Read Online That Carolina Summer (North Carolina) by Janet Dailey - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Janet Dailey
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His mouth curved in a half-smile as his gray eyes gleamed with curious speculation. “When did you start traveling in such exalted circles?"
“Oh, Dad, he's only a man, for heaven's sake,” Annette protested.
“He's a little old for you, don't you think?” he replied.
She didn't have to fake the mocking laugh that came from her throat. “He said almost the same thing, Dad, except that he turned it around and said I was too young. So I guess you have nothing to worry about.” She lifted her shoulders in an expressive shrug and smiled. Jordan Long offered no comment. Mentally crossing her fingers, Annette hoped the subject was closed. “Where's Marsha?"
“I think she's still in bed sleeping,” Kathleen replied. “We knocked at the door when we left our rooms, but she didn't answer."
“She's probably still asleep,” Annette agreed. “She was up until after three o'clock last night—reading a book.” She backed away a step, preparing to make her departure. “I'll go wake her up. We'll join you after we've eaten breakfast."
“We'll be here on the beach,” Kathleen said.
As Annette walked away, Kathleen noticed how closely Jordan watched his oldest child. There was a quietness about him that she wasn't used to seeing. She glanced at Annette's disappearing figure, then back to Jordan.
“Is something wrong, Jordan?” she asked.
He seemed to drag his gaze away from Annette before meeting her questioning eyes. That mouth she loved so well was twisted in a wryly grim line.
“Yes,” he answered her question with a simple affirmative.
“What is it?” Kathleen wanted more of an answer than that. “Annette?"
“Yes. I didn't like that look in her eyes,” he replied. “She's up to something.” His glance strayed to the boat tied up at the dock. “I have a feeling that ‘something’ is Joshua Lord."
Kathleen remembered his comment that the man was too old for Annette and guessed the direction of Jordan's concern. “I wouldn't worry about Annette, Jordan. She's much too intelligent to be talked into anything.” A quick smile crossed her mouth. “More than likely, Annette's talking him into something."
“One of these days she's going to meet her match, Kathleen,” Jordan warned.
She sat back on her heels. “Chauvinist,” she laughed. “I think you're actually hoping that she does. It bothers you when a woman outsmarts a man, doesn't it?"
“You come here and I'll show you what bothers me,” he murmured in a suggestive mock threat.
Her breath caught in her throat as she started to sway toward him. Then Robby reminded her of his presence.
“Mommy, will you help me? I can't make the walls of my castle stand up,” he complained in a disheartened voice.
“You're the one with the engineering degree, Jordan,” Kathleen smiled. “Help your son."
He started to move to comply with her request, then paused to tilt her chin up. “Wrong. It's our son—or have you forgotten it takes two?"
“Maybe you'll have to refresh my memory,” Kathleen suggested huskily. “Later."
“You can count on it.” He ran his thumb across her lips and moved away to help Robby.
LATER THAT AFTERNOON, Annette took Robby out on one of the pedal boats as she had promised. The bay was filled with families of afternoon sailors in boats of every size and description. She kept their foot-powered boat close to shore, away from the congestion.
When she saw Josh's boat maneuvering away from the dock, she couldn't help looking. As it drifted slowly by the little cove where she was, Annette saw his guests. One in particular caught her eye. A raven-haired witch in a scarlet swimsuit was draped all over Josh. Annette could well imagine the “business” that woman had in mind.
She was consumed with jealousy. If she'd been close enough she would have plucked out every black hair on the girl's head, one by one. She hadn't guessed she could feel such a rage—or such pain—at seeing Josh with another woman.
“Annette,
“Oh, Dad, he's only a man, for heaven's sake,” Annette protested.
“He's a little old for you, don't you think?” he replied.
She didn't have to fake the mocking laugh that came from her throat. “He said almost the same thing, Dad, except that he turned it around and said I was too young. So I guess you have nothing to worry about.” She lifted her shoulders in an expressive shrug and smiled. Jordan Long offered no comment. Mentally crossing her fingers, Annette hoped the subject was closed. “Where's Marsha?"
“I think she's still in bed sleeping,” Kathleen replied. “We knocked at the door when we left our rooms, but she didn't answer."
“She's probably still asleep,” Annette agreed. “She was up until after three o'clock last night—reading a book.” She backed away a step, preparing to make her departure. “I'll go wake her up. We'll join you after we've eaten breakfast."
“We'll be here on the beach,” Kathleen said.
As Annette walked away, Kathleen noticed how closely Jordan watched his oldest child. There was a quietness about him that she wasn't used to seeing. She glanced at Annette's disappearing figure, then back to Jordan.
“Is something wrong, Jordan?” she asked.
He seemed to drag his gaze away from Annette before meeting her questioning eyes. That mouth she loved so well was twisted in a wryly grim line.
“Yes,” he answered her question with a simple affirmative.
“What is it?” Kathleen wanted more of an answer than that. “Annette?"
“Yes. I didn't like that look in her eyes,” he replied. “She's up to something.” His glance strayed to the boat tied up at the dock. “I have a feeling that ‘something’ is Joshua Lord."
Kathleen remembered his comment that the man was too old for Annette and guessed the direction of Jordan's concern. “I wouldn't worry about Annette, Jordan. She's much too intelligent to be talked into anything.” A quick smile crossed her mouth. “More than likely, Annette's talking him into something."
“One of these days she's going to meet her match, Kathleen,” Jordan warned.
She sat back on her heels. “Chauvinist,” she laughed. “I think you're actually hoping that she does. It bothers you when a woman outsmarts a man, doesn't it?"
“You come here and I'll show you what bothers me,” he murmured in a suggestive mock threat.
Her breath caught in her throat as she started to sway toward him. Then Robby reminded her of his presence.
“Mommy, will you help me? I can't make the walls of my castle stand up,” he complained in a disheartened voice.
“You're the one with the engineering degree, Jordan,” Kathleen smiled. “Help your son."
He started to move to comply with her request, then paused to tilt her chin up. “Wrong. It's our son—or have you forgotten it takes two?"
“Maybe you'll have to refresh my memory,” Kathleen suggested huskily. “Later."
“You can count on it.” He ran his thumb across her lips and moved away to help Robby.
LATER THAT AFTERNOON, Annette took Robby out on one of the pedal boats as she had promised. The bay was filled with families of afternoon sailors in boats of every size and description. She kept their foot-powered boat close to shore, away from the congestion.
When she saw Josh's boat maneuvering away from the dock, she couldn't help looking. As it drifted slowly by the little cove where she was, Annette saw his guests. One in particular caught her eye. A raven-haired witch in a scarlet swimsuit was draped all over Josh. Annette could well imagine the “business” that woman had in mind.
She was consumed with jealousy. If she'd been close enough she would have plucked out every black hair on the girl's head, one by one. She hadn't guessed she could feel such a rage—or such pain—at seeing Josh with another woman.
“Annette,
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