Read Online Picture Perfect (The Wilsons) by Alicia Roberts - Free Book Online Page B

denying that fact – after his grandma died, Gramps had spoiled his only daughter and let her do whatever she wanted.
    Adam’s mother grew up wild and selfish, and led a life of partying and “socializing”. One of her numerous boyfriends had gotten her pregnant, but she didn’t let that dampen her social life – she merely chose richer guys to date, and made them hire nannies so she could be a better girlfriend.
    After one too many fights with her latest boyfriend, Adam had run away to his Gramps when he was fourteen. His goal was to get enough money to go over to Canada, where he’d get a job in an oil rig.
    “I’d heard it was easy money,” he laughed, and Lea smiled, imagining a young, naïve Adam.
    His grandfather offered to let Adam stay with him and pay him the money – if he finished high school. By then, Adam had cooled down enough to accept the offer, and he struggled through and finished school.
    His grandfather bought him a camera for his fifteenth birthday, and pretty soon he used up the “bribe” money to buy a better kit. He started doing wedding gigs – at first it was for the easy money, but later he fell in love with the art.
    By the time he’d graduated high school, he’d amassed a decent portfolio and gotten a job at a local newspaper. From there, it was only a matter of time before he move to World News Wire and became their war-zone photographer.
    “But that’s enough about me,” he said, looking awkward. “What about you? I Google’d you, but I didn’t find anything about your life in the last six years. What’ve you been up to?”
    Lea looked distressed, and just then the oven beeped.
    Adam got up in a hurry, putting on an oven mitt and taking out the cake. Chocolatey goodness filled the room, and Lea cooed excitedly. “It looks great,” she said, “Where are the plates?”
    Adam laughed at her impatience and indicated the china cabinets. She dug out two fine bone china plates, a knife and two forks.
    She handed Adam the knife so he’d cut the cake, but he looked at her doubtfully. “I was planning to make some icing.”
    Lea shook her head decisively. “No time. I’m starving! And that looks perfect as it is!”
    She was right, of course – the cake was dark and gooey and delicious, just the right amount of sweetness mingling with the rich taste of the chocolate. It was decadent and indulgent, even without the icing.
    She moaned happily and dug into the cake, savoring each bite. Adam watched her, pleased by her reaction, and thinking to himself that this was probably the only time he’d watch her enjoy such amazing bliss. He imagined her in bed, making the same noises, and cut off his thoughts before they could get any further.
    “You were telling me,” he said, “About your life.”
    She shook her head. “No, I wasn’t.”
    “Well you were about to.” When she stayed silent for almost a minute, Adam finally asked, “What? Is it a secret?”
    “Yes. It is.”
    He rolled his eyes. “Then tell me. I’ll keep your secret safe.”
    She looked at him doubtfully and he said, “It’s eating you up inside. Tell me, before you get an ulcer.”
    She laughed. How could he always be so lighthearted? “Do you promise you won’t tell anyone?”
    “Cross my heart.”
    “You might hate me.”
    His eyes softened and his voice was low. “I don’t think I could ever hate you.”
    Something in his gaze made Lea look away quickly. “Well, let’s try you then. How about this: six years ago, I almost killed two people.”
    Adam’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “How did that happen?”
    Lea sighed, but there was no going back from here. His voice was surprisingly non-judgmental. “I used to party a lot. One night, I had a couple of drinks and decided to drive home. I crashed into another car.”
    Adam nodded. “Was anyone hurt?”
    She shook her head, no. She remembered that moment all over again, everything happening in slow motion – the screech of her tires, the