From Single Mum to Lady by Judy Campbell Read Free Book Online Page B

of his own. Just when she thought she had her emotions under control, something would trigger the sadness of loneliness and rejection. And it wasn’t the thought that Terry had never loved her that upset her now—just the legacy of emotions he’d left her and how he’d changed the person she had once been.
    If she started telling her life story now, she would probably start blubbing properly. And perhaps it would almost sound as if she was trying to compete in the bad-luck stakes if she revealed everything.
    ‘I…I wasn’t widowed—that’s not why I’m single. I’ll tell you another time about it,’ she said quickly, swallowing hard to get rid of the lump of self-pity that had lodged in her throat. ‘But it’s a long boring story.’ With relief she saw that they had arrived at Pippa’s. ‘Ah, here we are. You can drop me off at the gate.’
    ‘I can take you both home if you like.’
    ‘No, really, we’ll be fine. It’s stopped raining and we literally live round the corner. Thank you very much—I’m so grateful.’
    She had started to gabble a little and suddenly she wanted to be out of the car. She’d intruded on private grief and felt embarrassed that she’d become emotional herself.
    ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, then.’ She pulled the handle of the door to get out. It didn’t move as she tugged it. ‘Oh…I think it’s locked,’ she said.
    ‘Damn—I’ve had a little trouble with it—the central locking system’s a bit dodgy.’ Patrick leant across her and punched a button on the side of the door.
    He was very, very close to her—she felt his breath on her cheek, she could smell his warmth, the remnants of aftershave put on that morning, see the occasional grey hair on his temples and the slightly raised skin of the scar on his face. If he leant any further forward his chest would be jammed against her body. She closed her eyes, and like a flicker of lightning she felt the dangerous flash of attraction to a very sexy man. She had a ridiculous urge to put her cheek next to his, feel his mouth on hers and lean against that broad chest. She swallowed hard, and her heart beat a little tattoo against her ribs, a kaleidoscope of emotions whirling round in her head at this sudden sizzling magnetism she felt for Patrick. But, then, it wasn’t really all that sudden, was it? Over two weeks she’d been suppressing a growing awareness of Patrick’s charismatic appeal.
    Patrick pulled back abruptly, and took a deep breath. ‘There—the door should open now,’ he said slightly huskily, then he cleared his throat and murmured, ‘I’m very sorry. It was tactless of me to ask if you were a widow—it’s upset you.’
    ‘Of course it hasn’t.’ She forced herself to sound brisk and controlled. ‘I’m over it now.’
    He shook his head. ‘Believe me, I know what it’s like to be alone.’
    Their eyes clashed in a mutual response of compassion, two people who knew what it was to lose love, albeit in very different ways, each haunted by tragic memories.
    Then behind them a car hooted and roared past them and the spell was broken.
    There was a short silence and then Patrick remarked casually, ‘Look, perhaps we could introduce our daughters to each other some time—Livy doesn’t know many other children around here yet and it would be great to get together. I’m sure there’s so much around here that we could all enjoy.’
    Was there something in his expression that seemed to translate into ‘that you and I could enjoy’, or was she reading too much into it? Whatever, she felt a little thrill of pleasure that he was keen to see her again.
    ‘That’s a great idea—we must definitely do that!’
    ‘Then we’ll think of something…’
    His voice trailed off and their eyes locked for a moment, until out of embarrassment Jandy said quickly, ‘Right—I must go now.’ She jumped out of the car and waved at him before she went up the path. ‘Thanks again for the lift, Patrick,’ she