Read Online The Unexpected Bride (Montana Born Brides) by Joanne Walsh - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Joanne Walsh
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he most definitely wasn’t…
“Da-da!” Emma was catapulted out of her tumbled, whirling thoughts by Jerome’s happy cry, and Bobo stirred on her lap as, unexpectedly, Laurent came striding into the den. Evie slid off her chair and ran towards her father, grabbing his hand and insisting, “We did pictures of the bear!”
Laurent let himself be dragged over to the coffee table, where he hunkered down to admire the paintings. “He looks pretty darn fierce in yours, Jerome.”
“Will you kill the bear, Daddy?” Evie asked.
“No,” Laurent replied patiently. “The bear’s fine as he is. He’s up there on the mountain, just hanging out and minding his own business.”
Evie thought about that for a few seconds, then she piped up, “But what if he’s lonely?”
“Oh, I’m sure he isn’t,” Laurent mussed her hair affectionately. “There will be plenty of other animals around to keep him company.”
Evie squirmed and pushed his hands from her head, and persisted with her concern for the grizzly. “Do you think he’s married?”
Laurent smiled indulgently. “I don’t think bears get married, sweetheart.”
“So he’ll be very lonely then,” Evie insisted, “because he hasn’t got a wife.”
Emma thought she saw a shadow pass over Laurent’s face, and knew it was time that she intervened. She carefully pushed Bobo off her lap and launched herself off the couch. “Come on, guys. It’s nearly supper time. We need to clear up now.”
To her surprise, Laurent joined them for the meal, supervising the awarding of marbles for good table manners. Then he played with the children for a while, before offering to take them upstairs, bathe them and put them to bed. Emma busied herself tidying up the kitchen and took the opportunity to put in another load of laundry, while Bobo settled into his basket. She found a couple of Laurent’s shirts in the utility room which Linda had left to be included in the next wash. Picking them up to put them in the machine, she caught the scent of him—male, and the faint whiff of cologne mixed with wood shavings and fresh air—and lingered with the garments in her hands. Then she heard him coming downstairs and hastily dropped them in the top-loader and started the program.
He appeared around the door.
Emma gave him a sunny smile. “Did you get them to settle down?”
“Yeah. Had to tell them a story about the bear, though,” he said wryly.
That made Emma laugh. “I’m afraid he’s flavor of the week.”
“Well, he’s a party animal now, hanging out with his buddies on the mountain: the bald eagle, the deer, the wolf and the lion.”
“Hey, that’s brilliant! I’ll look those animals up online, so that I can find out more about them for the children, and then maybe we can order some picture books, too. Make a fun, learning experience out of it for them.”
Laurent leant against the doorframe, put his hands in the pockets of his jeans, and surveyed her thoughtfully. Emma fought with herself to stop her eyes being drawn to how the denim pulled tight across his thighs. “There’s a great bookstore in Marietta, with a good kids’ section. I’ll take you down there sometime. And we could have dinner,” he suggested casually.
This offer caught her off-guard, and suddenly she felt hot and bothered. “It’s very warm in here with the washing machine running.” She blew a damp strand of hair away from the front of her face.
“If you’re free, I can arrange for the kids to go to my parents’ tomorrow afternoon, and ask if they can give them supper. We can go into town and I can show you around properly, visit the bookstore and then I can book a table for an early dinner at Rocco’s.”
This was such a turnaround, Emma didn’t know what to say. “Oh! Um…”
“Since we’re friends, I thought it might be nice to spend some downtime together. And I think we need to talk some more.”
There was a determination in his voice that brooked no
“Da-da!” Emma was catapulted out of her tumbled, whirling thoughts by Jerome’s happy cry, and Bobo stirred on her lap as, unexpectedly, Laurent came striding into the den. Evie slid off her chair and ran towards her father, grabbing his hand and insisting, “We did pictures of the bear!”
Laurent let himself be dragged over to the coffee table, where he hunkered down to admire the paintings. “He looks pretty darn fierce in yours, Jerome.”
“Will you kill the bear, Daddy?” Evie asked.
“No,” Laurent replied patiently. “The bear’s fine as he is. He’s up there on the mountain, just hanging out and minding his own business.”
Evie thought about that for a few seconds, then she piped up, “But what if he’s lonely?”
“Oh, I’m sure he isn’t,” Laurent mussed her hair affectionately. “There will be plenty of other animals around to keep him company.”
Evie squirmed and pushed his hands from her head, and persisted with her concern for the grizzly. “Do you think he’s married?”
Laurent smiled indulgently. “I don’t think bears get married, sweetheart.”
“So he’ll be very lonely then,” Evie insisted, “because he hasn’t got a wife.”
Emma thought she saw a shadow pass over Laurent’s face, and knew it was time that she intervened. She carefully pushed Bobo off her lap and launched herself off the couch. “Come on, guys. It’s nearly supper time. We need to clear up now.”
To her surprise, Laurent joined them for the meal, supervising the awarding of marbles for good table manners. Then he played with the children for a while, before offering to take them upstairs, bathe them and put them to bed. Emma busied herself tidying up the kitchen and took the opportunity to put in another load of laundry, while Bobo settled into his basket. She found a couple of Laurent’s shirts in the utility room which Linda had left to be included in the next wash. Picking them up to put them in the machine, she caught the scent of him—male, and the faint whiff of cologne mixed with wood shavings and fresh air—and lingered with the garments in her hands. Then she heard him coming downstairs and hastily dropped them in the top-loader and started the program.
He appeared around the door.
Emma gave him a sunny smile. “Did you get them to settle down?”
“Yeah. Had to tell them a story about the bear, though,” he said wryly.
That made Emma laugh. “I’m afraid he’s flavor of the week.”
“Well, he’s a party animal now, hanging out with his buddies on the mountain: the bald eagle, the deer, the wolf and the lion.”
“Hey, that’s brilliant! I’ll look those animals up online, so that I can find out more about them for the children, and then maybe we can order some picture books, too. Make a fun, learning experience out of it for them.”
Laurent leant against the doorframe, put his hands in the pockets of his jeans, and surveyed her thoughtfully. Emma fought with herself to stop her eyes being drawn to how the denim pulled tight across his thighs. “There’s a great bookstore in Marietta, with a good kids’ section. I’ll take you down there sometime. And we could have dinner,” he suggested casually.
This offer caught her off-guard, and suddenly she felt hot and bothered. “It’s very warm in here with the washing machine running.” She blew a damp strand of hair away from the front of her face.
“If you’re free, I can arrange for the kids to go to my parents’ tomorrow afternoon, and ask if they can give them supper. We can go into town and I can show you around properly, visit the bookstore and then I can book a table for an early dinner at Rocco’s.”
This was such a turnaround, Emma didn’t know what to say. “Oh! Um…”
“Since we’re friends, I thought it might be nice to spend some downtime together. And I think we need to talk some more.”
There was a determination in his voice that brooked no
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