Connections Read Online Free PDF

my aunt Kathy and uncle Mike.   And this is Derrick, Beth’s fiancé,” he concluded, gesturing towards the man in question.   Olivia released his hand as they exchanged greetings and hugs, but she entwined her fingers with his once again afterwards.
    “Don’t mind Beth, Livy,” Derrick said, smiling broadly as he gave Olivia a slow wink.   “She’s on meds and shouldn’t be held accountable for anything she says tonight.”
    “Or ever,” Alex said, teasing.
    Olivia nudged him in the ribs for his dig and, turning to Beth, she said, “Alex told me about the accident.   I hope you’ll recover quickly, especially with your wedding coming up.”
    “Well, according to the doctors, it’ll be at least six to eight weeks,” Beth grumbled.   Then she smiled and glanced up at Derrick. “So, I’m sorry, my love, but you’ll have to bear being an unmarried man for another two months.”
    “I think I can manage,” he replied with a wide grin.   “My other girlfriends will be pleased.”   Beth laughed, tossing back her hair.
    His aunt Kathy turned to Olivia and inquired, “So, we never got the full story from Alex, but how long have the two of you been dating?”
    Olivia’s hand tightened in his own for a brief second before she relaxed.   “Oh, um, well we met a little over a month ago.”   She glanced at him quickly, a small, hesitant smile on her expressive face.   “And a few days later, Alex took me out to dinner.”
    “Very good, son,” uncle Mike boomed.   “Snatch up the good ones quickly.”   Olivia blushed lightly and her smile grew wider at his uncle’s compliment.
      “I agree,” Alex said, stroking her palm lightly.   Her fingers curled into his hand in response.
    But the light hearted mood was soon shattered when another voice sounded from behind, breaking into their conversation like a wrecking ball.
    “Alexander, I didn’t expect you to come.”
    Alex stiffened.   His arms and legs and torso went rigid with tension.   Olivia noticed his reaction and glanced quickly over her shoulder to see the intruder.   But he didn’t need to turn around to know that his father was wearing his trademark expression…a perfect mixture of disapproval and smugness.   The group quieted, not even Beth said a word, and their eyes seemed to turn to Alex.
    Alex slowly pivoted on his heel, dropping Olivia’s hand in the process.   For some reason, he didn’t want to feel her skin against his.   He possessed the most irrational feeling that his grim thoughts would somehow travel down through his body and infect hers.
    He stared at the man in front of him.   At first, he was surprised because before this moment, he had never thought of his father as old.   But he looked it now.   His hair was almost all gray; it was no longer just a speckling at his temple.   And his skin had started to wrinkle, more so than the last time Alex had laid eyes on him.   The lines around his mouth made his disapproval more pronounced.
    With just a hint of derision in his tone, Alex replied, “It’s nice to see you too, father.”

Chapter Six

    Olivia glanced back and forth between the two men for a moment before she finally steadied her gaze on Alex’s father.
    So this is him.
    At first, Olivia thought she was looking at the older version of Alex.   She was dead on when she figured he must look more like his father, especially after she spotted his mother’s photograph tacked onto his refrigerator.
    Unsurprisingly, his father was very handsome, with his angular nose and strong jawline.   His hair was gray, but it hadn’t lost its thickness, and he filled out his impeccable black suit with his wide shoulders.
    No wonder Alex was gorgeous.   He’d hit the jackpot in the gene pool.
    But the longer Olivia observed him, the more she noticed the cold man Alex described him as.   If Olivia thought that Alex was intimidating, this man was downright terrifying.   He had the look of a greedy businessman