Read Online A Family of Their Own by Gail Gaymer Martin - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Gail Gaymer Martin
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little star.”
“She is.” But that didn’t get to the heart of the matter. “That worries me, though.”
Her hand slipped from his, a scowl replacing her pleasant expression. “What do you mean?”
“Peyton isn’t well yet.” Would she ever be? The sundae churned in his stomach. “She can’t do all the things Lucy can do. What if—”
Kelsey leaned against the seat back. “Don’t look for problems. Kids can be monitored. I can ask Lucy to tone it down, and you can explain to Peyton that she has to be careful. They know their illnesses.”
His eyes closed, taking in her words. Would it be that easy? Kids were kids. They competed. “Kids want to do what other kids do. I’m sure you went through that with Lucy.”
“I did.”
“So it’s…” He shrugged. “Difficult. I hate looking Peyton in the face and telling her she can’t do things, even though I know it’s for her own good.”
“Talk to your doctor, Ross. Maybe Peyton can do more than you think.”
“Maybe.” The hope he’d felt melted into apprehension. Hegazed at Kelsey’s thoughtful face. Her long hair fell to her shoulders with only a slight wave, the part that annoyed her still present. She lifted her hand and drew her fingers through her hair as if she realized he was noticing the part.
“You’re an attractive woman. I suppose you know that.”
Her brows furrowed. “Me?” A quick shake of her head followed. “I’m rather plain, I think, but it’s nice to hear you say I’m not too bad-looking.”
Not too bad-looking. He wanted to rebut the comment, but he let it slip. “We’ve both led unique lives, haven’t we? When you don’t have a partner, it sometimes skews your attitudes.”
“Maybe we’re more practical then.”
“Maybe, but is that what life has to be? What about a little risk? Adventure? Outside the box? Even a little bit wild and crazy?”
Her eyes searched his. “And…?”
“And, I don’t know.” But he did know so why not say it? “I really enjoy your company. I like you. But we haven’t had time to get to know each other well.” He swallowed the rush of words charging from him. “Let’s do something…alone. Get sitters and spend time together.”
“Like a date.” A faint grin edged onto her face.
“Okay, a date.” He chuckled at his uneasy approach. “Would you go out with me?”
“Is this the wild and crazy thing you were talking about?”
“Not quite, but it could be the beginning of an adventure.” His heart raced as if he were standing in line for his first roller-coaster ride. “What do you say?”
“I’ve been known to put my toe outside the box once or twice.”
“Then it’s a yes.”
A smile filled her face as she nodded.
He slid his hand across the table and slipped it over hers. “We’re always talking in small snatches of conversation. It will be nice to start a topic and finish it without being int—”
“Mom.”
Lucy’s voice caught him off guard, making him laugh. Perfect timing.
Kelsey caught the joke, too, and pinched her lips together to stop herself from chuckling. “What, Lucy?”
“I’m out of money.”
Kelsey shrugged as she checked her watch. “That’s okay because we’re out of time.”
Ross understood her hint, but instead of disappointment, for once he rose from the chair with plans. He’d call to set a date and a time, but he had a date with Kelsey. A real date and not a foursome.
The sound of footsteps and shifted chairs filtered through Kelsey’s thoughts. She smiled and nodded as if nothing clouded her mind as the vote did today. She couldn’t call Ross and tell him again that the vote was a veto. When Lexie walked through the door, her look let Kelsey know that she hadn’t hidden a thing from Lexie. If she didn’t plant an altogether pleasant expression on her face, Ava would be all over her with questions.
“You okay?” Lexie’s voice snapped her to attention.
“Fine. You know it’s…”
No words
“She is.” But that didn’t get to the heart of the matter. “That worries me, though.”
Her hand slipped from his, a scowl replacing her pleasant expression. “What do you mean?”
“Peyton isn’t well yet.” Would she ever be? The sundae churned in his stomach. “She can’t do all the things Lucy can do. What if—”
Kelsey leaned against the seat back. “Don’t look for problems. Kids can be monitored. I can ask Lucy to tone it down, and you can explain to Peyton that she has to be careful. They know their illnesses.”
His eyes closed, taking in her words. Would it be that easy? Kids were kids. They competed. “Kids want to do what other kids do. I’m sure you went through that with Lucy.”
“I did.”
“So it’s…” He shrugged. “Difficult. I hate looking Peyton in the face and telling her she can’t do things, even though I know it’s for her own good.”
“Talk to your doctor, Ross. Maybe Peyton can do more than you think.”
“Maybe.” The hope he’d felt melted into apprehension. Hegazed at Kelsey’s thoughtful face. Her long hair fell to her shoulders with only a slight wave, the part that annoyed her still present. She lifted her hand and drew her fingers through her hair as if she realized he was noticing the part.
“You’re an attractive woman. I suppose you know that.”
Her brows furrowed. “Me?” A quick shake of her head followed. “I’m rather plain, I think, but it’s nice to hear you say I’m not too bad-looking.”
Not too bad-looking. He wanted to rebut the comment, but he let it slip. “We’ve both led unique lives, haven’t we? When you don’t have a partner, it sometimes skews your attitudes.”
“Maybe we’re more practical then.”
“Maybe, but is that what life has to be? What about a little risk? Adventure? Outside the box? Even a little bit wild and crazy?”
Her eyes searched his. “And…?”
“And, I don’t know.” But he did know so why not say it? “I really enjoy your company. I like you. But we haven’t had time to get to know each other well.” He swallowed the rush of words charging from him. “Let’s do something…alone. Get sitters and spend time together.”
“Like a date.” A faint grin edged onto her face.
“Okay, a date.” He chuckled at his uneasy approach. “Would you go out with me?”
“Is this the wild and crazy thing you were talking about?”
“Not quite, but it could be the beginning of an adventure.” His heart raced as if he were standing in line for his first roller-coaster ride. “What do you say?”
“I’ve been known to put my toe outside the box once or twice.”
“Then it’s a yes.”
A smile filled her face as she nodded.
He slid his hand across the table and slipped it over hers. “We’re always talking in small snatches of conversation. It will be nice to start a topic and finish it without being int—”
“Mom.”
Lucy’s voice caught him off guard, making him laugh. Perfect timing.
Kelsey caught the joke, too, and pinched her lips together to stop herself from chuckling. “What, Lucy?”
“I’m out of money.”
Kelsey shrugged as she checked her watch. “That’s okay because we’re out of time.”
Ross understood her hint, but instead of disappointment, for once he rose from the chair with plans. He’d call to set a date and a time, but he had a date with Kelsey. A real date and not a foursome.
The sound of footsteps and shifted chairs filtered through Kelsey’s thoughts. She smiled and nodded as if nothing clouded her mind as the vote did today. She couldn’t call Ross and tell him again that the vote was a veto. When Lexie walked through the door, her look let Kelsey know that she hadn’t hidden a thing from Lexie. If she didn’t plant an altogether pleasant expression on her face, Ava would be all over her with questions.
“You okay?” Lexie’s voice snapped her to attention.
“Fine. You know it’s…”
No words
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