Star Promise by G. J. Walker-Smith Read Free Book Online

too late to adopt her out, Adam,” I teased. “Bridget knows where we live.”
    “That was Ella Daniels,” he explained, still smiling. “Grayson’s wife. She’s a dance teacher.”
    I forced him to elaborate by staying silent and looking pissed off.
    “I mentioned to Grayson that Bridge might like to –”
    “You put her in dance class?”
    He nodded.
    “Without talking to me?”
    “Are you mad?”
    I wasn’t sure. Bridget’s last foray into the dance world hadn’t ended well. I’d spent years hoping that I’d lose the shameful title of being Mrs O’Reilly’s youngest expulsion. In fairness, it hadn’t bothered Bridget one iota. Small children tend to move on quickly. It’s their mothers who suffer the pain of wondering if they’re really ready to step out of their comfort zone and try something new.
    “We’ve never even discussed it,” I said quietly.
    Adam weaved his arm around my waist the second I was in reach. “She needs something, Charlotte,” he reasoned. “An outlet to socialise and make friends.”
    I knew the point he was trying to make. Bridget’s circle was small and tight knit because we kept it that way, but I had to concede that it wasn’t a healthy long-term plan.
    “And she starts on the twelfth?”
    Adam swept my hair back. “That’s her first vacancy. It’s a small class – just twelve girls.”
    I nodded, feeling slightly relieved and unreasonably scared, which Adam picked up on immediately. He whispered, “She’ll be fine, Charli. It’s the other girls you need to worry about.”
    ***
    I had purposely held off telling Adam about our dinner plans with his parents until the very last minute. The last minute was during the elevator ride to their door.
    “Why are you surprised?” I asked. “Your dad let you go home early. You know paying the piper doesn’t come cheap.”
    Bridget wedged herself between the two of us and looked up at her dad. “I’ll give you some money to pay,” she offered. “I have so much.”
    Adam swept his hand across the top of her head. “No thank you, baby. I’m good.”
    “We could make a deal,” she offered.
    “No deal.”
    “A lovely deal.”
    “Absolutely no deals,” he said strongly.
    I studied Bridget’s expression in the mirrored door of the elevator, marvelling at the determination on her face. Whether Adam realised it or not, the deal for the compass was going to go down. It was just a matter of when.
    ***
    It was kisses all round when Fiona greeted us at the door, but that didn’t distract me from the awful aroma of whatever she was attempting to cook.
    “I have something for you, Bridget,” she said, leading her away by the hand.
    “A horse?” she asked hopefully.
    The queen’s quiet giggle echoed around the foyer. “Not today.”
    As soon as they were out of sight, Adam leaned down to whisper. “What is that smell?”
    I patted his chest. “It’s your favourite, darling.”
    He scowled. “If it was cooked by Mom, it’s not my favourite.”
    I didn’t dare tell him that she was cooking Bambi while he was standing so close to the front door. I didn’t want to be left there to explain why Adam had done a runner. I took him by the hand instead, and pulled him into Décarie land.
    ***
    Jean-Luc wasn’t home yet and Fiona had enlisted Bridget’s help with dinner, leaving us to rattle around in the museum-like lounge room by ourselves. It gave me a chance to take another look at the magnificent show of china and crystal in the display cabinets. Even after checking them out a hundred times, I always managed to find something new.
    “Did you play in here when you were kids?” I asked curiously.
    “No, never.”
    I turned around but couldn’t see him.
    “Where did you play?” I scanned the room.
    “On the roof or at the park.”
    I followed his voice to the centre of the room. Adam was hidden from view, sprawled along the couch. As I leaned over the back he pulled me down on top of him.
    “She’ll skin