Read Online Never Too Late by Jay Howard - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jay Howard
Tags: Fiction, Family Life
Ads: Link
schedule is. It’s not even a special year or anything.”
“Don’t Princess me,” she pouted, “not if you can’t give me just one evening in the whole year. You promised Mummy you’d give her a party for her forty first when you didn’t even phone her or send a card on her fortieth and she was all upset. It still hasn’t happened and soon she’ll be 43.”
“Look, I’ll try to rearrange for it,” he conceded.
Her dimple was back as she beamed at him. “Oh thank you Daddy, I knew you’d come up trumps!”
“Hey,” he complained. “I said I’d try – no more, just try.”
“I know you always achieve your targets Daddy.” She raised her glass to his. “Here’s to the best surprise party ever!”
*
Iain pulled into the garage and hit the remote to close the door behind him. He glanced at the briefcase on the back seat and decided to leave it there. All he removed was a jewel case which he carefully put in his jacket inside pocket. There was paperwork to be done still but he decided to leave it for the day – it had been a long one and he had to admit he was not as young and full of fire for it as he had once been. He loosened his tie and undid the top button of his shirt as he slammed the car door shut and headed into the house.
“Margaret!” he called.
She came hurrying out from the conservatory where she’d been watering her many plants and removing the odd dead leaf.
“Iain!” She looked flustered and seemed unsure where to put the indoor watering can she still carried. “Have I got my days mixed up again?” she asked. “I was sure you weren’t due home tonight.”
He looked at her with such a sad expression she felt even more nervous, sure she had yet again let him down with her disorganisation. She went over to him and nervously offered her cheek for their customary quick kiss on the occasions they did meet these days.
Iain’s heart wrenched inside him with a longing for days long gone, days they could never recall. She was still so beautiful in his eyes, still so innocent and naïve, for all that she had the exterior gloss of the elegant woman of his world that he had taught her to adopt, a gloss in keeping with his own hard fought for stature in the fashionable world. Had he done her a terrible disservice in asking her to become what she was not?
He groaned inwardly with a great surge of longing to take her in his arms as he once used to, to bury his face in her lovely hair that always smelled so fresh, like the flowers she loved. Hair that despite her best efforts still escaped into curls that he used to wind around his fingers, watching the sunlight bring out the burnished gold hidden within the autumn leaf browns.
She moved away quickly and headed for the kitchen. “It’s not a problem,” she called over her shoulder. “I have some lovely salmon in the fridge and can quickly rustle you up…”
“It’s OK,” he cut her off. “I’ve just eaten – with Chloe as it happens.”
She turned back, surprised. “Oh, she was here earlier and didn’t mention you were dining together.”
Iain laughed. Even to his own ears it sounded forced. “No, I didn’t know we were until this evening when she phoned me.”
They walked together into the lounge where Iain poured himself a scotch and offered a drink to Maggie, which she refused. She sat on the edge of her armchair. He noticed her unease.
God, is it any wonder I prefer hotels when I’m made more welcome by strangers in a hotel bar than I am in my own home.
“I thought it was today and tomorrow you were due to be in Norwich,” Maggie admitted hesitantly.
Iain flushed slightly. “Just tomorrow night now. Sorry if I’ve disrupted your routine, but there were some matters that needed clearing up here before the site visit.” Normally he wouldn’t have felt guilty about what his plans had really been for that night, but the sight of her framed in the conservatory door as he’d come in had brought to
“Don’t Princess me,” she pouted, “not if you can’t give me just one evening in the whole year. You promised Mummy you’d give her a party for her forty first when you didn’t even phone her or send a card on her fortieth and she was all upset. It still hasn’t happened and soon she’ll be 43.”
“Look, I’ll try to rearrange for it,” he conceded.
Her dimple was back as she beamed at him. “Oh thank you Daddy, I knew you’d come up trumps!”
“Hey,” he complained. “I said I’d try – no more, just try.”
“I know you always achieve your targets Daddy.” She raised her glass to his. “Here’s to the best surprise party ever!”
*
Iain pulled into the garage and hit the remote to close the door behind him. He glanced at the briefcase on the back seat and decided to leave it there. All he removed was a jewel case which he carefully put in his jacket inside pocket. There was paperwork to be done still but he decided to leave it for the day – it had been a long one and he had to admit he was not as young and full of fire for it as he had once been. He loosened his tie and undid the top button of his shirt as he slammed the car door shut and headed into the house.
“Margaret!” he called.
She came hurrying out from the conservatory where she’d been watering her many plants and removing the odd dead leaf.
“Iain!” She looked flustered and seemed unsure where to put the indoor watering can she still carried. “Have I got my days mixed up again?” she asked. “I was sure you weren’t due home tonight.”
He looked at her with such a sad expression she felt even more nervous, sure she had yet again let him down with her disorganisation. She went over to him and nervously offered her cheek for their customary quick kiss on the occasions they did meet these days.
Iain’s heart wrenched inside him with a longing for days long gone, days they could never recall. She was still so beautiful in his eyes, still so innocent and naïve, for all that she had the exterior gloss of the elegant woman of his world that he had taught her to adopt, a gloss in keeping with his own hard fought for stature in the fashionable world. Had he done her a terrible disservice in asking her to become what she was not?
He groaned inwardly with a great surge of longing to take her in his arms as he once used to, to bury his face in her lovely hair that always smelled so fresh, like the flowers she loved. Hair that despite her best efforts still escaped into curls that he used to wind around his fingers, watching the sunlight bring out the burnished gold hidden within the autumn leaf browns.
She moved away quickly and headed for the kitchen. “It’s not a problem,” she called over her shoulder. “I have some lovely salmon in the fridge and can quickly rustle you up…”
“It’s OK,” he cut her off. “I’ve just eaten – with Chloe as it happens.”
She turned back, surprised. “Oh, she was here earlier and didn’t mention you were dining together.”
Iain laughed. Even to his own ears it sounded forced. “No, I didn’t know we were until this evening when she phoned me.”
They walked together into the lounge where Iain poured himself a scotch and offered a drink to Maggie, which she refused. She sat on the edge of her armchair. He noticed her unease.
God, is it any wonder I prefer hotels when I’m made more welcome by strangers in a hotel bar than I am in my own home.
“I thought it was today and tomorrow you were due to be in Norwich,” Maggie admitted hesitantly.
Iain flushed slightly. “Just tomorrow night now. Sorry if I’ve disrupted your routine, but there were some matters that needed clearing up here before the site visit.” Normally he wouldn’t have felt guilty about what his plans had really been for that night, but the sight of her framed in the conservatory door as he’d come in had brought to
Similar Books
