Meagan Read Online Free PDF Page A

against her stomach.
    â€œIs that right?” She wiggled her hips. Who needed a bed when there was a perfectly good bathroom vanity?
    The sound of little feet running down the hallway and into their bedroom pulled them apart.
    Fraser cursed. “I swear they can tell.”
    â€œOh yeah. They come with a parental mischief radar.” Sometimes it didn’t take anything more than a kiss and the vague hope that something would happen, other times they were halfway there—those were the worst—when one of the girls woke up.
    â€œThere’s tiger under my bed.” Eva clutched her toy bunny. Her hair was a blonde fluffy nest around her head and her eyes were wide.
    By the time they got Eva resettled, they’d both just be wanting to sleep. As she picked up her almost four year old, she reminded herself that this bit wouldn’t last forever. She kissed her daughter and started calming her down.
    â€œI’ll go and sort the tiger out. He knows he’s only allowed to sleep in the lounge room.” So far telling the tiger to get out had been the only thing that worked and even then it was hit and miss. There’d been more than one night when they’d woken up and Eva was in bed with them. At least Tilda was still in a cot and unable to roam the house. She kissed the top of Eva’s head, glad that her daughter came to her before the nanny.
    Meagan smiled at Fraser’s back as he walked away. While they may not have much time for each other at the moment, what time they did have was precious, and they both knew that.
    ***
    Meagan wiped her hands on the tea towel and gave everything a final check. She was as organised as she was ever going to be. As much as she liked all the girls coming around to her place, it was also nerve-racking. She knew some would be looking at the house, checking for stray toys or dust bunnies—all of which had been whisked away by the nanny and the cleaner.
    The doorbell chimed and Megan checked her appearance in the large mirror in the hallway before answering. New haircut, new earrings. The cream linen shift dress smoothed over the imperfections. Another month, maybe two, with her personal trainer and she’d be back in shape. It was that much harder to do with the second child—but she was also older and busier.
    â€œJorja!” She leaned in and they kissed the air next to their cheeks. “You’re here first.” For which she was grateful. But she made the effort to arrive on time for Jorja’s turn too. Strength in numbers. Some of the women who’d been born with hundred dollar bills lining their nappies still kept the others at arm’s-length. Camilla was still struggling to find her feet in the circle.
    â€œNo kids and no Fraser?”
    â€œHe’s taken them to see his parents.” And wouldn’t be back until tomorrow—which gave her a sleep-in. She was looking forward to that more than tonight’s dinner.
    â€œMr Nichols still in the wheelchair?”
    â€œAnother two weeks.” That was the best-case scenario. Breaking his femur at seventy by stacking his bicycle wasn’t great. “Fraser has to fill in for him at a charity golf tournament. Neither of them are impressed with that.”
    â€œI can imagine.”
    Meagan poured Jorja a glass of wine, knowing it didn’t matter what she gave her, as Jorja wouldn’t drink it. It was a social prop.
    She’d barely taken her first sip when the doorbell rang again and Emma and Willow filed in. Emma forced a smile. Meagan knew something was wrong but they had drifted so far apart she couldn’t ask.
    Ten minutes later everyone had arrived. As usual, Lana was glitzed up to the nines making sure everyone knew she had money. Meagan had to admit that in the first few years it had been fun to dress up, but as she’d gotten used to the lifestyle—totally alien to the way she was raised—it had been easier to adopt a