristian,andmyridiculousgrinrefusestosubside.Itkeepscreepingacrossmyface,unbiddenanddisconcerting,asIrecallourvariousconversationsandwhatwedid…whathedid.
ThereseemstobeatidalshiftinChristian’sattitude.Hedeniesit,butheadmitshe’stryingformore.Whatcouldhavechanged?Whathasalteredsincehesenthislonge-mailandwhenIsawhimyesterday?Whathashedone?Isitupsuddenly,almostspillingmysoda.Hehaddinnerwith…her.Elena.
