Read Online Falling For Her Boss by Karen Rose Smith - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Karen Rose Smith
Ads: Link
practically jumped out of her skin whenever Noah came close, so she'd avoided him as much as she could. But she couldn't avoid the real estate agents who'd paraded through the rink all week, asking her questions.
Turning her thoughts back to Gina, Francie tried to reassure her. "He's only five minutes late. Relax."
Gina stripped the paper from her straw and plopped it in her shake. "He gets tied up sometimes. Maybe he decided..."
"Skating isn't the 'cool' thing to do?" Francie finished.
Gina grimaced at her sister's terminology. "Something like that."
"You know, we soon have to get everyone together to finish planning Mama and Pop's anniversary party. What do you think about meeting here tomorrow evening?"
"That's fine," Gina said absently, then broke into a wide smile as she stood and waved her arm at a young man to attract his attention.
Francie studied the teenager who swaggered toward their table. He was undeniably good-looking, his shaggy hair defying the new shorter looks. An air of defiance accentuated his stance and glowed from his eyes. Francie saw immediately why Gina was attracted to him. He was everything Gina was not. Rebellious. Daring. Probably a risktaker.
Tight black denims hugged Jake's hips. His silver studded leather jacket was unzipped, revealing a black T-shirt underneath. He put his arm around Gina and stooped to give her a long, full kiss, then looked at Francie as if expecting a comment. She didn't give one.
With a half-smile, he said, "Gina's told me a lot about you. You're famous."
He looked as if fame was one thing that might impress him. "Not anymore." Francie extended her hand. "It's good to meet you."
He took her hand briefly then slid into the booth beside Gina, scanning the rink. "I haven't been inside this place in years."
"You and Gina are welcome any time."
He narrowed his eyes. "So you can keep your eye on us?"
"Why would you think that?"
His expression told her he hadn't expected her to challenge him. "You're Gina's older sister. Families are usually nosy."
Gina looked uncomfortable and Francie was determined to handle this as tactfully as she could. Whatever was going on with Gina, Francie didn't want to alienate her further. "I care about Gina. But I made the offer because I thought you two might have fun here. Lots of teenagers do."
"Yeah, well, I'm not like lots of teenagers. Neither is Gina." He patted her hand. "At least she's finding that out."
Francie wondered exactly what they had been doing on their dates.
Gina quickly explained, "Jake has college friends. We spend a lot of time with them."
Doing what? Francie wondered. Instead of asking, she tried to make the conversation base broader. "Are you and Gina taking the same classes?"
"Social studies is about it. Gina's headed for college. I'm not."
"What do you plan to do?"
His expression became wary. "Work on the race-car circuit. I work with a mechanic now. We soup up cars."
"For race tracks?"
"Not exactly." He shot a quick look at Gina. "Some kids race on highways, not speedways."
Gina averted her gaze and looked down at her pink-tipped fingernails.
But Jake looked straight at Francie. "Not when anyone else is on the road, of course."
Gina mumbled, "They do it at three or four in the morning." She raised her chin. "It's not as bad as it sounds."
"That's good, because it sounds dangerous." Francie was ready to talk her father into locking Gina in her room until she was twenty-five. But that wouldn't create a bond of trust between her and her sister. Criticizing Jake in front of Gina wouldn't work, either.
Noah appeared beside their table, and Francie wondered if he'd overheard the conversation. He smiled at Gina and asked, "Are you ready to skate?"
Gina leaned closer to Jake. "This is Noah Gordon. He owns the rink."
Jake's brows raised. "Really? So you're Francie's boss."
"I own the rink.
Turning her thoughts back to Gina, Francie tried to reassure her. "He's only five minutes late. Relax."
Gina stripped the paper from her straw and plopped it in her shake. "He gets tied up sometimes. Maybe he decided..."
"Skating isn't the 'cool' thing to do?" Francie finished.
Gina grimaced at her sister's terminology. "Something like that."
"You know, we soon have to get everyone together to finish planning Mama and Pop's anniversary party. What do you think about meeting here tomorrow evening?"
"That's fine," Gina said absently, then broke into a wide smile as she stood and waved her arm at a young man to attract his attention.
Francie studied the teenager who swaggered toward their table. He was undeniably good-looking, his shaggy hair defying the new shorter looks. An air of defiance accentuated his stance and glowed from his eyes. Francie saw immediately why Gina was attracted to him. He was everything Gina was not. Rebellious. Daring. Probably a risktaker.
Tight black denims hugged Jake's hips. His silver studded leather jacket was unzipped, revealing a black T-shirt underneath. He put his arm around Gina and stooped to give her a long, full kiss, then looked at Francie as if expecting a comment. She didn't give one.
With a half-smile, he said, "Gina's told me a lot about you. You're famous."
He looked as if fame was one thing that might impress him. "Not anymore." Francie extended her hand. "It's good to meet you."
He took her hand briefly then slid into the booth beside Gina, scanning the rink. "I haven't been inside this place in years."
"You and Gina are welcome any time."
He narrowed his eyes. "So you can keep your eye on us?"
"Why would you think that?"
His expression told her he hadn't expected her to challenge him. "You're Gina's older sister. Families are usually nosy."
Gina looked uncomfortable and Francie was determined to handle this as tactfully as she could. Whatever was going on with Gina, Francie didn't want to alienate her further. "I care about Gina. But I made the offer because I thought you two might have fun here. Lots of teenagers do."
"Yeah, well, I'm not like lots of teenagers. Neither is Gina." He patted her hand. "At least she's finding that out."
Francie wondered exactly what they had been doing on their dates.
Gina quickly explained, "Jake has college friends. We spend a lot of time with them."
Doing what? Francie wondered. Instead of asking, she tried to make the conversation base broader. "Are you and Gina taking the same classes?"
"Social studies is about it. Gina's headed for college. I'm not."
"What do you plan to do?"
His expression became wary. "Work on the race-car circuit. I work with a mechanic now. We soup up cars."
"For race tracks?"
"Not exactly." He shot a quick look at Gina. "Some kids race on highways, not speedways."
Gina averted her gaze and looked down at her pink-tipped fingernails.
But Jake looked straight at Francie. "Not when anyone else is on the road, of course."
Gina mumbled, "They do it at three or four in the morning." She raised her chin. "It's not as bad as it sounds."
"That's good, because it sounds dangerous." Francie was ready to talk her father into locking Gina in her room until she was twenty-five. But that wouldn't create a bond of trust between her and her sister. Criticizing Jake in front of Gina wouldn't work, either.
Noah appeared beside their table, and Francie wondered if he'd overheard the conversation. He smiled at Gina and asked, "Are you ready to skate?"
Gina leaned closer to Jake. "This is Noah Gordon. He owns the rink."
Jake's brows raised. "Really? So you're Francie's boss."
"I own the rink.
Similar Books
