Read Online Never Too Late by Jay Howard - Free Book Online

over to the office’s adjoining shower and changing room to get ready for the main woman in his life, chuckling as he realised he still had difficulty in thinking of her as a woman.
    She’ll be my little girl till the day I die. God help any man who didn’t realise how precious she is!
    The powerful jets of water massaged and soothed him as he turned slowly under them, then drew an involuntary gasp as a quick flick of the control turned the jets to an icy stream, invigorating him to the core. Ten minutes later he was dressed and ready to go, proof yet again of what a wise investment the shower room had been.
     
    *
     
    “Isn’t that rather distinguished looking hunk of a man your father, Chloe?” Nicci asked her, looking past Chloe to the lobby where Iain was handing in his coat. At 6’2” and still athletically built, courtesy of hard work, squash three times a week and rowing when he could fit it in, he was indeed a fine figure of a man. He had a presence, an electric energy about him, and more than one female head had turned his way.
    Chloe turned from where she was standing at the table of four of her friends and her smile was radiant. “It is indeed. If he weren’t my father I’d marry him,” she quipped. “I’ll catch up with you guys tomorrow, OK?”
    She fairly danced down the steps to Iain and gave him a big hug and kiss. “Thank you, Daddy; I knew you wouldn’t let me down.”
    “Never in a million years, Princess,” he assured her, returning the hug.
    She took his arm and they went towards the back of the restaurant to their favourite table.
    Iain waved aside the hovering waiter and personally assisted Chloe to her chair. “You look exquisite, love,” he complimented her.
    “You’re not so bad yourself,” she replied, her dimple appearing with her smile. “And you’re wearing my favourite Givenchy cologne,” she approved, “the one that always reminds me of that wonderful holiday we had in Bavaria.”
    “Weren’t those mountains and forests something else,” he reminisced, sitting opposite her.
    “If you ever get round to having another holiday don’t forget to check dates with me first, Daddy, and I’ll come too.”
    He leaned back in his chair as he accepted the menu, and glanced towards the table where Chloe had stood when he arrived. “I thought all your friends were otherwise engaged tonight?” he queried, one eyebrow raised.
    “Oh they are,” Chloe confirmed with a mischievous glint. “Look – two couples, a fifth body would ruin the vibes.”
    “Have you been playing matchmaker again?” Iain asked, well used to the way she loved to arrange people’s lives for them if she thought they were making a hash of it themselves.
    She giggled and leaned forward conspiratorially. “Not matchmaking, just allowing two lonely people, who have met before I might add, to overcome their shyness.” She nodded towards them slightly. “You know Nicci already, well she’s been seeing Paul for a while now, but the brunette – that’s Susanne – she works with Nicci and me and you should see her face when Adrian walks through. What could I do? I couldn’t let them keep suffering for lack of a little helping hand in arranging for them to be in the same place at the same time with the chance to get to know each other now could I?”
    Iain shook his head, his lips twitching. “Do you ever stop for breath when you talk?” he asked, mock seriously.
    Chloe slapped his hand and turned her attention to the menu.
    Twenty minutes later Iain finished his Bruschetta, topped as he liked it with just the right amount of basil to enhance, not swamp, the flavour of the tomato. Chloe had nearly finished her M’Pepatella di Cosse. He dabbed his mouth with the linen napkin and admired the delicate way she handled the peppery mussels. His daughter had real class and he was, as always, proud to be seen out with her.
    She looked up at him from under her lashes as she squeezed a little more lemon over