Read Online A Family Forever by Helen Scott Taylor - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Helen Scott Taylor
Tags: Romance, Contemporary
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the front gardens of the country cottages. Harry couldn't have gone far. He had to be around here somewhere.
Adam longed to see his son with his beloved camera up to his eye, snapping pictures. But in his heart, he knew Harry wouldn't be up and out this early unless he was purposely sneaking away.
A chill crept across Adam's skin. He remembered doing something similar himself. When his parents went on one of their trips, leaving him behind, he'd run away, hoping they would return to find him.
It hadn't worked. The police had been the ones to come after him. His parents hadn't even come home to check he was all right, but he'd had his pocket money stopped, television privileges removed, and been grounded for what felt like an eternity.
Harry had no reason to run away to get Adam's attention. They were together most of the time. He mulled over the previous day's conversation with Harry about going to Spain. He'd meant to return to the subject later. Victoria had been on his mind after their kiss, and he'd forgotten.
If Harry had run away, there were only two places he would go. And Adam was about to arrive at the one at the top of the list.
Adam turned up the narrow road lined with tiny cottages where Victoria lived. Apprehension knotted in his chest as he went up the path to Prickly Ball Cottage and knocked on the door.
Sophie answered, wearing her dark green school uniform. She frowned at him and turned away. "Mum," she bellowed at the top of her voice, heading for the stairs.
"Hang on, Sophie. Have you seen Harry this morning?"
"No. Mum's in the bathroom. I'll get her."
Adam's heart dropped. He rested a hand on the door frame and hung his head, gathering his strength. He'd been so sure Harry would be here.
With a sigh, Adam shut the front door and wandered through to the kitchen.
A few minutes later, Victoria entered wearing a skirt, lacy blouse, and high-heeled shoes. He vaguely realized that he'd never seen her in a skirt before and her legs looked fantastic, but the thought came and went in an instant, his mind occupied with worrying about Harry.
"Harry's missing," he blurted.
"What do you mean, missing?"
Adam paced back and forth in the tiny room, rubbing his forehead. "He wasn't in our room when I woke up. I can't find him."
"Oh, Adam, I'm sure he hasn't gone far."
"He must be on foot, so I guess you're right. I hoped he might be here."
"We haven't seen him. Did you check Larchfield?"
"Not yet. That was the second place on my list."
"I have to take Soph to the bus stop, then I'll come up to the hall and help you search."
"Aren't you teaching today?"
"Finding Harry is far more important. I'll call and tell the college I can't make it today. You go to Larchfield. I'll catch up with you as soon as I can."
"Thanks."
She touched his arm as he turned to leave. "Don't worry. I'm sure he'll be fine."
"I hope so."
Chapter Eight
Fear burned in Adam's gut as he jogged back to the pub's car park where he'd left his car. What if someone had taken Harry? No, that was crazy. Nobody could have come into their room at the Plume of Feathers without him noticing. Harry must have left of his own accord. But Adam couldn't shake the terrible dread that something bad had happened to his son.
He dashed up to his room, desperately hoping Harry would miraculously be there, but he wasn't. He grabbed his car keys and bumped into Tim on his way down. "Any luck?"
The tutor shook his head. "I walked all the way to the edge of the village and back. No sign of him."
Adam called his office and left a voice mail for his personal assistant so she'd get it when she arrived at work, telling her what had happened and instructing her to cancel their flights.
"Let's go to Larchfield and search."
He spoke to Felicity on the way out and asked her to call his mobile phone if Harry came back to the pub.
The car tires squealed as Adam backed up and turned. He hit the gas as he drove the two miles to the manor house, but slowed and
Adam longed to see his son with his beloved camera up to his eye, snapping pictures. But in his heart, he knew Harry wouldn't be up and out this early unless he was purposely sneaking away.
A chill crept across Adam's skin. He remembered doing something similar himself. When his parents went on one of their trips, leaving him behind, he'd run away, hoping they would return to find him.
It hadn't worked. The police had been the ones to come after him. His parents hadn't even come home to check he was all right, but he'd had his pocket money stopped, television privileges removed, and been grounded for what felt like an eternity.
Harry had no reason to run away to get Adam's attention. They were together most of the time. He mulled over the previous day's conversation with Harry about going to Spain. He'd meant to return to the subject later. Victoria had been on his mind after their kiss, and he'd forgotten.
If Harry had run away, there were only two places he would go. And Adam was about to arrive at the one at the top of the list.
Adam turned up the narrow road lined with tiny cottages where Victoria lived. Apprehension knotted in his chest as he went up the path to Prickly Ball Cottage and knocked on the door.
Sophie answered, wearing her dark green school uniform. She frowned at him and turned away. "Mum," she bellowed at the top of her voice, heading for the stairs.
"Hang on, Sophie. Have you seen Harry this morning?"
"No. Mum's in the bathroom. I'll get her."
Adam's heart dropped. He rested a hand on the door frame and hung his head, gathering his strength. He'd been so sure Harry would be here.
With a sigh, Adam shut the front door and wandered through to the kitchen.
A few minutes later, Victoria entered wearing a skirt, lacy blouse, and high-heeled shoes. He vaguely realized that he'd never seen her in a skirt before and her legs looked fantastic, but the thought came and went in an instant, his mind occupied with worrying about Harry.
"Harry's missing," he blurted.
"What do you mean, missing?"
Adam paced back and forth in the tiny room, rubbing his forehead. "He wasn't in our room when I woke up. I can't find him."
"Oh, Adam, I'm sure he hasn't gone far."
"He must be on foot, so I guess you're right. I hoped he might be here."
"We haven't seen him. Did you check Larchfield?"
"Not yet. That was the second place on my list."
"I have to take Soph to the bus stop, then I'll come up to the hall and help you search."
"Aren't you teaching today?"
"Finding Harry is far more important. I'll call and tell the college I can't make it today. You go to Larchfield. I'll catch up with you as soon as I can."
"Thanks."
She touched his arm as he turned to leave. "Don't worry. I'm sure he'll be fine."
"I hope so."
Chapter Eight
Fear burned in Adam's gut as he jogged back to the pub's car park where he'd left his car. What if someone had taken Harry? No, that was crazy. Nobody could have come into their room at the Plume of Feathers without him noticing. Harry must have left of his own accord. But Adam couldn't shake the terrible dread that something bad had happened to his son.
He dashed up to his room, desperately hoping Harry would miraculously be there, but he wasn't. He grabbed his car keys and bumped into Tim on his way down. "Any luck?"
The tutor shook his head. "I walked all the way to the edge of the village and back. No sign of him."
Adam called his office and left a voice mail for his personal assistant so she'd get it when she arrived at work, telling her what had happened and instructing her to cancel their flights.
"Let's go to Larchfield and search."
He spoke to Felicity on the way out and asked her to call his mobile phone if Harry came back to the pub.
The car tires squealed as Adam backed up and turned. He hit the gas as he drove the two miles to the manor house, but slowed and
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