Finding Perfect Read Online Free Page A

them.”
    â€œNot today.”
    â€œHow are you feeling?” he asked.
    For a second she didn’t understand the question. Then reality returned. That’s right—he’d witnessed her breakdown earlier in the day. Talk about an emotion dump.
    â€œI meant to call you,” she said, moving beside him as they walked away from the medics. “To apologize. I usually have my meltdowns in private.”
    â€œIt’s okay. I’d say I understand, but you’ll probably bite my head off if I do. How about if I tell you I’m sympathetic?”
    â€œI would appreciate that.”
    She hesitated, wondering if she was supposed to say more. Or if he would ask. Not that she had anythingto say. She was still grasping the reality of her friend’s bequest and hadn’t made a decision about what to do next. Despite the attorney’s promise that she had at least three years before she needed to decide anything, Pia felt the pressure weighing on her.
    Not that she was going to discuss her dilemma in front of Raoul. He’d already suffered enough.
    â€œWhat were you doing here?” she asked. “At the school.”
    He’d come to a stop and was staring back at the school. His gaze moved from one firefighter to another. The chief stood on a garden wall about three feet high, yelling out orders to her team.
    â€œAre you worried about the kids?” Pia asked. “Don’t be. I’ve sat through plenty of preparedness meetings. They’re great to attend if you’re having trouble sleeping. Anyway, there’s a plan for each school, and a master list. Attendance is taken daily and sent by computer to the district office. A list of who is out that day is brought to the disaster site. Trust me. Every student is accounted for.”
    He looked at her, his dark eyes bright with surprise. “They’re all women.”
    â€œMost teachers are.”
    â€œThe firefighters. They’re all women.”
    â€œOh, that.” She shrugged. “It’s Fool’s Gold. What did you expect?”
    He appeared both confused and lost, which on a tall, good-looking guy was kind of appealing. Assuming she was interested, and she wasn’t. If her natural wariness about guys wasn’t enough, Raoul was famous-ish, and she didn’t need the pain and suffering that came withthat type. Not to mention the fact that she might soon be pregnant with another couple’s embryos.
    A week ago her life had been predictable and boring. Now she was in the running to be a tabloid headline. Boring was better.
    â€œThere’s a man shortage,” Pia said patiently. “Surely you’ve noticed there aren’t a lot of men in town. I thought that was why you’d moved here.”
    â€œThere are men.”
    â€œOkay. Where?”
    â€œThe town has children.” He pointed to the few students still waiting to be picked up. “They have fathers.”
    â€œThat’s true. We do have a few breeding pairs, for experimental purposes.”
    He took a step back.
    She grinned. “Sorry. I’m kidding. Yes, there are men in town, but statistically, we don’t have very many. Certainly not enough. So if you find yourself exceptionally popular, don’t let it go to your head.”
    â€œI think I liked you better when you were having your breakdown,” he muttered.
    â€œYou wouldn’t be the first man to prefer a woman in a weakened condition. Full strength, we’re a threat. Being as big and tough as you are, I’d hoped for something more. Life is nothing if not a disappointment. You didn’t answer my question from before. What were you doing here?”
    He looked distracted, as if he were having trouble keeping up. “Talking to Mrs. Miller’s fourth-grade class. I speak to students. Usually they’re in high school, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
    â€œShe probably wanted to spend the hour