Instant Family Read Online Free Page B

to tell him
to get lost.
    "Thanks," she said. "But I don't see what my `situation' has to do
with your rudeness."
    What else could she say? Forgive him? Salve his conscience for
him when really she should be apologizing to him for the behavior
of her brother? But she'd done nothing wrong. Seb had, and he was
taking responsibility for his actions.
    The blue eyes seemed to peer right into her soul. He didn't say
anything, didn't react. Just frowned slightly.
    "Daddeeee." Stephanie yanked at his hand. Her face wore a sulky
pout, and she glared at Chloe as if it was her fault their outing had
been interrupted.
    "I'd better go." A smile flicked on and off. The eyes softened. His
expression sought understanding. One parent to another. Except she
wasn't a parent, technically.

    "Yes. Good-bye, Stephanie."
    But Stephanie was already dragging her father toward the door.
Chloe returned to the counter.
    Tran said, "Can't stand whining little kids."
    She stared across to the door. The pair had left the shop. Disappeared. "Me neither."
    But that brief flicker of a smile lingered in her mind long after it
should have. In that instant she'd caught a glimpse of a completely
different man. In that breathtakingly attractive physical package.
And he needn't have sought her out to make an apology. Maybe he
wouldn't be as inflexible in his attitude toward Seb as she'd thought.
    Making the apology to Chloe Gardiner didn't make Alex feel any
better. It was patently obvious that he terrified her. From the moment
she'd glanced up and recognized him, he saw fear. Fear and dislike.
Her whole body was poised for flight. The anxious gaze flew from
the door to her colleague. He had her cornered, he knew, but he could
only go ahead with the words he'd practiced silently on the way to
the city center in the car.
    Apologies weren't really his thing. He didn't make them often. Not
to adults, anyway, as Lucy was fond of pointing out to him when they
were married. But with this young woman, Chloe, he hadn't hesitated.
He'd maligned her in a most insulting and vicious way. Quite uncalled
for and inexcusable. The memory of his words and her face as he
shouted at her replayed constantly in his head, twisting his brain and
his stomach into knots until they both ached. Seeing her face-to-face
and speaking his contrition would, he'd thought, be the only cure. Except it hadn't worked. His stomach still harbored the dull pain of nervous tension.
    "Daddy, I want popcorn."
    Alex looked down. Steffie was becoming very plump. Lucy had
told him last year that she was teased at after-school care but hadn't
done anything about it diet-wise.
    "You can have a popsicle and juice or water, hon. We've only just
had lunch, so you can't be hungry."
    "But I always have popcorn at the movies."
    The queue shuffled forward three steps.
    "Not today."

    "Daddeee." She stamped her foot.
    Alex squatted down to her level, conscious of the critical glance
from the mother in front of them. "Stephanie, I said no. Please don't
whine, or we'll go home."
    Her bottom lip protruded in a fierce pout, and tears started in her
eyes. "I don't like you, Daddy," she said loudly.
    Alex straightened. Sometimes these weekends seemed endless. He
tried to take her out, keep her amused, because if they stayed at home,
he had to think of ways to entertain her. She became bored very easily.
    Five minutes later with Steffie firmly in tow, he headed for the Theatre 3 entrance clutching two popsicles, two chilled bottles of fruitflavored sparkling water, and straws, prepared for a couple of hours of
torture.
    A matinee session of an animated hit movie on a hot afternoon
was his idea of hell, or close to it. How anyone could follow the
story or hear the dialogue over the chatter of young voices, numerous toddlers who began running up and down the aisles, and the crying of babies was beyond him.
    After about fifteen minutes his attention wandered from the screen.
Chloe Gardiner.