Clean Inspirational Romance: Escape to Paradise (Inspirational Happy Sweet First Love Second Chance Romance) (Contemporary New Adult Love Inspired Holiday Short Stories) Read Online Free Page B
me.”
Katie shrugged in frustration. “You are so stubborn Mom. And I think you are so wrong about Nick. I think he likes you more than a friend.”
Victoria remembered vividly the way she saw Nick looking at that blonde woman in the restaurant. There was a lot of obvious intimacy when they were together. “No, I’m not wrong, Katie. But somehow I wish I was.”
“So you do like him! More than a friend. I knew it!”
“So what if I do, Katie. We’re going home in a week. I’ll never see him again, so there’s no point to it.”
“But, we can always sell the house, Mom, and come back! I really want to come back. I just love it here. And Miranda and I have been best friends since we were two. I’ll never have a best friend like her again!”
Victoria saw how serious and passionate Katie was about moving to Australia. She put her arms around her, and said, “Okay, we’ll talk about it all on the trip home. We’ll have tons of time on the plane to work things out.”
***
Victoria found it difficult to get Nick out of her mind. Throughout the entire weekend, despite the fact that she tried to enjoy the many sights in Brisbane, memories of Nick kept reappearing, flooding her mind in waves. Who is that blonde woman? She felt haunted by the image of them sitting together in that restaurant. After five years of grieving and being single, Nick was the one she hungered for.
“Well, here we are home again,” Natasha said as they pulled into the driveway. It was late Sunday afternoon, and a cool breeze was blowing in from the ocean fanning away the humidity with welcoming fingers.
Suddenly, Victoria spotted Nick’s sport car parked in the driveway. “Looks like you have visitors,” she said, knowing that now she would have no choice other than to face Nick.
“Well, Dan did mention that Nick and his sister would be popping in for drinks and dinner tonight. Oh, I forgot. I meant to tell you earlier.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that Nick had a sister.”
“Yes, Dan was telling me that she had just broken up with her fiancé in Melbourne, and the poor thing has been so depressed that she flew up here to see Nick for some moral support. Apparently she was heartbroken about it.”
As they entered the house, Victoria could see Dan out the back with Nick. They were chatting and laughing with a cold beer in hand.
“Let’s just take these sausages and steaks out to the boys, Vicky,” Natasha said, pulling a plate of meat out of the fridge. “Dan promised he’d do a barbeque for dinner tonight.”
Just then the girls came running down the stairs excited to see both their Moms home again.
“Nick’s here, Mom,’’ Katie was saying. “He said it would be so nice to see you again.”
Victoria blushed. She felt strangely nervous about facing Nick again, knowing now that her feelings for him were much stronger than she had realized.
Trying to delay facing him, and needing time to regain her composure, she mumbled, “I’ll stay here and get some salads ready, Tash. Here, Katie help me chop some of these tomatoes and cucumbers.”
It took ten minutes to get the salads ready but to Victoria it felt like an eternity. Nervously she took a gulp of the fine wine that Natasha had opened and poured out for the girls. Three glasses.
“Okay, Katie, let’s take these salads out, and help set the outdoor table.”
As soon as Victoria laid eyes on Nick sitting relaxed by the barbeque, she went weak at the knees and melted. “Hi Nick. So nice to see you again,” she almost whispered. Sitting next to him looking a little sad was a lady hiding behind a large hat and huge sunglasses.
“Hi, Victoria. I want you to meet my sister, Julie. Julie this is Victoria. Julie’s come up to visit for a while and I know she’d love some female company so Dan invited us to dinner so that you girls could get together.”
“Hi Julie, lovely to meet you,” Victoria said as she suddenly realized who Julie was. She’s the girl
Katie shrugged in frustration. “You are so stubborn Mom. And I think you are so wrong about Nick. I think he likes you more than a friend.”
Victoria remembered vividly the way she saw Nick looking at that blonde woman in the restaurant. There was a lot of obvious intimacy when they were together. “No, I’m not wrong, Katie. But somehow I wish I was.”
“So you do like him! More than a friend. I knew it!”
“So what if I do, Katie. We’re going home in a week. I’ll never see him again, so there’s no point to it.”
“But, we can always sell the house, Mom, and come back! I really want to come back. I just love it here. And Miranda and I have been best friends since we were two. I’ll never have a best friend like her again!”
Victoria saw how serious and passionate Katie was about moving to Australia. She put her arms around her, and said, “Okay, we’ll talk about it all on the trip home. We’ll have tons of time on the plane to work things out.”
***
Victoria found it difficult to get Nick out of her mind. Throughout the entire weekend, despite the fact that she tried to enjoy the many sights in Brisbane, memories of Nick kept reappearing, flooding her mind in waves. Who is that blonde woman? She felt haunted by the image of them sitting together in that restaurant. After five years of grieving and being single, Nick was the one she hungered for.
“Well, here we are home again,” Natasha said as they pulled into the driveway. It was late Sunday afternoon, and a cool breeze was blowing in from the ocean fanning away the humidity with welcoming fingers.
Suddenly, Victoria spotted Nick’s sport car parked in the driveway. “Looks like you have visitors,” she said, knowing that now she would have no choice other than to face Nick.
“Well, Dan did mention that Nick and his sister would be popping in for drinks and dinner tonight. Oh, I forgot. I meant to tell you earlier.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that Nick had a sister.”
“Yes, Dan was telling me that she had just broken up with her fiancé in Melbourne, and the poor thing has been so depressed that she flew up here to see Nick for some moral support. Apparently she was heartbroken about it.”
As they entered the house, Victoria could see Dan out the back with Nick. They were chatting and laughing with a cold beer in hand.
“Let’s just take these sausages and steaks out to the boys, Vicky,” Natasha said, pulling a plate of meat out of the fridge. “Dan promised he’d do a barbeque for dinner tonight.”
Just then the girls came running down the stairs excited to see both their Moms home again.
“Nick’s here, Mom,’’ Katie was saying. “He said it would be so nice to see you again.”
Victoria blushed. She felt strangely nervous about facing Nick again, knowing now that her feelings for him were much stronger than she had realized.
Trying to delay facing him, and needing time to regain her composure, she mumbled, “I’ll stay here and get some salads ready, Tash. Here, Katie help me chop some of these tomatoes and cucumbers.”
It took ten minutes to get the salads ready but to Victoria it felt like an eternity. Nervously she took a gulp of the fine wine that Natasha had opened and poured out for the girls. Three glasses.
“Okay, Katie, let’s take these salads out, and help set the outdoor table.”
As soon as Victoria laid eyes on Nick sitting relaxed by the barbeque, she went weak at the knees and melted. “Hi Nick. So nice to see you again,” she almost whispered. Sitting next to him looking a little sad was a lady hiding behind a large hat and huge sunglasses.
“Hi, Victoria. I want you to meet my sister, Julie. Julie this is Victoria. Julie’s come up to visit for a while and I know she’d love some female company so Dan invited us to dinner so that you girls could get together.”
“Hi Julie, lovely to meet you,” Victoria said as she suddenly realized who Julie was. She’s the girl
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