Read Online Stirred with Love by Marcie Steele - Free Book Online Page B

she had been looking at in a magazine the other day. Maddy must have noticed her coveting it.
    ‘Do you like it?’ asked Graham.
    ‘It’s okay,’ Chloe fibbed, her cheeks starting to burn with embarrassment. She might not like Maddy but she definitely liked the top. Ben raised his eyebrows knowingly but she ignored him as she wrapped it up again, making sure it was put out of harms way. She didn’t want anything to spill over that, thank you very much.
    ‘I can’t believe you’ll be leaving at the weekend.’ Graham sat down and pulled in his chair. ‘I’m going to miss you so much.’
    Chloe threw her brother another look, this time one of contempt. Then suddenly the enormity of what she was about to do hit her. She stared at her dad as he studied the menu, his tie hung loosely around his neck, the stress of his day gently easing away as he entered into conversation with his son. She watched her brother as he relayed his working day to his father, giving her a wink as he caught her looking in his direction. Her eyes began to fill up, a heavy feeling hit her hard in the chest. Trying to concentrate on the words of an Elton John song playing quietly in the background, she gulped down a mouthful of wine.
    ‘Hey.’ Graham tilted her chin and wiped away the lone tear that had escaped with his thumb. ‘You’ll be fine without us.’
    ‘Sure you will,’ said Ben, for the first time witnessing how nervous Chloe was about leaving. ‘You’ll be having too much fun to think of us.’
    ‘My life’s not all fun,’ Chloe responded indignantly. ‘I can be taken seriously once in a while.’
    Ben and Graham laughed so loud that even the chef stopped twirling the pizza dough around in his hands. Chloe opened her mouth to answer back, but instead picked up her digital camera.
    ‘Let’s have a group photo.’ She signalled for the waiter. ‘I need something to remind me of your ugly mugs when you’re not around to gang up on me.’
    Ben came around to their side of the table and stood between them as they raised their champagne glasses in another toast.
    ‘To Chloe,’ they both cried as Chloe tried hard not to.
     
    At quarter past eight that same night, Kate sat on the settee in her living room. Nick sat opposite her in the armchair.
    ‘I’m not sure it’s a good idea,’ he told her.
    ‘It’s a solution to our problem. I thought you’d be pleased.’
    ‘I’m pleased about moving back in here again.’
    ‘Well, let’s try it then.’ Kate sat forward. ‘I’ll go to Somerley for a month, see if things work out. You move back in and if I don’t like it, I’ll come back and we’ll sell the place, split the proceeds.’
    ‘I can’t see why we can’t sell it straightaway,’ said Nick.
    Kate sighed. ‘Please. It’s only four weeks I’m asking for. I just can’t do this without knowing I have a back up plan.’
     ‘But giving up your job? To work in a café?’
    ‘It’s a coffee shop actually.’
    ‘Café, coffee shop, whatever. I just can’t see you –’
    ‘Don’t you think time apart might do us both good?’
     ‘No. You just don’t want our marriage to be over. That isn’t a reason for us to stick at it.’
    Kate paused then, knowing he was right. She’d realised as soon as he’d set foot in the house that evening that it had felt different. There had been no fireworks, no ticker tape, like she had expected – like she had wanted even. And, although she had every right to feel sorry for herself because she’d been abandoned again, it wasn’t his fault. She had to sort that one out for herself.
    ‘Maybe it’s the thought of you with someone else that I can’t stand,’ she admitted that much to him.
    Nick shrugged. ‘Maybe. Look, I’m sorry about pouncing on you the other night. Splitting up doesn’t mean I’ve stopped wanting what we had, wishing it could work again…like you do.’
    Kate nodded, fighting the urge to run and drape her arms around him. Part of her just