Family By Design. Callie Endicott

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СКАЧАТЬ when we practiced a few days ago. I’ve been getting emails from everyone that they’re sick.”

      “Get well soon,” Matt returned, entering the booking in the system and setting an electronic reminder to send a revision to the contract for signature.

      “Thanks.”

      Matt disconnected and automatically reached to rub behind Pepper’s ears, only to remember she wasn’t there. He missed her. He’d resisted getting a guide dog for years, but Pepper had become a friend who sensed his moods better than any human had ever done.

      Sitting back, Matt listened to the sounds coming from the street and the whisper of the HVAC system blowing air through the vents. This was his kingdom and it was exactly where he’d always wanted to be...even if his life hadn’t been changed by a driver jumping the curb and plowing into a group of high school seniors.

      RACHEL’S DAY PASSED quickly between desk work and site checks, which included visiting two photo shoots where new clients were booked. Everything was going smoothly in both locations.

      Late in the afternoon she and Adam enjoyed rejecting a business owner who was supposedly searching for a model to represent his used-car dealership. The guy had raised alarm bells when they’d talked, so she’d checked him out further. Apparently he used what he called “casting calls” to meet and then try to date female models. Adam had wanted to be the one who told him to get lost but in the end agreed they could do it together.

      She drove home in a good mood, encountering Gemma and Livvie when she stopped in the lobby to check her mailbox.

      “Hi, Rachel,” Livvie cried. “We’re going to the lake. Can you come with us?”

      Gemma nodded and smiled, but Rachel hesitated. When she’d mentioned spending time with Livvie if her father agreed, he hadn’t responded one way or the other. But surely he would have told Gemma if he didn’t approve.

      “I’d love to,” Rachel said. “Can you wait a minute for me to change into something else?”

      “Okay.”

      She rushed up the stairs and slipped into casual clothes. Livvie’s face bloomed with pleasure when she got back and they headed toward the water. Once there, the child concentrated on her boat, while Rachel chatted with Gemma.

      “It’s beautiful here in Washington,” Gemma murmured after a while. “So green and fresh. I missed it in New York, though we were able to see things like the Statue of Liberty and museums. I especially enjoyed Greenwich Village.”

      Once again her clear, musical voice impressed Rachel, and she suddenly recalled the elusive idea that had been buzzing in her brain. She should have thought of it when she’d run into Matt Tupper that morning.

      “Gemma, would you be interested in doing side jobs?” she asked. “At the agency we get calls for people to do narration or voice-overs and other vocal work. I’m sure you’d be great at it.”

      “Oh, I never thought of such a thing. I’m not... I mean, I don’t have any experience and can’t imagine anyone would be interested in hiring me.”

      “They might. I’m not saying you’d make a fortune or anything. You could even ease your way into it by doing volunteer reading. One of the tenants in our building has a sound studio and he records books and magazines for the blind—regionally published stuff that the National Library Service is less likely to do. He’s always looking for readers willing to give time to the project.”

      The nervous clutch of Gemma’s fingers relaxed. “I’d be happy to volunteer, only I doubt I’d be very good.”

      “Think about it. There isn’t a deadline.”

      They stayed quiet after that, watching Livvie direct her boat in the water. It was a beautiful late afternoon, and Rachel enjoyed just sitting and watching the rippling lake.

      “Hey, kiddo!” called Simon Kessler out of the blue.

      “Daddy,” Livvie cried, “come see how I make my boat move.”

      Rachel’s pulse had jumped when Simon Kessler’s voice intruded into her musings. She watched as he went to the water’s edge, crouching to speak with his daughter—from what she’d read, getting down to eye level was the best way to talk with kids. At the moment, Livvie seemed to be pleading with him for something and Rachel restrained a grin. Livvie would be hard not to spoil with her funny adult manners and earnest eyes.

      Gemma looked at her cell phone. “Oh, dear, we’ve been here longer than I thought. I need to go, I have a class tonight at the community center. I’m learning sign language.”

      She went over to speak with her employer, then waved and hurried away. Rachel stood to leave as well, thinking she needed to develop more hobbies or take classes. She loved cooking and reading, but having other interests would be good.

      “Rachel, wait,” Livvie screeched, dashing up the pathway. “Please come with us for dinner.”

      Wishing she’d made her escape earlier, Rachel smiled. “That’s nice of you, Livvie, but I have leftovers in my fridge that need to be eaten. I hate to waste food.”

      “Pleeeze? I want you to come. Daddy, please ask Rachel to come.”

      “Livvie, honey, get your boat out of the water while I talk with Ms. Clarion.”

      “Okay.”

      Rachel looked at Simon, whose face wore the same closed expression she’d seen before. He was darkly handsome, with chiseled features that might photograph well. Strange, now that she was a talent agent, it seemed as if she was always assessing how someone might look in an ad or appear on television or in film. She’d have to work on that, because she didn’t want her view of the world becoming too narrow.

      But maybe it wasn’t just from becoming an agent. In all honesty, she would have noticed Simon’s looks regardless.

      He was a hard man to ignore.

      SIMON HADN’T WANTED to agree to Livvie’s request about inviting Rachel to dinner, but the little mischief maker had asked for a treat and he’d impulsively said yes before learning which treat she wanted.

      His daughter had taken a strong, instant liking to their downstairs neighbor. He just didn’t know why. While Rachel had an almost otherworldly beauty, it probably wasn’t something that would influence a child. He’d questioned Gemma to find out if Rachel had done something special to catch Livvie’s attention, but she’d said nothing unusual had happened aside from the minor earthquake. Rachel, it seemed, had been exceptionally calm during the event, which had really impressed Gemma.

      “We would very much like having you as our guest for dinner,” he said formally.

      “Thanks, but as I told Livvie, I have food in my refrigerator that will go to waste,” Rachel explained, her gaze seeming straightforward.

      “I hope you’ll reconsider,” he urged. “She rarely asks for anything, so it’s hard when I can’t give her what she wants.”

      “Well...there’s far more than I can eat, so maybe you could have dinner at my place.”

      He СКАЧАТЬ