My Lucky Stars Read Online Free PDF Page A

love nothing more than to crawl into bed and hope it’s all a nightmare I wake up from tomorrow morning.”
    “Then why didn’t you take my offer for a hotel?” He folded his arms across his chest and kept his distance.
    She shrugged as she sat up. “I don’t know.” And she really didn’t. What did she care if he had issues with women—with her? It wasn’t like she could fix something like that in one day. And while it did bug her that he didn’t seem at all interested in her—seemed the opposite, in fact—she should have let her pride take the beating instead of the rest of her. The hotel definitely would have been the better choice.
    “I suppose it’s too late now?” she dared to ask. “There must be something around here.”
    He gave a short laugh. “It’s a little late to change your mind. C’mon. My sister and niece are waiting.” He waved her toward what she hoped was the door leading to the stairs. “Let’s get some food in you, so you don’t almost pass out on me again.” He started walking then hesitated, waiting when she didn’t immediately follow.
    She could tell he didn’t want to wait for her—yet he did. It bugged her. A sure sign of a decent guy , she thought, feeling slightly guilty. Earlier, when she’d known he felt uncomfortable, she’d done nothing to help but had instead made it worse. She stood and met his annoyed gaze. Why are you waiting? I know you’d love to ditch me.
    “When we were in the elevator—how did you know . . . Are you claustrophobic?”
    “Hardly.” He shook his head then turned around and started walking. “I guess I recognize a panic attack when I see one.”
    Tara wanted to know why that was but didn’t have the guts to ask him when he held the door to the stairwell open for her.

Four
    There were still a couple of names ahead of Ellen’s on the restaurant’s list, so they waited by the large window facing the temple. Cadie ran back and forth, zigzagging through other onlookers as she covered the length of the window then back again. Tara noticed that Ellen was starting to look worn out. Ben must have noticed too, because he reached down and picked up Cadie the next time she zoomed by, headed down the hall toward the elevators.
    “Up here’s the best view of all.” He swung her onto his shoulders as if she weighed next to nothing. The little girl squealed with delight, and Ben moved closer to the window so she truly had the best view.
    Ellen let out a tired sigh and smiled at Tara. “Do you have any children?”
    “Nope,” Tara said, not bothering to mask the horror she felt by such a suggestion. She’d spent plenty of time the past several years wishing she had a steadier boyfriend, or even a husband, but never had she yearned for the kids that sometimes came later. No way. No-how— never did she want to be a mom. Some people just weren’t meant to be parents. Like my own mom . Whose fault it happens to be that I’m stuck relying on strangers in this stupid, freezing city named after a lake with salt in it. If she’d wanted to see her daughter more than the Italian coastline . . .
    “Well, kids can wear you out,” Ellen admitted. She turned slightly, glancing up at Cadie, who leaned forward over Ben’s shoulders, her face pressed against the glass as she gazed at the lights. “But they bring a lot of magic to your life as well.” Almost on cue, a little of that magic surfaced.
    “Oh, Mommy,” Cadie said in a quiet, sweet voice that didn’t seem to fit her overactive personality. “Isn’t the temple pretty? I can’t wait until I’m bigger to go in.”
    Tara watched as mother’s and daughter’s eyes met. Ellen held out her arms, and Cadie leaned forward into them. Ellen held Cadie close, her cheek next to the little girl’s as they spoke in hushed whispers. Tara looked away, afraid of intruding on the private moment. As she turned aside, her eye caught Ben’s. Their gazes locked for a split second, and Tara felt a jolt