Betsy Amant - Her Family Wish

But why was she comparing anyway? Before Jude’s coffee request, he’d given her no reason to ever think he was more than her unofficial boss. She needed to tone down the wishes welling up in her chest. Reality was reality. Her fiancé hadn’t wanted her after the accident. Why would someone like Jude? Especially after he knew the rest of her story.

“Are you okay?” Sophia tapped Hannah’s arm, yanking her away from the dark place that threatened to consume her. “Lucy said they were ready. Twice.”

Hannah inhaled sharply. “Of course. Let’s go.” She forced a smile for her clients’ sakes, and called instructions to Sophia. “Bring those flowers to this wall over here, will you?” She arranged Lucy and Mark in a smiling embrace at the end of the rink, forcing herself to work through the cloudy haze still fogging her mind.

“I don’t have to actually skate, do I?” Mark’s tone was light but his eyes wary. He held Lucy so tightly, Hannah wondered if she’d have to edit white knuckles from the photos.

“No, sweetie. You stand there and look nice.” Lucy reached up and playfully patted his cheek, humor lighting her eyes along with more than a little pity.

Pity. A second fist pummeled Hannah’s midsection and she nearly lost her grip on her camera. What if Jude felt sorry for her, and that’s why he wanted to talk about Abby over coffee? Make it at least feel a little like a date, because he figured that was as good as it would get for her? The only thing she hated more than feeling second-class was being pitied. She’d had enough of that in the weeks after her accident to last a lifetime. Being babied brought out the immature nature in her, made her deserve it. She refused to go back to that period in time.

“I don’t want to look stupid in the pictures.” Worry seeped through the nonchalant charade Mark had worn the past hour, wrinkling his bushy eyebrows.

Hannah leveled a smile at him before taking a quick practice shot to check the lighting. Click. “Don’t worry, guys. I’ll make you both look like Derby pros.” She offered a wink, hoping to lighten her own mood as well as Mark’s. Click. Her voice muffled as she took another shot. “Trust me—I’m great at masking the truth.”

Chapter Six

Hannah breezed inside the local coffee shop, silky dark hair blowing across her lightly pinked cheeks. Jude rose from his chair in the back corner and lifted one hand to catch her attention, his heart picking up its pace a little at her appearance.

She reached up to corral her hair as the door shut behind her, sealing out the wind. He waved again and Hannah finally saw him and smiled, but the expression didn’t seem to quite match her eyes. She motioned toward the counter and held up one finger, as if indicating she’d be over as soon as she ordered.

Jude had intended to buy the coffee for her, but she refused to look back in his direction. Rather than cause a scene by rushing to the counter, he sank slowly back into his chair, content to study Hannah from afar. Tension bunched her shoulders under the red sweater she wore with jeans. Casual—probably came from that photo shoot she’d mentioned yesterday. He stole a quick look down at his pressed dress shirt and slacks, a uniform he wore so often at school he rarely considered changing for other outings. Would he make Hannah uncomfortable being so dressed up?

Although, the distance in her expression as she made her way toward his table a few minutes later, coffee in hand, was already making him uncomfortable. What had he done? He was the one who was supposed to be distant tonight, holding back, making it clear this entire coffee meeting was about Abby. He didn’t want to give the wrong impression.

But judging by Hannah’s tight-lipped smile, one of them obviously already had.

He shifted in his seat. “Thanks for coming.” The words sounded even more stilted out loud than they had in his head, and Jude berated himself as Hannah slid into the chair across from him. He tried again. “Seems pretty windy out.”

That was worse. He shook his head slightly, determined not to speak again until Hannah did. Babbling niceties and commenting on the weather weren’t helping. Maybe she’d had a stressful day.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.