Courting Katarina Read Online Free PDF Page B

throughout this conversation. Now that it was over, he noticed the laughter in her eyes, and relaxed. Hopefully she didn’t see the tension stretch between siblings.
    The conversation changed again, this time focused on the children, and Adam didn’t waste any time slipping away.
    Alex was relieved when the chaos subsided and Katarina insisted it was time to get Ricky home and into bed. She turned away, and he noticed something in her ear. He looked again.
    It couldn’t be. I thought she was joking . He felt like a total fool.
    “Katarina.” He looked around and realized he didn’t want to bring her hearing impairment up in front of everyone and embarrass her further. “Let me walk you and Ricky to your car.”
    Once they were out of earshot, he gathered his courage. “You must think I’m a real heel.”

    Katarina looked puzzled. “Now, why would I think such a ridiculous thing?”
    “I—I didn’t realize,” he stammered. “You… I asked if you’re deaf. I didn’t know.”
    She tipped her head, concealing her right ear. “Oh. That.”
    “That.” He paused, hoping she would elaborate. She didn’t. “I’m sorry.”
    Ricky reached the car and climbed in. After Katarina buckled his seat belt, she closed the door and turned to Alex. “I didn’t take any offense to the comment. It’s my own fault. The hearing aid is such a bother in large gatherings.”
    The silence stretched uncomfortably between them as Katarina walked around the car and opened her door, then started to get inside. He hurried toward her before she could get into the car and leave.
    “What about pizza tomorrow night? I don’t want to break my promise to Ricky.”
    Looking up as he approached, Katarina studied him openly. “Ah yes, and it appears you never break your promises, right?” Her mouth turned up at the corners. “I plan to catch every word of this story.”
    Alex’s heart skipped a beat at her blatant teasing. “There’s nothing more to tell. Adam and I agreed long ago that we don’t want to be caught.”
    “I didn’t mean to imply anything. Just sounds like a story that needs to be told…one day.” She slipped into the car and started the engine.

    Alex stared after her until the car’s taillights disappeared in the distance.
    How long had it been since he’d had dinner with a woman? Never mind that she was engaged, and way too young for him. This isn’t a date , he reassured himself.
    No matter how many times he repeated the sentence, something inside told him otherwise. He recalled Kevin’s final advice. “May as well give in now.”
    Not on your life, Kevin. No bouquet’s going to determine my future .

Chapter Five
    K atarina scanned the want ads for an apartment where she’d have room to live, make dolls and still manage to save enough money to expand her fledgling company. The designing was going really well, yet she needed to get settled and hire help to keep up with the demands of Kat’s Kreations.
    She recalled Ron’s long-term plans and tried to ignore the shiver that went up her spine. “You need to sell your designs to a company that can put your name all over the world. Let them do the production,” he’d insisted, followed by, “Dream big if you’re going to dream at all.”
    Yes, she wanted her business to be successful, but he made it sound so…cold. These were more than dolls—they were her heart and soul. More than simply business. Surely once they married and he transferredto a Colorado branch, he’d see that. Even Alex seemed to understand, and he hardly knew her.
    Katarina turned back to the baby doll she’d been dressing before she’d started searching the want ads for an apartment. She adjusted soft ruffles on the velveteen skirt, ran her finger over the delicate porcelain nose and gazed into the baby doll’s soft brown eyes.
    This is what she truly loved, making something that would bring a smile to someone’s face the same way each doll did her own. She couldn’t deny