When Mom Meets Dad Read Online Free PDF

but she managed to catch it and pass it to her daughter.
    The tosses came faster, the ball hit the water harder, and Amanda had to dive for Kristy's last throw.  But apparently Alex thought his daughter had aimed at him because he went after the ball at the same time.  Amanda first felt the impact of a hard shoulder against hers.  Coming to the surface quickly for a breath, she bumped into Alex's chest as she tried to tread water.  His extra six inches of height allowed him the freedom of standing on the bottom of the sloping pool.
    Obviously thinking he was helping, he held her by the waist and lifted her into more shallow water.  "Did I hurt you?" he asked, concern evident in his green eyes.  Today she noticed amber flecks in them, making them more intense, more mesmerizing.
    "I'm fine."  His hands, still on her waist, burned through the thin fabric of her suit.  Water dripped down her face from her hair and she wanted to wipe it away, but somehow in their collision her hands had ended up clasping his forearms.
    Alex's wet hair fell over his brow, the sun glimmered on the reddish highlights, and the nerve along his jaw worked.  Then two teenage boys splashed beside them, and Alex released  his hands from her waist and brushed his hair back.
    Waving to Kristy and Heather, he called, "We're getting out for a while."  Then he found the ball floating beside him in the water and tossed it to Kristy.
    Unsettled though she was, Amanda still had the presence of mind to realize he was making a decision for her.  "Maybe I'm not ready to get out."
    "I'd like to talk to you, Amanda."
    It wasn't a demand but a very firm request that meant if they didn't talk now, they would eventually.  "All right," she acquiesced, deciding it was the only reasonable, adult tactic to take.
    She let Alex lead the way so she could get a good view of his backside.  But as he glanced over his shoulder, and his lips twitched, she had the distinct feeling he'd guessed her motive.  And when she watched him stride ahead of her...
    Blushing was becoming a new hobby.
    At her towel, she reached into her bag for a smaller version and dried her hair.  When she finished, Alex's gaze was on her.  "What?" she asked.
    He shrugged.  "You did that so unselfconsciously.  As if I weren't here.  Most women I know wouldn't get their hair wet in the first place and if they did, they'd hide in the ladies room until it was in place again."
    She laughed and combed her fingers through her hair to push it away from her face.  "I'd be in the ladies room all the time instead of swimming!  Believe me, teaching third graders puts it all in perspective, as well as having a daughter of my own and just wanting to have a little fun."
    "Were you?  Having fun?" he asked, dropping his towel on the grass.
    "Didn't I look like it?"
    "Not at the beginning."
    She thought back to their disagreement.
    "Look, Amanda.  I've been thinking about what happened."
    He came closer.  Close enough to touch.  She waited. 
    Alex's frown made the lines around his eyes deeper.  "My parents and Kristy are used to my working irregular hours.  When you said you'd watch Kristy, I really didn't think about how my day would affect you.  I'm sorry if you worried.  I apologize if I took advantage of you."
    "You'd like me to still watch Kristy?" she asked, wondering if his apology was simply the expedient thing to do.
    "That's not the reason I apologized," he said with an edge to his words, then stepped away from her toward his towel.
    Jeff had made her suspicious--of motives--of pretended sincerity.  She shouldn't transfer her feelings about her ex-husband to Alex.  Biting her lip, she clasped his elbow.  "I'm the one who's sorry.  Can we start with a clean slate?"
    As Alex towered over her, she stood perfectly still.  He glanced at her hand and she let go.
    "A clean slate sounds good," he finally said, then smiled.  Amanda's heart skipped a few beats and she smiled back.#
    In the