Read Online Collision of The Heart by Laurie Alice Eakes - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Laurie Alice Eakes
Ads: Link
Unless you plan to go out to the wreck itself, there’s no need for us to stay together.”
She headed up the steps. Still watching her abrupt departure, Ayden did not notice Charmaine and her father until they halted on the pavement in front of him.
“Ayden.” Charmaine’s smile was bright, but strain tightened the porcelain skin around her eyes. “You look so tired still. Did you get enough sleep last night?”
“Too little, I’m afraid.” He took her gloved hand in his and bowed over it.
It was leather as soft as butter. Everything about Charmaine was soft and sweet, from her hands to her voice to her big blue eyes. Yes, and her heart as well. He adored her.
He just wished he loved her.
He wished he liked her father. Dr. Finney, in contrast to his daughter, was anything but soft. His face was etched in hard lines. His blue eyes resembled something about as yielding as sapphires. Even his physique appeared hard, although he was in his fifties. Students said Finney was carved of stone, not human flesh.
Except where it came to his daughter. He smiled down at her now and patted her hand. “Would you like to invite Professor Goswell to our house for coffee and some of that cake you made? It is sure to make him feel better, just from the smell.”
Charmaine laughed and blushed. “Papa, you are so droll.” She turned back to Ayden. “It would be lovely of you to come by. Some of the other professors are coming over for refreshment and maybe a look at that Egyptian paper someone has acquired.”
“Papyrus, child.” Finney sighed as he corrected his daughter.
Ayden would love to get a look at the scroll, even though medieval weaponry was his favorite type of history. And Charmaine’s cakes tasted better than anyone else’s in town, including the baker’s.
He shook his head with regret. “I’m afraid I’ll have to indulge myself with one of your cakes at another time. I have work to do to help the wreck victims.”
“What sort of work?” Finney’s voice rang like an ax on stone. “It’s bad enough your parents saw fit to take half a dozen of those people into your house, but for you to be expected to help is not acceptable.”
Ayden ground his teeth behind a plastered on smile. “I am not expected to help. I’ve chosen to help.”
“Is that Miss Roper I see going into the church?” Charmaine broke in a little too quickly. “I can’t believe I didn’t recognize the name last night. But I picked up one of my ladies’ magazines after you left last night, and there was an article by her about women going into nursing.”
“Vulgar.” Finney wrinkled his nose as though the idea were also noisome.
“She’s proud of women who find careers of their own,” Charmaine persisted.
“Hardly sounds like fit company for you, Charmaine.”
An odd remark from a man who worked at a college dedicated to giving women the same educational opportunities as men.
Ayden thought perhaps he should defend his female students, if he would not defend Mia. But with the decision about the full-time professorship imminent, now was not the time to raise the ire of the Classics Department director.
Finney stomped his feet. “Standing here in the cold is not acceptable either. Let’s deliver those pastries and be on our way home.” Another indulgent smile for his daughter. “She insisted on bringing some pastries to the church.”
“That’s kind of you.” Ayden kept his gaze on Charmaine. “And I do apologize for turning down your kind invitation, but I have to find the mother of that little boy we took in.”
“That.” Finney made a chopping gesture with his right fist. “You should bring him here to the church and let the town council find a home for him. Then you can come to our house and accomplish something more useful than associating with the train riffraff—like securing your future at the college.”
Chapter Five
I ce spotted the church steps, and Mia took her time ascending. The last
She headed up the steps. Still watching her abrupt departure, Ayden did not notice Charmaine and her father until they halted on the pavement in front of him.
“Ayden.” Charmaine’s smile was bright, but strain tightened the porcelain skin around her eyes. “You look so tired still. Did you get enough sleep last night?”
“Too little, I’m afraid.” He took her gloved hand in his and bowed over it.
It was leather as soft as butter. Everything about Charmaine was soft and sweet, from her hands to her voice to her big blue eyes. Yes, and her heart as well. He adored her.
He just wished he loved her.
He wished he liked her father. Dr. Finney, in contrast to his daughter, was anything but soft. His face was etched in hard lines. His blue eyes resembled something about as yielding as sapphires. Even his physique appeared hard, although he was in his fifties. Students said Finney was carved of stone, not human flesh.
Except where it came to his daughter. He smiled down at her now and patted her hand. “Would you like to invite Professor Goswell to our house for coffee and some of that cake you made? It is sure to make him feel better, just from the smell.”
Charmaine laughed and blushed. “Papa, you are so droll.” She turned back to Ayden. “It would be lovely of you to come by. Some of the other professors are coming over for refreshment and maybe a look at that Egyptian paper someone has acquired.”
“Papyrus, child.” Finney sighed as he corrected his daughter.
Ayden would love to get a look at the scroll, even though medieval weaponry was his favorite type of history. And Charmaine’s cakes tasted better than anyone else’s in town, including the baker’s.
He shook his head with regret. “I’m afraid I’ll have to indulge myself with one of your cakes at another time. I have work to do to help the wreck victims.”
“What sort of work?” Finney’s voice rang like an ax on stone. “It’s bad enough your parents saw fit to take half a dozen of those people into your house, but for you to be expected to help is not acceptable.”
Ayden ground his teeth behind a plastered on smile. “I am not expected to help. I’ve chosen to help.”
“Is that Miss Roper I see going into the church?” Charmaine broke in a little too quickly. “I can’t believe I didn’t recognize the name last night. But I picked up one of my ladies’ magazines after you left last night, and there was an article by her about women going into nursing.”
“Vulgar.” Finney wrinkled his nose as though the idea were also noisome.
“She’s proud of women who find careers of their own,” Charmaine persisted.
“Hardly sounds like fit company for you, Charmaine.”
An odd remark from a man who worked at a college dedicated to giving women the same educational opportunities as men.
Ayden thought perhaps he should defend his female students, if he would not defend Mia. But with the decision about the full-time professorship imminent, now was not the time to raise the ire of the Classics Department director.
Finney stomped his feet. “Standing here in the cold is not acceptable either. Let’s deliver those pastries and be on our way home.” Another indulgent smile for his daughter. “She insisted on bringing some pastries to the church.”
“That’s kind of you.” Ayden kept his gaze on Charmaine. “And I do apologize for turning down your kind invitation, but I have to find the mother of that little boy we took in.”
“That.” Finney made a chopping gesture with his right fist. “You should bring him here to the church and let the town council find a home for him. Then you can come to our house and accomplish something more useful than associating with the train riffraff—like securing your future at the college.”
Chapter Five
I ce spotted the church steps, and Mia took her time ascending. The last
Similar Books
