Holiday Affair by Annie Seaton Read Free Book Online Page B

see you later, the coward had slipped out in the darkness.
    Talk about wham, bam, thank you ma’am. And the lying sailor was actually a university professor.
    Lissy sat there alternating between feeling hot and cold as a depth of emotion that she never felt before overtook all rational thought. Her jaw ached from clenching her teeth. Her mood must have been obvious because Tom offered to drive her home.
    “No, Tom, call me a taxi. Enjoy the rest of the night and catch up with your brother.” She said her good-byes to the family after he reluctantly agreed and called the local taxi company.
    “Melissa, it was wonderful to meet you. I do hope Tom brings you again soon,” said Tessa, enfolding Lissy in a warm embrace. Tom’s sisters all gave her hugs as she made her way through the living room, where children of various ages were asleep on cushions on the floor. Nick followed Tom and Lissy out to the front veranda, as Alex yelled out to Tom.
    “When’s the wedding, big brother? You’re almost thirty-five.”
    Tessa glared at Alex and turned to Lissy. “Once again, I apologize for my sons, they have no manners. They take after their father.”
    Professor Richards gravely shook her hand and Lissy was sure he didn’t even know who she was in the procession of visitors who had been through the house that evening. With a great sense of relief she saw the lights of the taxi as it pulled up in the driveway. Lissy gave Tom a brief hug and a light kiss on the cheek.
    “I’ll give you a call next week about Friday night,” said Tom.
    Nick appeared behind them.
    “Goodnight, Melissa,” he said, emphasizing the second half of her name. “I’ll see you on Monday at work.
    I’m really looking forward to getting to know you better.”
    “Me too, I can’t wait to hear about your adventures in the Pacific, Dominic,” she said, emphasizing the second half of his name. Tom opened the door of the taxi and she slid across the seat.
    Lissy sank down in the taxi’s seat, her hands over her eyes. Why the hell didn’t we just laugh and say we had already met? What a fine mess I’m in, so much for destiny.
    Not only do I have to put up with him at work, he’s going to be living on the other side of my cottage. Wait until he finds out about that coincidence.
    …
    Nick stood silently on the stairs watching the taillights of the taxi disappear down the driveway. Tom walked up the stairs towards his brother, his movements precise and considered, like everything else he did.
    “Well, Dom?”
    “Well, what?” replied Nick, knowing his brother wanted him to say how great Melissa was.
    “What did you think of Melissa?”
    Nick tried to think of a suitable reply as they went back out to the veranda.
    “Great. Very pretty.” He turned and thumped Tom on the back. “Come on, mate, enough of women tonight.
    You know me…love ‘em and leave ‘em.” He reached into the refrigerator and threw his older brother a can of beer.
    “You and I have a lot of catching up to do.” Tom caught the beer and leaned against the railing.
    “Tell me about the trip, Nick. Did you get your research finished…are you happy to be back at the university?”
    “You know me, Tom. I prefer to be on the Islands, but I have to spend some time at the university or the funding for my projects would dry up.” Nick turned and looked out into the darkness and shivered as the late night breeze picked up. “I don’t know how you cope, going to the same boring office, day in, day out.”
    Tom sighed and made an admission that startled Nick.
    “I was starting to get a bit bored with it, but having Melissa as a friend has livened up my life.”
    Nick grunted.
    “I’m going to ask her to marry me, Nick. What do you think about that?” Tom looked at his younger bother, his face more animated than Nick had seen it since they were children. He had always felt like the oldest even though he was two years younger than Tom. Tom always seemed to need his approval.