Read Online With a Little T.L.C. by Teresa Southwick - Free Book Online Page B

I just had our home movies transferredto video. Would you like to see them?” she said to Liz.
    â€œI’d love to,” she answered truthfully.
    She was curious to see what Joe looked like as a boy. Was he always the family charmer? Or had he acquired the talent at the onset of puberty and his attraction to the opposite sex? Not fair, she reminded herself. She’d been proven wrong about him and was deeply ashamed of herself for automatically assuming the worst—again.
    The family filed into the house and Liz was about to fall into line.
    Joe put a hand on her arm. “You don’t really want to see movies, do you? That’s more of a snooze than phenobarbital.”
    â€œOn the contrary, I would thoroughly enjoy watching the ‘little Joey’ show,” she said with a grin.
    He shook his head and automatically blocked her path. “That does it. You’ll have to get past me to see it.” Then he threw up his hands and in the dim light she saw his grin. “Look who I’m talking to. Miss Do-as-I-say-or-I’ll-twist-your-ear-off.”
    Liz couldn’t help laughing at him even though she had mixed feelings about her choice of after-dessert entertainment. It was safer inside, surrounded by his family. Outside was a lovely summer evening with a romantic sky full of stars and a full course crow dinner. After learning that the phone call he’d received had been perfectly innocent, she owed him an apology. Best to get it over with. When Joe tugged her from beneath the patio cover to a spot by the pool, she didn’t protest.
    The night was warm, with a hint of breeze blowing. Malibu lights illuminated the whole backyard and thepool area. Joe sat on the edge of the pool and stuck his bare feet in the water. He patted the cement beside him and she only hesitated a second before accepting his invitation. She slipped off her sneakers and dipped her feet into the soothing water.
    A big sigh of contentment escaped her. She was amazed how comfortable she was with him now that she’d let her guard down. She’d felt his magnetism right from the beginning and had been fighting against it. Now she knew resisting was an exercise in futility. But before she could completely relax, there was something she had to do.
    â€œJoe, I want to apologize to you.”
    â€œOkay.”
    â€œI’m sorry I questioned you that day. When Abby called, I automatically assumed it was a woman—”
    â€œAnd you were right.”
    â€œYou’re not going to make this easy, are you?” She let out a long breath. “Okay. I insist you make it as hard on me as you can. I sure didn’t go easy on you. It would make me feel better if you just rub my nose in how awful I was to you.”
    â€œWould I do that?”
    She slid him a sideways glance. “Yeah. And I don’t blame you. Believe me, I’ll feel a lot better if you make this just as difficult as possible. I deserve it. My only excuse was that every time I saw you, there was a different woman.”
    â€œAh yes. What was it you said? I had a revolving door for a heart.” He grinned. “Not that I owe you, but the tall blonde you saw me with really was my secretary. I told you about her, the one who had a baby. Not only did she drop off a gift for Rosie, shewas at the hospital because she was pregnant and having tests.”
    â€œOkay.” She nodded, resigned to taking what he had to dish out. She owed him that. Even if he’d been less than a gentleman to one of her co-workers. “However, in my own defense, I have to say that I probably wouldn’t have jumped to conclusions if it hadn’t been for the way you dumped Trish.”
    He tensed beside her. “Trish Hudson? You mentioned her before, that day at the beach.”
    She read the look of intensity on his face and had a feeling she wasn’t going to like this. “What?”
    â€œThat’s what I’d like to