No Reservations by Lauren Dane Read Free Book Online

same. I'm going to be moving to Lancaster but keeping the other house. I'm tel ing you this because we'l have to work on the scheduling more closely. I'l be in town when the girls are with me for school. That's al real y.'
    Her mouth dropped open and he fought the urge to laugh.
    'You actual y expect me to help you expose our children to that woman? That foul-mouthed nasty lawyer you're sleeping with?'
    'I don't need your help, thanks. I'm just warning you not to attempt to use them to harm her. Because that would harm our daughters and Katherine. I won't al ow it. Don't test me on this thing. Above al , the girls are my top priority, I won't let you use them like they mean nothing. You're welcome to not like Kate, the feeling is quite mutual. But I'm warning you, don't use our children. I wil take you to court on this. I wil take them from you if you abuse them in such a fashion. Don't be ugly.
    Just be their mother and back the fuck off my life. We're not married any more. We're not even friends thanks to your behaviour.' He turned and left her there, not wanting to say anything else to her.
    Kate took her time in town. She stopped in at the diner for a huge breakfast and three cups of coffee while she read a novel. She shopped along the main street, choosing a pretty scarf pin for Kendal , a pair of earrings for Adrienne and a very handsome tie forDix. She then bought a ridiculously huge coffee mug with a moose on it for Leah. She'd give it to her friend, pretend she loved it and wait to see how much effort it took Leah to respond as if it were a fabulous gift.
    A few hours later, she final y made her way to the tiny grocery store, stocked up on the basics, grabbed some freshly made lemon curd to go with the French bread she'd make for Dix the fol owing morning when Pickles had cleared off. By the time she headed back to the house, her anger had fled.
    She noticed though that Eve's Volvo was stil in the drive. It would be dark soon, which did not bode wel for her leaving because Kate was quite sure the queen of al misery couldn't bear to drive in the dark with her precious wee special self.
    Dix met her on the porch, another thing that didn't bode wel . His smile was tight and the tension wafted from him as he kissed her and popped the back of the SUV open to get to the grocery bags.
    You were gone a while.' He hugged her tight and she breathed him in. He kissed her, his mouth owning her just the way she liked most. He tasted like oranges and coffee.
    'Mmm, you taste sexy. I worked off al my mad. It took time and some retail therapy.
    You're going to get it al back, I'm afraid.'
    He leant against the car and told her about how Eve had set up dates with the girls to prevent her exile. She absolutely understood why he couldn't make her leave then. Kate respected the fact that he didn't want to harm his girls and the devastation she saw in him was real. She knew it had to have real y hurt him to see Eve unmasked that way.
    'I'm sorry. Sorry that you had to see her that way.'
    He looked surprised. You're not mad?'
    'Not at you. There aren't words for her. But not at you.
    You're in a hard place. I understand that. But I'm real y not happy at the prospect of another three days with her until they leave before New Year's Eve.' Her phone rang just then, 'Salt Shaker'. Leah. 'Take her cal . Tel her I said hel o. I'l bring the bags in.'

Chapter 4
    'I have to get out of here.' Leah paced the narrow strip of bare floor between the twin bed and high polished dresser.
    The comforter, a quilt neatly sewn with blocks cut from T-shirts emblazoned with school names, sports teams and concerts, brushed her thigh as she passed. She went to the window to look out, and pressed her forehead to the frosted glass.
    'Uh oh. Mama Bear too much to handle?' Kate sounded appropriately sympathetic.
    If she only knew.
    'No. Not at al . Caroline's been great.' Leah twisted to peer down to the driveway, ploughed clear' of the feet of snow covering the rest