Charmed (Contemporary Romance) Read Online Free PDF

she reminded herself, looking away without smiling.
    Her kids, however, were all smiles at the thought of a dangerous snow wand.
    Jamie turned to find Emma squinting and studying her closely. “Jamie Sullivan. You know, your name sounds really familiar. I’m convinced I’ve heard it before.”
    “Maybe someone mentioned me around town lately. My mom told everyone I was moving back.” Jamie shrugged.
    “You lived here before?” Emma asked.
    “Yes, I grew up here. My maiden name is Viera.”
    “Viera? As in Justin Viera?” Emma’s eyes and smile were now equally wide.
    “Yes.” Jamie laughed. “He’s my brother.”
    Behind Jamie, a man cleared his throat. Loudly. She turned to see Cindy and Joseph coming up behind them, Joseph wearing his usual frown.
    “You’re back,” Jamie said before turning to Nick again. “These are my in-laws, Cindy and Joseph Sullivan. They’re visiting from Lexington. This is Dr. Grey, the headmaster at the kids’ new school, and his daughter, Emma.”
    When she looked back at Joseph, she noted the deepening creases in his scowl as he studied both Nick and Emma, and so she added, “Well, we should be on our way,” before anyone could say anything else.
    “You’re the headmaster of a prestigious private school?” Joseph eyed Nick.
    “Yes.” Nick answered firmly, looking Joseph in the eye and straightening.
    Joseph raised both eyebrows and looked from Nick to Emma and back again. His frown deepened. “You’re a little young to be her father.”
    “Well, that’s really off topic, isn’t it?” Jamie tried to keep her tone neutral so the kids wouldn’t sense any tension. “We were on the subject of leaving. Let’s go.” But Cindy and Jamie were the only ones who took a step.
    “Are you married?” Joseph asked.
    Nick’s face, always expressive, had turned to stone. He opened his mouth to say something, but apparently thought better of it because he shut his mouth, shot the kids a warm but weary smile, and said, “I’ll see you at school,” before turning away. Emma gave them an uncomfortable wave, and off they went.
    • • •
    Nick walked away, feeling aggravated. To have some jerk he didn’t even know look down on him and question him in front of Emma and a new family joining the school was bad enough. He thought those days were long gone.
    But to have to silently walk away was worse. He couldn’t believe that man was Jamie’s father-in-law. No doubt he’d make Jamie think worse of him.
    On top of that, Jamie obviously thought he’d forgotten her name. What a way to make her feel at home.
    • • •
    On the way to Jamie’s house, Joseph turned into the Gestapo. “How old is that Emma girl?”
    “Don’t know,” Jamie replied.
    “How old is Dr. Grey?”
    Trying a more direct approach, Jamie said, “That’s really none of our business, is it?”
    Joseph turned around to give his wife a significant and all-too-obvious glance. “I wonder how anyone thinks that a man who obviously became a father at a very young age is fit to be the headmaster of a school.”
    Jamie didn’t want to lose her cool in front of the kids. “The school’s headmaster is chosen by a board of directors that consists of parents and community leaders. I’m sure they took all his qualifications into careful consideration.”
    “I just don’t think it’s a good example for the kids to have a role model — ”
    “We can talk about it another time,” Jamie interrupted him, her tone firm. She glanced at her kids, but they were busy playing with their Nintendo DSs. “I don’t see why — ” he began, but Cindy cut him off.
    “Joe, we’re leaving tonight. Let’s just have a pleasant last few hours.”
    Pretty soon, Jamie’s perfect little house came into view. The kids spilled out of the car the moment she parked.
    Soon enough she heard Joseph say, “I can’t believe that damn brother of hers still hasn’t found time to put the kids’ swing set together. “If my