Read Online Awakened By A Kiss (Once Upon A Romance) by Laurie LeClair - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Laurie LeClair
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cheek. But she was highly aware of Candace sliding up to Dex’s side.
“I’m Candace Hightower, Dexter’s fiancée.” Her claws were out.
Turning to her, Charlie didn’t even blink. “How nice. I’m so happy for Dex. I understand that’s the reason for this meeting Griff called.”
Her stance didn’t change, but somehow Ev realized Candace pulled back the nails. “Thank you for joining us. It’s an honor.” She stole a glance at Dex’s beaming face, still trained on Charlie. The little wince did not go unnoticed by either Shane or Ev; she caught his glance and raised an eyebrow.
Who the heck couldn’t tell Dexter Snodgrass still had a massive crush on Charlie?
How could Candace not see how her fiancé still had feelings for his former boss?
***
“That’s our angle,” Shane muttered to her a few minutes later as he held the tiny chair out for Faith as she sat down at the child’s table.
“Tea,” she said, holding up a flowery plastic teacup for him.
“Thank you.” He took it absently and sipped the invisible brew.
“Hot,” Hope said. She pursed her lips and blew into the empty cup.
Shane mimicked her. The little girl giggled.
Evelyn swallowed hard. Her heart flip-flopped at the sight. He was serving the girls cookies—plastic round blobs, but cookies in their world.
“Yummy,” Shane said, rubbing his tummy.
Faith and Hope did the same. They all chuckled. Butterflies fluttered somewhere in Evelyn’s chest. He was good with them .
With his voice low, Shane said, “Point out the differences to Dex.”
“Dex,” Hope said.
“Shhh!” Shane put his finger to his mouth. “Secret.”
Both little girls followed his motions and tapped their fingers to their lips.
“Differences?” Ev shook her head, hoping it would bring her out of this fog. Shane had her in a trance.
“Who would Dex rather have, someone like Charlie or someone like Candace?”
“Is that even a question? Really?”
“Let’s make sure he has the right answer.” Shane nodded to the group of people milling about.
Candace hung on Dex’s arm, draping herself over him. Dex smiled tightly, and allowed her to put his arm around her shoulder. But his cousin’s body language seemed to contradict his actions. Stiff, wooden, and he didn’t even glance in Candace’s direction. No, Dex only had eyes for Charlie.
Very telling .
***
Griff conducted the meeting with ease, self-assurance, and skillful maneuvers to outdo the bride.
Evelyn smiled inwardly, knowing Priscilla would be proud of how far her gruff hubby had come since he’d gotten the position at King’s. The man was someone to be reckoned with. But, he saved his softer side for his wife and baby girl.
“Miss Hightower, I realize you want my best people involved in your wedding. Who wouldn’t? King’s has an impeccable reputation of creating heartwarming, memorable weddings for our customers.”
“Of course, Mr. James,” Candace said, seemingly enthralled by his speech. Or was it him?
“Call me Griff, my friends do.” Behind the carefully schooled features, Evelyn noticed the tightening of the skin around his eyes. She’d witnessed it a time or two when he’d had to deal with his mother-in-law.
No, Griff wasn’t liking this one bit.
Candace actually blushed. Ev twisted to catch Shane’s stare. Her little shrug agreed with his raised eyebrow. Who knew?
“Dexter and I—” She stopped, trying to get her fiancé’s attention directed away from Charlie. “Dex, darling, don’t you want to say something here?”
“Oh, yeah.” He tugged on the tie he wore as if it strangled him. “We’re good with whatever you can do for us.”
“Now, darling, that’s not what we talked about.”
Griff cut her off. “The contract can be amended. Slightly. But we do have your agreement in writing. I understand you want to change the date. Two months? Is there a reason for the rush?”
Dead silence dropped into the air.
Dex turned
“I’m Candace Hightower, Dexter’s fiancée.” Her claws were out.
Turning to her, Charlie didn’t even blink. “How nice. I’m so happy for Dex. I understand that’s the reason for this meeting Griff called.”
Her stance didn’t change, but somehow Ev realized Candace pulled back the nails. “Thank you for joining us. It’s an honor.” She stole a glance at Dex’s beaming face, still trained on Charlie. The little wince did not go unnoticed by either Shane or Ev; she caught his glance and raised an eyebrow.
Who the heck couldn’t tell Dexter Snodgrass still had a massive crush on Charlie?
How could Candace not see how her fiancé still had feelings for his former boss?
***
“That’s our angle,” Shane muttered to her a few minutes later as he held the tiny chair out for Faith as she sat down at the child’s table.
“Tea,” she said, holding up a flowery plastic teacup for him.
“Thank you.” He took it absently and sipped the invisible brew.
“Hot,” Hope said. She pursed her lips and blew into the empty cup.
Shane mimicked her. The little girl giggled.
Evelyn swallowed hard. Her heart flip-flopped at the sight. He was serving the girls cookies—plastic round blobs, but cookies in their world.
“Yummy,” Shane said, rubbing his tummy.
Faith and Hope did the same. They all chuckled. Butterflies fluttered somewhere in Evelyn’s chest. He was good with them .
With his voice low, Shane said, “Point out the differences to Dex.”
“Dex,” Hope said.
“Shhh!” Shane put his finger to his mouth. “Secret.”
Both little girls followed his motions and tapped their fingers to their lips.
“Differences?” Ev shook her head, hoping it would bring her out of this fog. Shane had her in a trance.
“Who would Dex rather have, someone like Charlie or someone like Candace?”
“Is that even a question? Really?”
“Let’s make sure he has the right answer.” Shane nodded to the group of people milling about.
Candace hung on Dex’s arm, draping herself over him. Dex smiled tightly, and allowed her to put his arm around her shoulder. But his cousin’s body language seemed to contradict his actions. Stiff, wooden, and he didn’t even glance in Candace’s direction. No, Dex only had eyes for Charlie.
Very telling .
***
Griff conducted the meeting with ease, self-assurance, and skillful maneuvers to outdo the bride.
Evelyn smiled inwardly, knowing Priscilla would be proud of how far her gruff hubby had come since he’d gotten the position at King’s. The man was someone to be reckoned with. But, he saved his softer side for his wife and baby girl.
“Miss Hightower, I realize you want my best people involved in your wedding. Who wouldn’t? King’s has an impeccable reputation of creating heartwarming, memorable weddings for our customers.”
“Of course, Mr. James,” Candace said, seemingly enthralled by his speech. Or was it him?
“Call me Griff, my friends do.” Behind the carefully schooled features, Evelyn noticed the tightening of the skin around his eyes. She’d witnessed it a time or two when he’d had to deal with his mother-in-law.
No, Griff wasn’t liking this one bit.
Candace actually blushed. Ev twisted to catch Shane’s stare. Her little shrug agreed with his raised eyebrow. Who knew?
“Dexter and I—” She stopped, trying to get her fiancé’s attention directed away from Charlie. “Dex, darling, don’t you want to say something here?”
“Oh, yeah.” He tugged on the tie he wore as if it strangled him. “We’re good with whatever you can do for us.”
“Now, darling, that’s not what we talked about.”
Griff cut her off. “The contract can be amended. Slightly. But we do have your agreement in writing. I understand you want to change the date. Two months? Is there a reason for the rush?”
Dead silence dropped into the air.
Dex turned
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