Read Online Awakened By A Kiss (Once Upon A Romance) by Laurie LeClair - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Laurie LeClair
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dream come true. Thanks for recommending her to us. Her sketches and designs are out of this world. Charlie loves them, too. With so much demand for King’s wedding dresses, we needed another designer.” She nodded to the wedding party. “How you holding up, friend?”
“Not good,” she whispered back, relieved that her former boss was here. “I may need a Munchkin fix soon.”
Francie chuckled, her blonde sweep of hair swinging smoothly into place. Her face glowed at the mention of her daughter. “Maddie misses her Auntie Ev. Come over and take a tour of our new place. It’s nowhere near done, but it’s better than penthouse living for the baby. Marcus and I do need to slow down some and get back to our regular date night. You game on babysitting every Thursday night?”
“I’m in.”
“You didn’t even have to think about it. No plans?”
At the mention of the word plan, Evelyn glanced over at Shane. He was leaning against the wall, watching her intently. She shivered. “None lately.”
Francie looked from her to Shane and back again. “Soon maybe.”
“Only room for a baby.”
“Still wanting to go it alone?”
Francie knew nearly everything about her, including her deep love of children. Anyone who knew her couldn’t mistake the longing in her eyes when she saw a baby. It was getting harder to hide the deep-seated need.
Now, she chewed on her lip. Time ticked by. Her chances grew slim the longer she waited. Could she do this? On her own? Why, ever since the toe curling kiss with Shane, had she questioned herself?
“Rico wants to go halfsies.” She tried to take away the hollow feeling in her chest by making fun of her situation.
Their chuckles were soon interrupted by more arrivals.
Charlie strode in, pushing a double baby carriage. “Hey, gang, look who’s come to visit today.”
“Faith and Hope,” Evelyn said, rising to go to the little girls. “Hey, Sweet Cheeks and Baby Cakes, remember me? It’s been forever since I’ve seen my beauties.” The girls cried out her name and reached for her. Kneeling beside the carriage, she helped each one escape from their confines. “Your hair has gotten so long.”
They threw themselves at her and she hugged them close, stealing noisy kisses. “No more weeks in California, okay?”
Charlie touched Ev’s shoulder. “Not for a while. Alex’s project is complete and we get to come home to Texas for months. He’ll be the one to travel back and forth now and then. But his grandparents, the girls, and I are back.” In an aside, she said, “We left Mother and the Colonel there. Prissy told them about the house needing more work, and Alex and I talked them into staying in the lap of luxury hundreds of miles away until the repairs are finished.”
“Wow, you guys are good. Very, very good.” Evelyn exchanged a smile with her friend.
“Charlie.” Dex’s voice held a mix of reverence and awe.
The girls helped Ev to her feet, so now she was being tugged to go play. But she stilled as she saw the look of rapture on Dex’s face as he looked at Charlie.
“Dex, my friend.” Charlie greeted him warmly and gave him a quick hug. “How have you been? We miss your brilliant work around here. Any chance you’d come back? King’s is developing their own products now. You’d be a godsend for us.”
“Charlie,” he half said, half breathed.
Shane stood tall and then moved to them. He slapped his cousin on the shoulder. “Dex, you haven’t introduced me yet.”
His cousin actually blushed. “Sorry, buddy. Um…Charlotte King, this is my cousin, Shane Weston. Shane, my former…boss, Charlie.”
Leaning over, Shane shook hands. “Nice to meet you. I hear you’re quite a champion of my cousin’s work.”
“He’ll always be part of King’s. His genius lives on here. Now, if only we could get him to return.”
Hope tugged on Ev’s hand. Reaching down, she picked up the little girl and cuddled her close, dropping a kiss on her
“Not good,” she whispered back, relieved that her former boss was here. “I may need a Munchkin fix soon.”
Francie chuckled, her blonde sweep of hair swinging smoothly into place. Her face glowed at the mention of her daughter. “Maddie misses her Auntie Ev. Come over and take a tour of our new place. It’s nowhere near done, but it’s better than penthouse living for the baby. Marcus and I do need to slow down some and get back to our regular date night. You game on babysitting every Thursday night?”
“I’m in.”
“You didn’t even have to think about it. No plans?”
At the mention of the word plan, Evelyn glanced over at Shane. He was leaning against the wall, watching her intently. She shivered. “None lately.”
Francie looked from her to Shane and back again. “Soon maybe.”
“Only room for a baby.”
“Still wanting to go it alone?”
Francie knew nearly everything about her, including her deep love of children. Anyone who knew her couldn’t mistake the longing in her eyes when she saw a baby. It was getting harder to hide the deep-seated need.
Now, she chewed on her lip. Time ticked by. Her chances grew slim the longer she waited. Could she do this? On her own? Why, ever since the toe curling kiss with Shane, had she questioned herself?
“Rico wants to go halfsies.” She tried to take away the hollow feeling in her chest by making fun of her situation.
Their chuckles were soon interrupted by more arrivals.
Charlie strode in, pushing a double baby carriage. “Hey, gang, look who’s come to visit today.”
“Faith and Hope,” Evelyn said, rising to go to the little girls. “Hey, Sweet Cheeks and Baby Cakes, remember me? It’s been forever since I’ve seen my beauties.” The girls cried out her name and reached for her. Kneeling beside the carriage, she helped each one escape from their confines. “Your hair has gotten so long.”
They threw themselves at her and she hugged them close, stealing noisy kisses. “No more weeks in California, okay?”
Charlie touched Ev’s shoulder. “Not for a while. Alex’s project is complete and we get to come home to Texas for months. He’ll be the one to travel back and forth now and then. But his grandparents, the girls, and I are back.” In an aside, she said, “We left Mother and the Colonel there. Prissy told them about the house needing more work, and Alex and I talked them into staying in the lap of luxury hundreds of miles away until the repairs are finished.”
“Wow, you guys are good. Very, very good.” Evelyn exchanged a smile with her friend.
“Charlie.” Dex’s voice held a mix of reverence and awe.
The girls helped Ev to her feet, so now she was being tugged to go play. But she stilled as she saw the look of rapture on Dex’s face as he looked at Charlie.
“Dex, my friend.” Charlie greeted him warmly and gave him a quick hug. “How have you been? We miss your brilliant work around here. Any chance you’d come back? King’s is developing their own products now. You’d be a godsend for us.”
“Charlie,” he half said, half breathed.
Shane stood tall and then moved to them. He slapped his cousin on the shoulder. “Dex, you haven’t introduced me yet.”
His cousin actually blushed. “Sorry, buddy. Um…Charlotte King, this is my cousin, Shane Weston. Shane, my former…boss, Charlie.”
Leaning over, Shane shook hands. “Nice to meet you. I hear you’re quite a champion of my cousin’s work.”
“He’ll always be part of King’s. His genius lives on here. Now, if only we could get him to return.”
Hope tugged on Ev’s hand. Reaching down, she picked up the little girl and cuddled her close, dropping a kiss on her
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