Apple Blossom Bride. Lois Richer
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Название: Apple Blossom Bride
Автор: Lois Richer
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Современные любовные романы
isbn: 9781408963364
isbn:
“Let’s go say hello.” Michael released Tati from her car seat, took her hand as they walked toward Ashley. Though the roof was down, all her windows were rolled up. He tapped on one.
Ashley jerked, slowly turned her head to face him. Her face was a pasty white, her eyes stretched wide with fear.
“Are you all right?” He waited, and when she didn’t respond, reached over the window to unlock the door. He opened it, touched her shoulder. “Ashley?”
Her whole body jerked at the contact.
“Yes?” Her voice emerged a thread of sound.
“Is something the matter?”
“Is she sick, Daddy?”
Tati’s squeak of inquiry seemed to break the bubble Ashley had been trapped in. She drew in a deep breath and released her fingers from their death grip on the wheel.
“I’m fine. Thank you for asking.”
“You don’t look fine,” he told her bluntly. She cast furtive glances to the left, then right, as if searching for someone. Or something.
“What’s wrong?”
“Wrong?” She blinked, swung her legs from the car. “Nothing’s wrong. I came to get a carton of ice cream. I’m going for a boat ride with Piper and Jason.”
“So are we!” Tati squealed in delight. “What kind of ice cream are you going to get?”
“What kind would you like?”
Her recovery happened faster than he expected, but it wasn’t complete. Michael knew from the way she closed the car door then checked the street that she was looking for something. Or someone.
“I like chocolate chip cookie dough. And tiger-tiger. And strawberry cheesecake and pistachio and—”
Ashley laughed. “Maybe I should have asked what kind you don’t like.”
“Oh.” Tati frowned, grasped Michael’s hand. “What kind of ice cream don’t I like, Daddy?”
“I don’t think there is one.” He motioned to the store. “Shall we go inside and look?”
“Sure.” Ashley walked along beside him. She wasn’t wearing her usual high heels but the cream linen pants and matching silk sweater still screamed money. Even her toes, poking out of woven rope sandals, were perfectly manicured and polished a soft blush pink.
Michael held the door, waited for her to pass in front of him.
“Your hand is shaking,” he said, softly enough that Tati couldn’t hear. “I wish you’d tell me what’s wrong.”
“It’s nothing.” She tipped her head back to stare into his eyes. “Just some bad memories that won’t go away.”
Her hair was bundled onto the top of her head and held there by a silver comb, though wispy ringlets broke free and framed her face. A few longer tendrils caressed the long smooth line of her neck like an expensive pewter frame. She was gorgeous.
“I didn’t realize you’d be going on the houseboat today.”
“Or you would have begged off?” He smiled at her faint blush. “I can cancel if it will bring back that killer smile of yours.”
“Don’t be silly. Tati would be devastated.” She inclined her head toward the little girl peeking over the ice-cream freezer trying to choose her favorite. “You have a beautiful daughter.”
“Yes, I know. I thank God for her every day.” Since they were early Michael insisted on buying them each a cone, then suggested they wander across the street to the park to eat them.
“Color coordination down to a T,” he murmured, watching as she nipped at the top of her ice cream.
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