Read Online Maid for Love (A Romantic Comedy) by Caroline Mickelson - Free Book Online
Authors: Caroline Mickelson
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sound like it was just a casual thing between us.”
Her answer mollified him somewhat. “Yes, Josh and Kathryn knew that we were seeing each other. They also knew that I was in love in you.” Was. Am. He knew which word reflected what was in his heart but he was worried about spooking her. Even though she’d come up to Nantucket, which said a lot, he still wasn’t completely sure about how she felt about him. But they had time to sort it out. He hoped. “The kids are happy you’re here. What’s got you so worried?”
“Don’t they think it’s weird that two days ago we were acting like virtual strangers and today I show up like a long lost love of yours?”
“First of all, Zoe, they’re teenagers.” He held out his hand and was happy when she gave him hers and let him pull her close. “They tend to be pretty focused on their own love lives. Secondly, they think all adults are a bit strange, including you and me. All we have to do is explain it to them.”
“Explain it how?”
He tightened his hold on her. “You tell me. You’re the one who acted like you didn’t know me from Adam. What was that about?”
The back porch screen door slammed shut, announcing the arrival of his niece and nephew, which effectively ended the conversation. But Michael knew it wasn’t over and so did Zoe. It was time for answers.
***
Zoe decided immediately upon entering the Crab Shack that she adored it. The weathered clapboard restaurant wasn’t necessarily eye catching from the outside, but inside it was clean and cozy and the atmosphere was relaxed. She waited until a basket of fried clam strips and calamari was on the table before she brought up the topic of her odd behavior. “So, guys, is there anything you want to ask me?” Zoe directed the question to the teens. “About my relationship with your uncle?”
She watched as Josh and Kathryn exchanged startled glances and then looked to their uncle for direction. At his barely perceptible nod, they turned their attention back to her. While Josh’s expression was curious, it was his sister who lobbed the first question at her.
“Do you love him?”
“Whoa, hold on, Kathryn,” Michael objected. “That’s not-”
“No, Michael,” Zoe cut him off. “It’s a fair question.” She wiped her hands on her napkin and took a sip of her wine before continuing, “Yes, I do love your uncle.” She met Michael’s gaze across the table. An overwhelming swell of love for him threatened to make her heart overflow. As happy as she was to be with him, she knew it couldn’t last. This was her last chance to live in their bubble of happiness that was this weekend and she wanted to experience it to the fullest. “Falling in love with him was the easiest thing I’ve ever done. Living without him this last year has been the hardest. It’s been miserable.”
“Then why show up at his door and pretend not to know him?” Josh asked. “That makes like no sense.”
Zoe took another sip of her wine. “I know, I agree. It was a stupid way to handle the situation, I totally get that. I can’t explain it any better than to say that I made a really dumb call.” Actually, she could explain it better if she was willing to tell the whole truth but that wasn’t an option.
“What doesn’t make sense,” Kathryn piped up, “is why you broke up in the first place.”
Zoe nodded. “I was so crazy in love with your uncle that I panicked. I felt caught up in something that was like a tornado and I felt off balance. Scared.”
“Scared of what?”
How to explain this to a young teenage girl? “I’m not even completely sure. It was too much too fast. I know this isn’t making any sense.”
“It makes sense to me.”
All eyes turned to Michael, including hers. “It does?”
He reached across the table for her hand and held it tight. “When I met you it was like I was being shown a small slice of heaven.” He grinned. “I wasn’t able to think of anyone or
Her answer mollified him somewhat. “Yes, Josh and Kathryn knew that we were seeing each other. They also knew that I was in love in you.” Was. Am. He knew which word reflected what was in his heart but he was worried about spooking her. Even though she’d come up to Nantucket, which said a lot, he still wasn’t completely sure about how she felt about him. But they had time to sort it out. He hoped. “The kids are happy you’re here. What’s got you so worried?”
“Don’t they think it’s weird that two days ago we were acting like virtual strangers and today I show up like a long lost love of yours?”
“First of all, Zoe, they’re teenagers.” He held out his hand and was happy when she gave him hers and let him pull her close. “They tend to be pretty focused on their own love lives. Secondly, they think all adults are a bit strange, including you and me. All we have to do is explain it to them.”
“Explain it how?”
He tightened his hold on her. “You tell me. You’re the one who acted like you didn’t know me from Adam. What was that about?”
The back porch screen door slammed shut, announcing the arrival of his niece and nephew, which effectively ended the conversation. But Michael knew it wasn’t over and so did Zoe. It was time for answers.
***
Zoe decided immediately upon entering the Crab Shack that she adored it. The weathered clapboard restaurant wasn’t necessarily eye catching from the outside, but inside it was clean and cozy and the atmosphere was relaxed. She waited until a basket of fried clam strips and calamari was on the table before she brought up the topic of her odd behavior. “So, guys, is there anything you want to ask me?” Zoe directed the question to the teens. “About my relationship with your uncle?”
She watched as Josh and Kathryn exchanged startled glances and then looked to their uncle for direction. At his barely perceptible nod, they turned their attention back to her. While Josh’s expression was curious, it was his sister who lobbed the first question at her.
“Do you love him?”
“Whoa, hold on, Kathryn,” Michael objected. “That’s not-”
“No, Michael,” Zoe cut him off. “It’s a fair question.” She wiped her hands on her napkin and took a sip of her wine before continuing, “Yes, I do love your uncle.” She met Michael’s gaze across the table. An overwhelming swell of love for him threatened to make her heart overflow. As happy as she was to be with him, she knew it couldn’t last. This was her last chance to live in their bubble of happiness that was this weekend and she wanted to experience it to the fullest. “Falling in love with him was the easiest thing I’ve ever done. Living without him this last year has been the hardest. It’s been miserable.”
“Then why show up at his door and pretend not to know him?” Josh asked. “That makes like no sense.”
Zoe took another sip of her wine. “I know, I agree. It was a stupid way to handle the situation, I totally get that. I can’t explain it any better than to say that I made a really dumb call.” Actually, she could explain it better if she was willing to tell the whole truth but that wasn’t an option.
“What doesn’t make sense,” Kathryn piped up, “is why you broke up in the first place.”
Zoe nodded. “I was so crazy in love with your uncle that I panicked. I felt caught up in something that was like a tornado and I felt off balance. Scared.”
“Scared of what?”
How to explain this to a young teenage girl? “I’m not even completely sure. It was too much too fast. I know this isn’t making any sense.”
“It makes sense to me.”
All eyes turned to Michael, including hers. “It does?”
He reached across the table for her hand and held it tight. “When I met you it was like I was being shown a small slice of heaven.” He grinned. “I wasn’t able to think of anyone or
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