Read Online A Risk Worth Taking by Melissa Klein - Free Book Online

into smile. “Thank you for inviting me.”
    Then she looked at Katherine’s chic ensemble, thankful her intuition warned the dress code for this party would be slightly more upscale than the parties she typically attended. Instead of jeans and sweatshirt, Abby wore a nice pair of black trousers and the plum-colored cashmere sweater Chris had given her for Christmas.
    “Come in and let me get you a drink,” Katherine continued, taking Abby by the elbow.
    Finally after half an hour of making small talk with strangers, Abby caught a glimpse of a familiar face as Katie breezed into the great room. Latching onto her daughter-in-law, she asked, “How was your week?”
    “Crazy,” she admitted, then tugged Abby’s arm. “I’ll ask you later what you do with second graders when you can’t take them outside, but first I want you to meet someone.”
    Following Katie into a kitchen the size of her house, Abby’s gaze immediately zeroed in on the large male at the far end of the room. Dressed in faded jeans and work boots, Grant made the rest of the party’s male guests seem about as masculine as the lacy curtains hanging in her kitchen.
    He didn’t notice her as she drew closer, which was just as well since there was no way in heck she could hide her reaction to seeing him. Her cheeks heated as he studied the laptop before him, knowing what it was like to be the focus of that intensity.
    After taking him in and finding nothing wanting, her attention turned to the slender blond across from him. Wearing an ivory suit with her hair pulled back in a tidy bun, the woman seemed to be working with Grant on some type of project. Abby tried to place the woman, ticking through the dozens she’d met at Katie’s numerous bridal showers but came up blank.
    “Look who’s here,” Katie announced.
    The woman leapt gracefully from the table and enfolded Katie in a hug. “How’s married life?”
    “Heather, it’s wonderful,” Katie enthused. “You should try it again.”
    “Fat chance.”
    Katie drew Abby closer to her side. “This is my mother-in-law, Abby.”
    Heather’s eyes widened. “Nice to meet you,” she said, extending a hand. “I’ve heard your name quite a lot lately.”
    It was Abby’s turn for a wide-eyed reaction, but Katie quickly provided the context under which Abby had been the topic of conversation. “Since you teach children with special needs, I thought you wouldn’t mind letting Grant and Heather pick your brain.”
    Heather patted Abby on the arm, the woman’s flawless features forming a kind smile. “But we don’t want to keep you from the party if you’d rather not talk business.”
    Feeling immediately at ease with the woman, Abby quickly responded, “No, believe me. I don’t think I’m missing anything.”
    “Then sit,” Grant instructed and pulled out a chair for her to sit.
    Katie patted Abby on the shoulder. “My work here is done. I better get back to the party.”
    “What can I do to help?” Abby asked.
    Grant handed her a folded piece of paper. A collage of photos featuring families in different home and recreational settings filled the brochure. “Heather and I started the Help and Hope Foundation after our daughter Grace was diagnosed with autism.” He shot a glance toward Heather. “Our goal is to help other families facing the same struggles as us.”
    Abby’s gaze bounced between Heather and Grant, the proverbial light bulb going off. She knew from Katie some of this family’s history, about the divorce and Grace’s diagnosis. The apparent closeness of the former spouses caught her off guard. The comfortable way they finished each other’s sentences reminded her of Chris and herself.
    Turning her thoughts from the pair, she read the brochure. She’d heard of the foundation from some of her students’ parents without realizing she knew one of the founders. As she read the information, she learned Help and Hope provided support groups and respite care for parents