Read Online Redeeming Rafe by Alicia Hunter Pace - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Alicia Hunter Pace
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toward him and clamoring for cookies. Good thing he’d refilled the bag.
Only Julie, who’d just had her fourth birthday, stood a little apart with her hands on her hips and a frown on her face.
“They’re not ’posed to have that,” she said.
Yep. Dirk’s kid, all right. The sitters weren’t willing to call him on it, but Julie was. Come to think of it, she’d probably gotten that from Gwen.
“No? What about you? Are you supposed to have it?”
She frowned more. “What kind?”
“Chocolate chip.”
He could see the Dirk and the Gwen in Julie fight it out for the decision. Dirk won because, at the end of the day, he did what he wanted. She held out her hand.
Would the Tawny in Bella and Alice have to fight it out with the Rafe in them? Either way, it wasn’t good. They’d either be riding bulls or chasing bull riders. He felt a little sick.
While the children were distracted, he made a break for it and headed somewhere else he didn’t want to be.
• • •
“Do you mind replenishing this?” Emory held out a chafing dish insert of hot, black-eyed pea dip to Abby. “I told Gwen I would, but I feel a little sick.”
She looked positively green. Abby hurried to take the dish and pointed Emory toward the open French doors. “Go out on the terrace. I’ll be right behind you with some water.” Though no one had told her and she certainly wasn’t going to ask, Abby suspected Emory was pregnant.
“Thanks.”
A few minutes later, Abby pressed a crystal double old fashion glass into Emory’s hand. There were a few people milling around watching Jackson’s crew set up his equipment. Everyone was excited that he was going to sing. They had debated whether to have him perform out here or up in the ballroom, and Abby was glad they had opted for the terrace. It was a beautiful fall night with a breathtaking harvest moon—the kind of night that could almost make you believe in love, second chances, and happily ever after. But only almost.
“It’s sparkling water.” That had helped when she was pregnant with Phillip.
Emory sipped. “That
is
better.”
“Can I get you anything else?” Abby asked.
“No. I think I’m just a little overheated. But I’m not sure I can help replenish the food tonight.”
Gwen had made the food, and Emory had hired plenty of help, but Abby, along with Christian and Neyland, were also hostesses tonight.
“You planned the whole thing,” Abby said. “I think the rest of us can keep an eye on the buffet.”
“Those hockey players sure can eat.” Emory laughed. “I’m not sure Noel’s mother knows what happens when you invite an entire NHL team for a meal. I wonder if we ought to warn her to double the reception food.”
“And there’s also Gabe,” Abby said. Gabe’s appetite was legend everywhere he went. Rafe, on the other hand, didn’t seem to eat much. Was that situational or the norm?
“What about me?” Gabe stepped up with a plate loaded with food.
Abby took it from him and handed it off to a waiter.
“Hey!”
“You can’t have that here. Emory is nauseated, and looking at food makes it worse.”
“You okay?” Gabe wrinkled his forehead.
Emory nodded. “I just got too hot.”
Gabe sighed. “As much as I love Gwen’s pea dip, it wasn’t real food anyway. Whatever happened to sitting down at a table with a chunk of cow at parties? I swear snack food buffets were designed to starve a man to death.”
“Because, clearly, everything is about you and your stomach,” Emory said, but she was smiling.
“If only you could impart that to the world.” Gabe turned to Abby. “Where’s my brother?”
“Which one?”
“The one who isn’t getting ready to sing,” Gabe asked.
That was a good question. “I wasn’t aware it was my turn to watch him.”
“Yeah? I thought I sent out the schedule.”
“Bossing people around again?” Neyland stepped up and looped her arm through Gabe’s.
“Trying, but with little success. And
Only Julie, who’d just had her fourth birthday, stood a little apart with her hands on her hips and a frown on her face.
“They’re not ’posed to have that,” she said.
Yep. Dirk’s kid, all right. The sitters weren’t willing to call him on it, but Julie was. Come to think of it, she’d probably gotten that from Gwen.
“No? What about you? Are you supposed to have it?”
She frowned more. “What kind?”
“Chocolate chip.”
He could see the Dirk and the Gwen in Julie fight it out for the decision. Dirk won because, at the end of the day, he did what he wanted. She held out her hand.
Would the Tawny in Bella and Alice have to fight it out with the Rafe in them? Either way, it wasn’t good. They’d either be riding bulls or chasing bull riders. He felt a little sick.
While the children were distracted, he made a break for it and headed somewhere else he didn’t want to be.
• • •
“Do you mind replenishing this?” Emory held out a chafing dish insert of hot, black-eyed pea dip to Abby. “I told Gwen I would, but I feel a little sick.”
She looked positively green. Abby hurried to take the dish and pointed Emory toward the open French doors. “Go out on the terrace. I’ll be right behind you with some water.” Though no one had told her and she certainly wasn’t going to ask, Abby suspected Emory was pregnant.
“Thanks.”
A few minutes later, Abby pressed a crystal double old fashion glass into Emory’s hand. There were a few people milling around watching Jackson’s crew set up his equipment. Everyone was excited that he was going to sing. They had debated whether to have him perform out here or up in the ballroom, and Abby was glad they had opted for the terrace. It was a beautiful fall night with a breathtaking harvest moon—the kind of night that could almost make you believe in love, second chances, and happily ever after. But only almost.
“It’s sparkling water.” That had helped when she was pregnant with Phillip.
Emory sipped. “That
is
better.”
“Can I get you anything else?” Abby asked.
“No. I think I’m just a little overheated. But I’m not sure I can help replenish the food tonight.”
Gwen had made the food, and Emory had hired plenty of help, but Abby, along with Christian and Neyland, were also hostesses tonight.
“You planned the whole thing,” Abby said. “I think the rest of us can keep an eye on the buffet.”
“Those hockey players sure can eat.” Emory laughed. “I’m not sure Noel’s mother knows what happens when you invite an entire NHL team for a meal. I wonder if we ought to warn her to double the reception food.”
“And there’s also Gabe,” Abby said. Gabe’s appetite was legend everywhere he went. Rafe, on the other hand, didn’t seem to eat much. Was that situational or the norm?
“What about me?” Gabe stepped up with a plate loaded with food.
Abby took it from him and handed it off to a waiter.
“Hey!”
“You can’t have that here. Emory is nauseated, and looking at food makes it worse.”
“You okay?” Gabe wrinkled his forehead.
Emory nodded. “I just got too hot.”
Gabe sighed. “As much as I love Gwen’s pea dip, it wasn’t real food anyway. Whatever happened to sitting down at a table with a chunk of cow at parties? I swear snack food buffets were designed to starve a man to death.”
“Because, clearly, everything is about you and your stomach,” Emory said, but she was smiling.
“If only you could impart that to the world.” Gabe turned to Abby. “Where’s my brother?”
“Which one?”
“The one who isn’t getting ready to sing,” Gabe asked.
That was a good question. “I wasn’t aware it was my turn to watch him.”
“Yeah? I thought I sent out the schedule.”
“Bossing people around again?” Neyland stepped up and looped her arm through Gabe’s.
“Trying, but with little success. And