April's Promise (Forever Love Series) by Karen Rose Smith Read Free Book Online Page A

comfortable with Nicholas, and she didn't need to heed Gabe's
warning about his friend.  She knew Nicholas' charm was part and parcel of what
he did for a living.  After all, his business was negotiation.
    "You
said you'd give me a tour of Constellation.  I thought I'd take you up on
it."
    He
paused for a moment but then said, "Well, good.  When do you want to come
over?  I spend a lot of time here."
    She
laughed.  "I need to watch Stephie till Gabe gets home, so it would be
after that or else a couple of hours tomorrow morning after I take her to preschool."
    "Tonight's
good for me.  I have meetings tomorrow morning."
    "Are
you sure you don't mind staying late?"
    "Late? 
I'm not sure exactly what that is.  Many nights I'm here till midnight.  Just
come on over after Gabe gets home.  I don't need to know exactly what time. 
I'll be here."
    After
April thanked Nicholas and said goodbye, she speed-dialed Gabe.
    "Anything
wrong?" Gabe asked.
    His
voice was as deep as Nicholas' but it had a resonance for her that always made
her breath catch.  "Nothing's wrong.  I made an appointment with Nicholas
to tour Constellation this evening and I wanted to make sure it was okay with
you."
    In the
silence she could hear the beat of her heart until Gabe asked, "And if it
isn't?"
    "I
can make it another night."
    "I
see.  Tonight should be fine," he said in a clipped tone.  "I can
make sure I'm home by five.  Don't worry about supper for Stephie and me.  I'll
take her out somewhere."
    "I
can put a casserole in the oven—"
    "Go
take your tour, April.  We managed before you came and we'll manage after you
leave.  It's fine."
    After
April hung up the phone, she felt a definite disquiet, but she pushed the
feeling away.  Gabe had told her her evenings were her own, and she didn't need
his paternal attitude about any association she might have with Nicholas.
    Returning
to the laundry room, she began folding the clean clothes.  She picked up one of
Gabe's T-shirts.  She smoothed her hand over it, then made quick work of it,
ignoring the intimacy she felt at folding a man's underwear.
    ****
    Gabe
was unzipping Stephie's jacket when April came into the kitchen and crossed to
the window sill to pick up the remote to the car.  He'd left with Stephie
earlier, thinking April would be gone when he returned.  But apparently she'd
taken great care dressing.  He hadn't seen her in anything but jeans since
she'd arrived.  But tonight she wore a pants suit—narrow-leg black slacks and a
royal blue boxy jacket trimmed in black.
    "I
thought you'd be gone," Gabe said gruffly.
    "I'm
working on it," she replied as she picked up the remote.
    Stephie
held out her cup to April.  "Want some milk shake?"
    They'd
gone to Stephie's favorite fast food restaurant.  A vanilla shake was always
part of the order.
    "No
thanks, sweetie.  You drink it.  Was your hamburger good?"
    Stephie
nodded, and Gabe thought April knew Stephie's habits as well as he did. 
"Are you having dinner with Nicholas?" he couldn't keep himself from
asking.
    "No. 
I grabbed some yogurt."  Her gaze met Gabe's.  "This isn't a date. 
He's just going to show me around his offices."
    "You
look as if you're dressed for a date."
    "A
girl gets tired of jeans, Gabe.  And business suits.  Besides, I didn't think
jeans would be appropriate.  This is sort of middle of the road."
    It
wasn't the middle of any road.  It made her look pretty and sexy and
everything he didn't want her looking with Nicholas.
    As Stephie
plopped her milk shake on the table, she knocked off a few e-mails that Gabe
had stacked there.  One was a reminder for Stephie's preschool open house. 
"I know I told you your evenings were your own, but Thursday night Stephie's
teacher is having an open house.  I thought you might like to go along."
    Lifting
her coat from the back of one of the kitchen chairs, she also picked up her
purse that was lying on the corner of the table.  "Sure.  I'd like to