Charmed (Contemporary Romance) Read Online Free PDF Page A

pleasant.
    “Do you hate Winnie the Pooh?” Timmy looked up at Nick when he came to stand in front of them.
    “No way,” Nick answered with solemn eyes.
    Michael and Timmy both beamed at him before turning to glare accusingly at their mom.
    Nick smiled at her, but she didn’t smile back. His gigantic ego would think she was throwing herself at him.
    A young girl got out of the back seat, and Jamie recognized Emma from her picture. Another female, surely Michelle Pfeiffer’s long lost twin, climbed out of the passenger seat.
    Nick turned to his daughter. “This is my daughter, Emma.” He paused, and Jamie noted hesitation on his part. “And this is … a new mom from school. Her kids start kindergarten this year.”
    A new mom from school? He’d hesitated because he’d forgotten her name! It didn’t surprise her because he’d been distracted during the first half of their meeting, and had gloated and behaved like a man-boy the better part of the next half. Not to mention the final insult.
    “Nice to meet you.” Emma shook Jamie’s hand and smiled.
    Jamie put her hands on her kids’ shoulders and said, “And I’m sure you remember my children’s names. I spoke about them at length during our meeting.” While you were distracted.
    Nick looked down at Michael and said, “You must be Michael,” and, “You must be Timothy,” to Timothy. Apparently, he’d listened a little. He shot her a triumphant look. Thwarted and a little impressed, Jamie turned her attention to Emma.
    “I’m Jamie Sullivan, by the way.” She saved Nick the trouble of remembering her name. It was more important that he remembered her kids’ names, anyway.
    “Jamie Sullivan?” Emma repeated, looking baffled. Jamie was about to ask Emma why she seemed confused when Nick hurriedly said, “And this is Celine Bliss.”
    Jamie turned to the beautiful blonde, saying “It’s nice to meet you.” But Celine Bliss only acknowledged her with a slight nod before turning to inform Nick she’d be in one of the antique shops.
    Nick squatted down in front of Michael and asked, “Why the long face?”
    “I can’t find a rocket lunchbox.”
    “Are rockets your very favorite things?” Emma asked.
    “Yes.” Michael’s head bobbed. “When I grow up I want to be a rocket engineer.”
    “Wow, that’s ambitious! Good for you!” Emma cheered.
    Timmy cleared his throat. Nick caught it and turned to him. “And what do you want to be when you grow up?”
    “I want to be Santa Claus.”
    “Santa Claus?” Jamie watched as Emma pursed her lips and tried not laugh. “Wow, that’s really great. I don’t think I’ve ever heard that before. Are you going to live at the North Pole?”
    “I kind of like it here, near my mommy. My mom, I mean, but it doesn’t snow all the time here, so I don’t know if I’m going to move north or just stay here,” Timmy answered, dejected. This had been plaguing him for some time.
    “Sounds like you need a snowflake wand,” Nick said.
    “A snowflake wand?” Timmy’s eyes widened.
    “What does a snowflake wand do?” Michael was clearly entranced by the thought.
    “Well, let’s ask your mom. She had one when she was about your age.” Nick shot her a boyish grin, his eyes bright.
    Her pulse picked up and her stomach did a strange little flip. How could she still be attracted to him after the way he’d treated her? But the answer was right in front of her. That smile, combined with those eyes and that build of his … it wasn’t fair. She wished he really had sprouted man-boobs and lost his hair in weird patches. And she wished she had the wand now so she could place it on her cheeks to cool them off.
    “Do you still have it?” her boys asked in unison.
    “Er — well, no. Your grandfather got rid of it.”
    “Well, it was kind of dangerous,” Nick reminded her, as if they were old friends. And she hated him a little for it, because he was being all nice and charming again. Masks people wear,