Read Online A Family Reunited by Jennifer Johnson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jennifer Johnson
Ads: Link
light eyes reminded her of ocean waves splashing against the shore. And yet, she’d felt squeamish when he’d touched her leg.
“Hi, Mommy.”
Pamela turned, and warmth traveled up her neck and cheeks at the sight of Emmy with Jack beside her. His brows formed a single line above confused eyes. She cleared her throat. “Are you having fun?”
Emmy handed her a tray of six cupcakes decorated with pumpkins. “See what Daddy and I won at the cake walk.”
Pamela glanced at Peter, noting the surprise on his face. She cleared her throat again and pointed to Jack. “Peter, this is Jack. He’s—”
“Her husband.” Jack extended his hand. “And you are?”
Peter lifted his chin. “Peter Dane. A friend of Pamela’s.”
Looking from one man to the other, Pamela noted the set jaws, the piercing gazes. If she didn’t know better, she might expect one of them to ask the other to step outside to exchange blows.
Exhaling a long breath, Pamela peered at Jack. “Actually, Jack is legally my husband, but he hasn’t been part of my life for the past eight years.”
Jack’s gaze stayed focused on Peter as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. “That’s going to change.”
Pamela bit back a growl. “And Peter was my professor two semesters ago.”
“Yes, and now—”
Pamela lifted her hand and cut him off. “Emmy, what are you and your dad planning to do now?”
She giggled. “We’re going to play on the bouncy things.”
Pamela stared up at Jack. “That sounds like a great idea.” Pamela pushed his arm. “Take Emmy to the inflatables. You can meet me back here in an hour.”
Jack opened his mouth, then clamped it shut. With a quick nod, he grabbed Emmy’s hand, turned and walked out of the school’s gymnasium.
“You’re still married?”
Irritation laced through Peter’s words, and Pamela shifted toward him and looked him in the eye. “I am.”
“But?”
“He’s been gone for eight years. This month he showed up wanting to start over.”
“And what do you want?”
“I want nothing to do with him.”
Peter’s eyes lit up as he smiled. “Terrific.”
Just because she didn’t want anything to do with Jack didn’t mean she wanted to start something with Peter. If the past few minutes were a preview to what life would be like with a man in her life again, then she’d pass.
She hadn’t needed a man for a long time, and she most certainly wasn’t about to start yearning for one now if it meant tension thicker than her financial planning textbook. Peter seemed to be a nice guy. She’d enjoyed him as a teacher, and there was no denying the guy was easy on the eyes, but her girls came first.
Biting her bottom lip, she placed a trinket on the plastic hook for the little boy who’d just given Peter a ticket. Life had been so much easier a month ago. No Jack. No Peter. Just school and her girls.
And your anger and bitterness.
Pamela blinked. Where had that come from? She remembered the sadness on Emma’s face the night before at her parents’ house. Surely Emma hadn’t gotten those feelings from her.
* * *
Jack and Pamela stood behind Emma and Emmy at the counter of the ice-cream parlor. The mom-and-pop place had the same fifties decor he’d enjoyed when he was a child, though the owners had added a few pieces, refurbished the booths and repainted the walls. It had been one of his favorite places to take Pamela when they’d dated, and now it felt right to take his daughters, as well. He sneaked a peek at Pamela and wondered if she shared his nostalgic memories.
Once Emma and Emmy placed orders for a peanut butter shake with chocolate candies and a fudge milkshake with whipped cream, Jack turned to his wife. “Hot fudge sundae, no nuts, extra whipped cream and an extra cherry?”
She nodded slowly and he ordered one for both of them. She studied him as he paid for the snack. Everything in him wanted to turn to her, grab her by the shoulders and proclaim that he knew
“Hi, Mommy.”
Pamela turned, and warmth traveled up her neck and cheeks at the sight of Emmy with Jack beside her. His brows formed a single line above confused eyes. She cleared her throat. “Are you having fun?”
Emmy handed her a tray of six cupcakes decorated with pumpkins. “See what Daddy and I won at the cake walk.”
Pamela glanced at Peter, noting the surprise on his face. She cleared her throat again and pointed to Jack. “Peter, this is Jack. He’s—”
“Her husband.” Jack extended his hand. “And you are?”
Peter lifted his chin. “Peter Dane. A friend of Pamela’s.”
Looking from one man to the other, Pamela noted the set jaws, the piercing gazes. If she didn’t know better, she might expect one of them to ask the other to step outside to exchange blows.
Exhaling a long breath, Pamela peered at Jack. “Actually, Jack is legally my husband, but he hasn’t been part of my life for the past eight years.”
Jack’s gaze stayed focused on Peter as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. “That’s going to change.”
Pamela bit back a growl. “And Peter was my professor two semesters ago.”
“Yes, and now—”
Pamela lifted her hand and cut him off. “Emmy, what are you and your dad planning to do now?”
She giggled. “We’re going to play on the bouncy things.”
Pamela stared up at Jack. “That sounds like a great idea.” Pamela pushed his arm. “Take Emmy to the inflatables. You can meet me back here in an hour.”
Jack opened his mouth, then clamped it shut. With a quick nod, he grabbed Emmy’s hand, turned and walked out of the school’s gymnasium.
“You’re still married?”
Irritation laced through Peter’s words, and Pamela shifted toward him and looked him in the eye. “I am.”
“But?”
“He’s been gone for eight years. This month he showed up wanting to start over.”
“And what do you want?”
“I want nothing to do with him.”
Peter’s eyes lit up as he smiled. “Terrific.”
Just because she didn’t want anything to do with Jack didn’t mean she wanted to start something with Peter. If the past few minutes were a preview to what life would be like with a man in her life again, then she’d pass.
She hadn’t needed a man for a long time, and she most certainly wasn’t about to start yearning for one now if it meant tension thicker than her financial planning textbook. Peter seemed to be a nice guy. She’d enjoyed him as a teacher, and there was no denying the guy was easy on the eyes, but her girls came first.
Biting her bottom lip, she placed a trinket on the plastic hook for the little boy who’d just given Peter a ticket. Life had been so much easier a month ago. No Jack. No Peter. Just school and her girls.
And your anger and bitterness.
Pamela blinked. Where had that come from? She remembered the sadness on Emma’s face the night before at her parents’ house. Surely Emma hadn’t gotten those feelings from her.
* * *
Jack and Pamela stood behind Emma and Emmy at the counter of the ice-cream parlor. The mom-and-pop place had the same fifties decor he’d enjoyed when he was a child, though the owners had added a few pieces, refurbished the booths and repainted the walls. It had been one of his favorite places to take Pamela when they’d dated, and now it felt right to take his daughters, as well. He sneaked a peek at Pamela and wondered if she shared his nostalgic memories.
Once Emma and Emmy placed orders for a peanut butter shake with chocolate candies and a fudge milkshake with whipped cream, Jack turned to his wife. “Hot fudge sundae, no nuts, extra whipped cream and an extra cherry?”
She nodded slowly and he ordered one for both of them. She studied him as he paid for the snack. Everything in him wanted to turn to her, grab her by the shoulders and proclaim that he knew
Similar Books
