Read Online Storybook Dad (Harlequin American Romance) by Laura Bradford - Free Book Online
Authors: Laura Bradford
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eyebrows under
any circumstances. Add the fact that it was Kate—a woman who bemoaned Emily’s
single status on a regular basis—who was throwing the barbecue and, well, she
was doomed.
“Emily! You’re here!” Her friend disengaged herself from a
small group of people Emily recognized from the Memorial Day barbecue Kate and
her husband had thrown six weeks earlier, and met them just inside the hedge
that bordered the east side of the couple’s property. Extending her hand, Kate
widened her eyes at Emily and then beamed up at Mark. “Hi, I’m Kate. Emily and I
have known each other since our finger painting days.”
His laugh was strong and sure. “And I’m Mark. Emily and I have
known each other since she stuck a compass in my hand and tried to lead me
astray in the woods three days ago.”
“I didn’t lead you astray,” she protested. “I gave you the same
coordinates as everyone else. You just seemed to be a little distracted in the
beginning, that’s all.”
He swept his hand in her direction, making her keenly aware of
the white skirt and powder-blue tank top she’d donned that morning, knowing her
day would be spent in a classroom rather than in the woods or on the lake. “Who
knew I had to focus on the compass?” he quipped to Kate with a wink for good
measure.
Emily felt her mouth gape, and worked to compose herself even
as her friend’s eyes crackled with the kind of excitement that left her own
stomach in knots.
Great.
“Come. Come. You have to meet my husband, Joe.” Looping her arm
through Mark’s, Kate fairly dragged him across the French patio and over to the
pickup game of basketball taking place on the other side of the yard between Joe
and an eight-year-old guest. “Joe and I met in high school. He was distracted by
me when we crossed paths at the diner.”
Hoping the lump in the pit of her stomach was a by-product of
hunger rather than her shortsighted concession in bringing Mark to the barbecue,
Emily headed over to the food table, her history with Kate filling in the rest
of the story Mark was no doubt hearing. It was one she knew well, considering
that she had been sitting at the same table in the now infamous local hangout
when Joe had walked in with four of his buddies from the basketball team that
fateful day. The second Kate and Joe had spotted one another across the
restaurant, their romantic fate had been sealed.
But it hadn’t worked that way for Emily. Ever.
Sure, she’d dated her fair share of guys throughout high
school, college and beyond, but none of them had ever quite reached the bar
she’d set for someone who would be her life’s mate. No, that person had to be
smart, funny, motivated, creative and outdoorsy. He had to enjoy conversation
and silence. And he had to look at her as if she was someone special.
Like Mark had just now when he was telling
Kate about the orienteering class....
Emily stilled her hand over the bowl of pretzels and shook her
head. Oh, no. She would not allow Kate’s
you-need-to-find-your-soul-mate-and-you-need-to-find-him-now mantra start
playing in her head.
Four out of five goals was good enough. Especially in light of
her illness.
“Em, he’s gorgeous. Gor-geous. I am so, so, so happy for you.”
She swatted away her gushing friend with a handful of pretzels
before popping one in her mouth and removing herself from the earshot of a few
other guests.
“What?” Kate persisted, staying on her heels. “Am I wrong? Is
Mark not gorgeous?”
Lifting her hand to block the sun, Emily scanned the backyard
until her friend’s outstretched finger pointed the way to the basketball court
and the game that had grown to include five men and the eight-year-old. Even
from where she was standing she couldn’t help but enjoy the view.
Mark Reynolds was truly a fine-looking man. His hair, which had
caught her attention from the start with its rich brown color, was the kind a
woman could get her fingers lost in. His smile, whether
any circumstances. Add the fact that it was Kate—a woman who bemoaned Emily’s
single status on a regular basis—who was throwing the barbecue and, well, she
was doomed.
“Emily! You’re here!” Her friend disengaged herself from a
small group of people Emily recognized from the Memorial Day barbecue Kate and
her husband had thrown six weeks earlier, and met them just inside the hedge
that bordered the east side of the couple’s property. Extending her hand, Kate
widened her eyes at Emily and then beamed up at Mark. “Hi, I’m Kate. Emily and I
have known each other since our finger painting days.”
His laugh was strong and sure. “And I’m Mark. Emily and I have
known each other since she stuck a compass in my hand and tried to lead me
astray in the woods three days ago.”
“I didn’t lead you astray,” she protested. “I gave you the same
coordinates as everyone else. You just seemed to be a little distracted in the
beginning, that’s all.”
He swept his hand in her direction, making her keenly aware of
the white skirt and powder-blue tank top she’d donned that morning, knowing her
day would be spent in a classroom rather than in the woods or on the lake. “Who
knew I had to focus on the compass?” he quipped to Kate with a wink for good
measure.
Emily felt her mouth gape, and worked to compose herself even
as her friend’s eyes crackled with the kind of excitement that left her own
stomach in knots.
Great.
“Come. Come. You have to meet my husband, Joe.” Looping her arm
through Mark’s, Kate fairly dragged him across the French patio and over to the
pickup game of basketball taking place on the other side of the yard between Joe
and an eight-year-old guest. “Joe and I met in high school. He was distracted by
me when we crossed paths at the diner.”
Hoping the lump in the pit of her stomach was a by-product of
hunger rather than her shortsighted concession in bringing Mark to the barbecue,
Emily headed over to the food table, her history with Kate filling in the rest
of the story Mark was no doubt hearing. It was one she knew well, considering
that she had been sitting at the same table in the now infamous local hangout
when Joe had walked in with four of his buddies from the basketball team that
fateful day. The second Kate and Joe had spotted one another across the
restaurant, their romantic fate had been sealed.
But it hadn’t worked that way for Emily. Ever.
Sure, she’d dated her fair share of guys throughout high
school, college and beyond, but none of them had ever quite reached the bar
she’d set for someone who would be her life’s mate. No, that person had to be
smart, funny, motivated, creative and outdoorsy. He had to enjoy conversation
and silence. And he had to look at her as if she was someone special.
Like Mark had just now when he was telling
Kate about the orienteering class....
Emily stilled her hand over the bowl of pretzels and shook her
head. Oh, no. She would not allow Kate’s
you-need-to-find-your-soul-mate-and-you-need-to-find-him-now mantra start
playing in her head.
Four out of five goals was good enough. Especially in light of
her illness.
“Em, he’s gorgeous. Gor-geous. I am so, so, so happy for you.”
She swatted away her gushing friend with a handful of pretzels
before popping one in her mouth and removing herself from the earshot of a few
other guests.
“What?” Kate persisted, staying on her heels. “Am I wrong? Is
Mark not gorgeous?”
Lifting her hand to block the sun, Emily scanned the backyard
until her friend’s outstretched finger pointed the way to the basketball court
and the game that had grown to include five men and the eight-year-old. Even
from where she was standing she couldn’t help but enjoy the view.
Mark Reynolds was truly a fine-looking man. His hair, which had
caught her attention from the start with its rich brown color, was the kind a
woman could get her fingers lost in. His smile, whether
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