Read Online A Fluffy Tale 2: Warm & Fuzzy by Ann Somerville - Free Book Online
Authors: Ann Somerville
Ads: Link
Spen, but then realised that he’d spotted Myko. “Yes, he is, but
we can make introductions later. We don’t want to keep the Reardons waiting.”
“This way,” Spen said, leading Dee and Alex
to the car while Daniel locked the front door. Daniel didn’t want to stop and
think about all this because then he’d be overcome with embarrassment and find
a way of talking himself out of the answer to his problem. He had to resist
that because this could be so good for Dee and Alex. Their excitement was a
sign of just how limited their lives had become since their parents had died.
To be able to share the burden for even a few days...it was selfish to impose
on a stranger, but Mrs Reardon had been so instantly likeable, he couldn’t
resist. He didn’t want to resist.
He held his breath as Spen ushered Dee and
Alex into his mother’s kitchen. This wouldn’t work if they didn’t like her or
trust her. Dee hesitated as she entered the room, taking it all in and looking
worried. Mrs Reardon smiled. “Come in, dear. We don’t bite. At least, not since
Spen was six, we haven’t.”
Spen smiled seraphically at the reminder of
past misdeeds. Daniel had trouble imagining him ever biting anyone, even at six
years old.
Dee grinned. “Alex bit me when he was
eight.”
“Did not!”
“You so did. Mum had to put a bandage on my
arm.”
“It was an accident. My teeth slipped.”
Daniel’s face hurt from hiding his
amusement. Spen looked at Dee. Dee looked at Mrs Reardon. They all looked at
Alex, turning red. “Well, dear, I hope your teeth are under control now,” Mrs
Reardon said, her voice shaking a little from suppressed laughter. “Care to
apply them to a steak and kidney pie?”
Alex glanced sideways at her. “Does it have
mushrooms? I don’t like mushrooms.”
“No mushrooms,” Mr Reardon said. “They’re
the work of the devil and make my bowels unhappy.”
His wife tsked. “Richard, don’t mention
your bowels in my kitchen, or you’ll put us all off our food. Alex, there are
no mushrooms in it, but if you don’t like the pie, I can find something else.”
“The pie’ll be fine, Mrs Reardon.” Daniel
gently shoved his brother towards the table. “Come on, squirt. I thought you
were starving.”
“I am!”
Mrs Reardon’s wonderful savoury
pie—and Mr Reardon’s fruit salad for dessert—destroyed any
lingering hesitation, not that Daniel had seen much from his siblings. Dee was
delighted to have a sympathetic adult to talk to about her impending exams, and
listened appreciatively to Mrs Reardon’s advice on the subject. Mr Reardon and
Alex discovered a mutual love of building model engines, and spent much of the
meal off in a world of their own. Daniel and Spen were the only ones who had
trouble finding something to talk about. Daniel didn’t want to discuss work or
his boss, or Spen’s obvious disapproval of Tony, and Spen was thankfully too
tactful to raise it himself in front of the kids.
The truth was, there were lots of things
Daniel wanted to talk to Spen about, but his tongue tangled up every time Spen
turned his kind eyes on him. His crush had only grown worse in the weeks since
Daniel had met the man, and with this unexpected act of generosity towards
Daniel and his siblings, it now threatened to turn into full-blown hero worship.
Spen was everything Daniel could ever hope to be. He wished so much that
circumstances had allowed them to meet as equals, instead of as a bumbling
newcomer desperately trying to find his feet with the help of a calm,
successful professional. Daniel’s boss was the only person at work he’d told
about his home situation before, and that was only to explain why he hadn’t
finished his degree. He hadn’t wanted people to see him as a charity case, but
he hadn’t had much choice once Spen had cornered him. Now Spen would just view
him as a nice but helpless kid in need of rescue, and not as a potentially
attractive adult. Not that Daniel had had
we can make introductions later. We don’t want to keep the Reardons waiting.”
“This way,” Spen said, leading Dee and Alex
to the car while Daniel locked the front door. Daniel didn’t want to stop and
think about all this because then he’d be overcome with embarrassment and find
a way of talking himself out of the answer to his problem. He had to resist
that because this could be so good for Dee and Alex. Their excitement was a
sign of just how limited their lives had become since their parents had died.
To be able to share the burden for even a few days...it was selfish to impose
on a stranger, but Mrs Reardon had been so instantly likeable, he couldn’t
resist. He didn’t want to resist.
He held his breath as Spen ushered Dee and
Alex into his mother’s kitchen. This wouldn’t work if they didn’t like her or
trust her. Dee hesitated as she entered the room, taking it all in and looking
worried. Mrs Reardon smiled. “Come in, dear. We don’t bite. At least, not since
Spen was six, we haven’t.”
Spen smiled seraphically at the reminder of
past misdeeds. Daniel had trouble imagining him ever biting anyone, even at six
years old.
Dee grinned. “Alex bit me when he was
eight.”
“Did not!”
“You so did. Mum had to put a bandage on my
arm.”
“It was an accident. My teeth slipped.”
Daniel’s face hurt from hiding his
amusement. Spen looked at Dee. Dee looked at Mrs Reardon. They all looked at
Alex, turning red. “Well, dear, I hope your teeth are under control now,” Mrs
Reardon said, her voice shaking a little from suppressed laughter. “Care to
apply them to a steak and kidney pie?”
Alex glanced sideways at her. “Does it have
mushrooms? I don’t like mushrooms.”
“No mushrooms,” Mr Reardon said. “They’re
the work of the devil and make my bowels unhappy.”
His wife tsked. “Richard, don’t mention
your bowels in my kitchen, or you’ll put us all off our food. Alex, there are
no mushrooms in it, but if you don’t like the pie, I can find something else.”
“The pie’ll be fine, Mrs Reardon.” Daniel
gently shoved his brother towards the table. “Come on, squirt. I thought you
were starving.”
“I am!”
Mrs Reardon’s wonderful savoury
pie—and Mr Reardon’s fruit salad for dessert—destroyed any
lingering hesitation, not that Daniel had seen much from his siblings. Dee was
delighted to have a sympathetic adult to talk to about her impending exams, and
listened appreciatively to Mrs Reardon’s advice on the subject. Mr Reardon and
Alex discovered a mutual love of building model engines, and spent much of the
meal off in a world of their own. Daniel and Spen were the only ones who had
trouble finding something to talk about. Daniel didn’t want to discuss work or
his boss, or Spen’s obvious disapproval of Tony, and Spen was thankfully too
tactful to raise it himself in front of the kids.
The truth was, there were lots of things
Daniel wanted to talk to Spen about, but his tongue tangled up every time Spen
turned his kind eyes on him. His crush had only grown worse in the weeks since
Daniel had met the man, and with this unexpected act of generosity towards
Daniel and his siblings, it now threatened to turn into full-blown hero worship.
Spen was everything Daniel could ever hope to be. He wished so much that
circumstances had allowed them to meet as equals, instead of as a bumbling
newcomer desperately trying to find his feet with the help of a calm,
successful professional. Daniel’s boss was the only person at work he’d told
about his home situation before, and that was only to explain why he hadn’t
finished his degree. He hadn’t wanted people to see him as a charity case, but
he hadn’t had much choice once Spen had cornered him. Now Spen would just view
him as a nice but helpless kid in need of rescue, and not as a potentially
attractive adult. Not that Daniel had had
Similar Books
