laugh out loud. He was probably getting a good whiff of that godawful perfume as well. That couldn’t be helping matters.
“Ah, Felix.” Leo’s voice held trepidation and his hearty voice underlined how uncertain he really was holding the child. But at least he’d lost his earlier depression.
“I’m going to take the girls out to breakfast at Storm in a Teacup. Gina suggested it to give you guys some time alone.” His brother didn’t appear enthused but Gina was excited. She fluttered her eyelashes at Leo and a flush covered her chubby olive complexion. His brother had made another conquest. That would teach him for being the pretty one.
“That would be good as long as Tomasine agrees,” Felix said. He glanced around the compact rooms. From where he stood next to the dining room table, he could see the entire lounge plus the tiny kitchen. Although everything was clean, the chairs and other furniture were well used and shabby, as if Tomasine had purchased them secondhand or inherited them from the previous tenant. The only exception to this was 49
Shelley Munro
the television set. He’d noticed the satellite antennae on the roof before he’d entered—a necessary item in Middlemarch since radio and television reception was poor.
“Mama, we’re going to Storm in Teacup,” Sylvie said, naming the local café when Tomasine appeared dressed in jeans and a pale mauve T-shirt.
“Oh no. I don’t think so,” Tomasine said, casting him a nervous glance that brought guilt to the surface. He hadn’t meant to frighten her with the perfume comment but it was time to talk. He needed to know the truth if he were to protect her and her family.
“I promised to take the girls,” Leo said. “They’ll be quite safe with me.”
Felix wouldn’t have caught the look of panic if he hadn’t been watching Tomasine so carefully. It was a deep-seated fear and anguish that caught at his gut and tweaked his curiosity. What would put that sort of fear into a woman’s face? His breath caught. She’d said her husband was dead but was he really? Was she a runaway wife? Felix’s hands curled to fists at the thought of another man before blowing out a calming breath. There was no mating mark on her shoulder. No, he was her destined mate and the sooner she acknowledged the fact the better.
“Please let us go, Tom,” Gina said. “It will be fun.” Tomasine and Gina seemed to exchange a conversation without words. Eventually, Tomasine gave a stiff nod but she appeared unhappy with the development.
“Our sister-in-law Emily works there,” Felix said, trying to allay her uneasiness at letting the girls out of her sight. He knew they both attended school. She’d relaxed enough to have them out of her sight for several hours of the day. “I bet Emily will rustle up some special treats for little girls,” he added.
“Goodie.” Sylvie clapped her hands and jumped off Leo’s knee, almost falling. Leo caught her before she came to harm but one frog green gumboot dropped off in the process.
“I’ll have to brush your hair before you go out,” Tomasine said, holding out her hand to her daughter. The child pouted but eventually trotted off to have her hair tidied, leaving Felix free to observe the teenager. Gina, Tomasine had called her. She 50
Peeping Tom
didn’t look much like Tomasine or the child. Gina was a bit on the chubby side with a mop of short blonde curls and beautiful sparkling hazel eyes. She needed a brush as well. She wore jeans and a tight-fitting black T-shirt and looked much like the other teenagers he’d seen around Middlemarch. Was she shifter too?
Hard to tell with the stench of the perfume still filling the air. Felix grinned suddenly. It was difficult to believe, but when they sorted all this mess out and he and Tomasine were together, he’d be a stepfather. The thought blew his mind. A family. Perhaps not so good on the sex life but he had a family he could foist them off on now and then
“Ah, Felix.” Leo’s voice held trepidation and his hearty voice underlined how uncertain he really was holding the child. But at least he’d lost his earlier depression.
“I’m going to take the girls out to breakfast at Storm in a Teacup. Gina suggested it to give you guys some time alone.” His brother didn’t appear enthused but Gina was excited. She fluttered her eyelashes at Leo and a flush covered her chubby olive complexion. His brother had made another conquest. That would teach him for being the pretty one.
“That would be good as long as Tomasine agrees,” Felix said. He glanced around the compact rooms. From where he stood next to the dining room table, he could see the entire lounge plus the tiny kitchen. Although everything was clean, the chairs and other furniture were well used and shabby, as if Tomasine had purchased them secondhand or inherited them from the previous tenant. The only exception to this was 49
Shelley Munro
the television set. He’d noticed the satellite antennae on the roof before he’d entered—a necessary item in Middlemarch since radio and television reception was poor.
“Mama, we’re going to Storm in Teacup,” Sylvie said, naming the local café when Tomasine appeared dressed in jeans and a pale mauve T-shirt.
“Oh no. I don’t think so,” Tomasine said, casting him a nervous glance that brought guilt to the surface. He hadn’t meant to frighten her with the perfume comment but it was time to talk. He needed to know the truth if he were to protect her and her family.
“I promised to take the girls,” Leo said. “They’ll be quite safe with me.”
Felix wouldn’t have caught the look of panic if he hadn’t been watching Tomasine so carefully. It was a deep-seated fear and anguish that caught at his gut and tweaked his curiosity. What would put that sort of fear into a woman’s face? His breath caught. She’d said her husband was dead but was he really? Was she a runaway wife? Felix’s hands curled to fists at the thought of another man before blowing out a calming breath. There was no mating mark on her shoulder. No, he was her destined mate and the sooner she acknowledged the fact the better.
“Please let us go, Tom,” Gina said. “It will be fun.” Tomasine and Gina seemed to exchange a conversation without words. Eventually, Tomasine gave a stiff nod but she appeared unhappy with the development.
“Our sister-in-law Emily works there,” Felix said, trying to allay her uneasiness at letting the girls out of her sight. He knew they both attended school. She’d relaxed enough to have them out of her sight for several hours of the day. “I bet Emily will rustle up some special treats for little girls,” he added.
“Goodie.” Sylvie clapped her hands and jumped off Leo’s knee, almost falling. Leo caught her before she came to harm but one frog green gumboot dropped off in the process.
“I’ll have to brush your hair before you go out,” Tomasine said, holding out her hand to her daughter. The child pouted but eventually trotted off to have her hair tidied, leaving Felix free to observe the teenager. Gina, Tomasine had called her. She 50
Peeping Tom
didn’t look much like Tomasine or the child. Gina was a bit on the chubby side with a mop of short blonde curls and beautiful sparkling hazel eyes. She needed a brush as well. She wore jeans and a tight-fitting black T-shirt and looked much like the other teenagers he’d seen around Middlemarch. Was she shifter too?
Hard to tell with the stench of the perfume still filling the air. Felix grinned suddenly. It was difficult to believe, but when they sorted all this mess out and he and Tomasine were together, he’d be a stepfather. The thought blew his mind. A family. Perhaps not so good on the sex life but he had a family he could foist them off on now and then
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