Caroline's Seduction (Montgomery Family and Friends) by Iris Abbott Read Free Book Online Page A

“I’ll see you in the morning and don’t stay up too late even if you are working on homework.”
    Sarah sent her father an affronted look.  “I’m almost done here.  I got a lot of my homework done while you were at Parent Night.”  Then she arched her brow and glared at her father.  “Of the two of us, I’m not the one that burns the candle at both ends.  Good night dad.”

Five
    Caroline was feeling much better and a lot less stressed when she arrived at Abigail and Mason’s house.  They were the hosts this year for the Montgomery end of summer barbeque.  The entire Montgomery family would be present and she was included as part of the family.  That was a good thing because Caroline desperately needed to talk to the sisters about Kyle’s sudden reentrance into her life.  Well not that he was really back in her life, but they were connected as long as his daughter remained her student.  At least she knew he couldn’t make trouble for her professionally.  She did her job and she did it well.  Being best friends with the school superintendent’s beloved wife didn’t hurt anything either.
    She’d kept a low profile this week.  She had preferred her own company to sort through her jumbled feelings.  Normally she and Abigail would have talked on the phone several times in a week even if it was just to say hello.  She really had been accepted and adopted into the folds of the Montgomery family.  Discussing Kyle however was something she wanted to do in person not over the phone.  Thank goodness the barbeque had been scheduled for this weekend.  Now she could have her face-to-face time with the sisters.  They would listen and offer her support and well-meaning advice that she could accept or ignore with no worries or hard feelings. 
    Caroline was greeted at the door by Abigail’s husband Mason.  She followed him into the kitchen and found a place for her pound cake on the table.  She found a large spoon to mix the glazed icing which she quickly poured over the cake.  Then she artfully arranged the slices of fresh gingered peaches around the base of the cake.  She heard footsteps and looked up to see Abigail enter the room.       
    Abigail hugged her best friend.  “I’m glad you’re early.  It gives us time to catch up.  You’ve been awfully quiet since the new school year started,” Abigail accused.  “No one is giving you a hard time are they?  If there’s anything I need Mason to check into just let me know,” Abigail offered. 
    Caroline made a lame attempt at a smile.  She knew it was time to come clean with Abigail.  She took a deep breath and prepared herself for confession.  “I’m being haunted by a ghost from the past, that’s all.  It wouldn’t really be work related except as it turns out his daughter is in one of my classes.”
    “I hope it’s not Sarah Wakefield,” Abigail half joked.  Because Jay invited her to the barbeque, so I called and extended an invitation to her father Kyle….” Abigail trailed off and her eyes widened until the green of her irises seemed to be taking over her entire face.
    “Kyle Wakefield is your Kyle isn’t he?” She demanded with hands on her hips and a narrow stare focused on Caroline. 
    Caroline couldn’t believe her bad luck.  Now her inner sanctum of the Montgomery family was being invaded by Kyle too.  First work and now family!  Was there any part of her life she could keep uncontaminated by his sudden appearance back into her life?   “He’s not my anything, at least he hasn’t been for over four years now,” Caroline bitterly reminded her friend.
    “Oh no,” Abigail groaned.  “I didn’t make the connection.  He accepted my invitation.  He’s going to be here Caroline.”
    Caroline shrugged her shoulders as if it didn’t matter, but she had a feeling she wasn’t fooling her best friend.  “It’s not your fault.  I should have mentioned it to you sooner, but this wasn’t a