Read Online Forget Me Not (Escape Contemporary Romance) by Nina Blake - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Nina Blake
Ads: Link
mother was transparent, yet so kind that Claire couldn’t help but smile. ‘I’ll take it.’ She paused. ‘I know this is strange for you. It’s difficult all round, but I’ll introduce you. Come through.’
By the time they’d walked through the double doors and into the living area, Stefan was standing. He must have heard who was at the door, but didn’t seem worried by the interruption. His posture was relaxed, giving the impression that this was just another day at home, nothing unusual about it or him, for that matter.
‘Stefan,’ Claire said. ‘This is my mother, June.’
He stretched his arm out for a handshake. June took his hand, then dropped it, saying, ‘This is ridiculous. I think I can give you a hug after all this time.’
His lips curled into an amused smile as she flung her arms around his shoulders. She squeezed him in a quick embrace which he returned, placing his arms gently across her back. He looked rather like a teenager who’d been forced to give his mother a hug, and then discovered that it wasn’t so bad after all.
‘Claire has told me a lot about you,’ he said. ‘It’s obvious she thinks very highly of you.’
‘I hope so. I’m her mother.’ She stepped back taking along look at him. ‘You’re all in one piece, and you look good. Exactly the same as before, in fact. I’m not sure about the facial hair, though.’ June frowned, then added, ‘No, I like that too. It adds character.’
Stefan grinned. ‘I’m glad to hear it.’
‘Six months is a long time. I certainly don’t want to hold any grudges.’
‘Is there any reason to?’ he asked reluctantly. ‘Have I done something horrible?’
’No, but most families don’t handle divorce very well, and I guess we were no different. You and Claire hadn’t seen each other for a long time and my loyalty always lay with her. It still foes.’
Her mother was as straightforward as always, speaking her mind, getting things out in the open. That wasn’t a surprise to Claire, but Stefan’s response certain did surprised her. He seemed immediately comfortable with June, much more so than he’d been with Claire at the hospital or when they’d first come back home. Perhaps he was getting used to his condition and, as he’d said, he’d already heard a lot about her mother.
June had even managed a hug out of him. Claire felt a pang of jealousy because it was much more than she’d had from Stefan, but also felt relieved. This was progress. They were getting somewhere.
‘Claire’s doing a wonderful job looking after me.’ Stefan described his relief at being released from the hospital, how Claire had shown him around the city and helped him get oriented, and then added, ‘I appreciate everything she’s done. I don’t want you to think I’ll take advantage of her.’
June held his gaze. ‘You were always a good person with a strong sense of right and wrong. A man of integrity, I used to say. I can only presume you’re the same person inside.’
‘So you trust me?’
‘I didn’t say that.’ Her expression softened. ‘But I’ve always liked you and I don’t want to give you a hard time, not under the circumstances.’
A look of relief washed over Stefan’s face. ‘I guess I’ve escaped the third degree, then.’
‘Nonsense, you’ve got off lightly,’ June said with mock indignation. ‘There’s no point me questioning you if you can’t remember the answers.’
Stefan opened his mouth to speak, but Claire interrupted. ‘I’ll put the kettle on then.’
This whole scenario was too weird for words and Claire had too much on her mind. She wanted to find some middle-ground.
Claire heard her mother’s footsteps behind her as she walked into the kitchen, the door swinging closed behind them. After setting the kettle to boil, she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to find her mother wrapping her arms around her, and though she wasn’t a little girl any more, it felt reassuring. You were
By the time they’d walked through the double doors and into the living area, Stefan was standing. He must have heard who was at the door, but didn’t seem worried by the interruption. His posture was relaxed, giving the impression that this was just another day at home, nothing unusual about it or him, for that matter.
‘Stefan,’ Claire said. ‘This is my mother, June.’
He stretched his arm out for a handshake. June took his hand, then dropped it, saying, ‘This is ridiculous. I think I can give you a hug after all this time.’
His lips curled into an amused smile as she flung her arms around his shoulders. She squeezed him in a quick embrace which he returned, placing his arms gently across her back. He looked rather like a teenager who’d been forced to give his mother a hug, and then discovered that it wasn’t so bad after all.
‘Claire has told me a lot about you,’ he said. ‘It’s obvious she thinks very highly of you.’
‘I hope so. I’m her mother.’ She stepped back taking along look at him. ‘You’re all in one piece, and you look good. Exactly the same as before, in fact. I’m not sure about the facial hair, though.’ June frowned, then added, ‘No, I like that too. It adds character.’
Stefan grinned. ‘I’m glad to hear it.’
‘Six months is a long time. I certainly don’t want to hold any grudges.’
‘Is there any reason to?’ he asked reluctantly. ‘Have I done something horrible?’
’No, but most families don’t handle divorce very well, and I guess we were no different. You and Claire hadn’t seen each other for a long time and my loyalty always lay with her. It still foes.’
Her mother was as straightforward as always, speaking her mind, getting things out in the open. That wasn’t a surprise to Claire, but Stefan’s response certain did surprised her. He seemed immediately comfortable with June, much more so than he’d been with Claire at the hospital or when they’d first come back home. Perhaps he was getting used to his condition and, as he’d said, he’d already heard a lot about her mother.
June had even managed a hug out of him. Claire felt a pang of jealousy because it was much more than she’d had from Stefan, but also felt relieved. This was progress. They were getting somewhere.
‘Claire’s doing a wonderful job looking after me.’ Stefan described his relief at being released from the hospital, how Claire had shown him around the city and helped him get oriented, and then added, ‘I appreciate everything she’s done. I don’t want you to think I’ll take advantage of her.’
June held his gaze. ‘You were always a good person with a strong sense of right and wrong. A man of integrity, I used to say. I can only presume you’re the same person inside.’
‘So you trust me?’
‘I didn’t say that.’ Her expression softened. ‘But I’ve always liked you and I don’t want to give you a hard time, not under the circumstances.’
A look of relief washed over Stefan’s face. ‘I guess I’ve escaped the third degree, then.’
‘Nonsense, you’ve got off lightly,’ June said with mock indignation. ‘There’s no point me questioning you if you can’t remember the answers.’
Stefan opened his mouth to speak, but Claire interrupted. ‘I’ll put the kettle on then.’
This whole scenario was too weird for words and Claire had too much on her mind. She wanted to find some middle-ground.
Claire heard her mother’s footsteps behind her as she walked into the kitchen, the door swinging closed behind them. After setting the kettle to boil, she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to find her mother wrapping her arms around her, and though she wasn’t a little girl any more, it felt reassuring. You were
Similar Books
