Read Online Seeking Carolina by Terri-Lynne Defino - Free Book Online Page B

girls made beautiful. Charlie had not been elfin. Even skinny, his features were bold. He’d grown into those features to make the handsome man standing in her kitchen, surrounded by children that were his and not hers, but for whom she already felt affection.
    “Everyone ready to bake?”
    “Yeah!” A chorus of small voices, and a few older ones. Caleb stood closer to his father, trying not to seem too eager.
    “Charlotte, if you wouldn’t mind starting the little ones measuring out the flour and sugar, I have a special task for Caleb.”
    “Sure, Johanna.”
    Johanna took Caleb’s hand and led him to the oven. Already gathered on the counter were milk, butter, cocoa and sugar.
    “What do you want me to do?” Caleb asked. Johanna put a big stockpot on the burner.
    “Learn how to make real hot chocolate,” Johanna answered, “so you never have to drink that crap out of an envelope again.”
    * * * *
    By the time the second batch of chocolate chip cookies came out of the oven, Gunner had arrived, and Johanna had lost most of her help. Full bellies made for sleepy children. Emma took them into the family room to watch Christmas specials. Julietta came down, rolled a few cookies, ladled herself a mug of hot chocolate and went back up to her office to work. She had a deadline she was going to miss if she didn’t get the research in to the agency by five o’clock. Julietta had never missed a deadline.
    Nina and Gunner sat with Emma and Charlie at the dining room table, nibbling cookies and chatting. Soon, Mike would arrive just long enough to say hello and whisk his family to his parents’ house for the traditional English Christmas dinner, complete with roast goose and a viewing of whatever incarnation of A Christmas Carol Emma deemed appropriate for the children.
    Only Charlotte remained in the kitchen with her, which suited Johanna just fine. The dreamy-vision of baking with children hadn’t quite lived up to expectations. Working with Charlotte was more like working with a colleague.
    How young Charlie and Gina had been when their first child was born. How frightening it must have been.
    The cookies were all done and waiting to be decorated. They had moved on to the pies for Christmas Day. Two apple already cooled on the counter. Two cherry baked in the oven. Two pecan awaited their turn.
    “Did I see you put honey into the crust?” Johanna stood at Charlotte’s elbow, watching her press the graham-cracker crust into another pie tin for the pumpkin that would come next.
    “I did. It gives the crust a nice chew. Is that okay?”
    “I don’t know. I’ve never done it before, myself.”
    “It’s how my mom taught me.” Charlotte averted her eyes. “Whatever her faults, she is a really good cook.”
    “Must run in the family,” Johanna said. “Even Gram had to admit your grandmother’s meatballs were better than hers. I was sorry to hear your grandparents sold the pizzeria.”
    Charlotte shrugged. “They got old, and Mom had no interest. Neither did my uncles.”
    “Frankie and Aldo.”
    “You know them?”
    “You forget I grew up in this town. You know how it is. Everyone knows everyone.”
    “True.” Charlotte shrugged again. “They’re all in Florida now. My uncles. My grandparents. My mom and her boyfriend. I fucking hate Florida.”
    Johanna’s heart stitched. The need to hide the hurt behind anger was a familiar one. “Florida has some pretty places left.”
    “Not where they live. I wish they lived in Key West, or someplace actually cool. Then maybe I’d visit. It’s not like my grandmother ever liked me much.”
    “Why would you say that?”
    Yet another shrug. “I’m the thing that ruined her daughter’s life,” she said. “The child conceived out of wedlock. As if it matters anymore.”
    “It did back then, to some. But she’s your grandmother. I remember how she showed you off to everyone when you were a baby.”
    “I stopped being a cute little baby and grew a