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“He’s not always nice,” Molly said. “I think he’s hungry.”
“Ah, well we’ll feed him later. Let’s go make some popcorn and watch that movie.”
Caroline took her niece’s hand and they started to make their way through the rambling home Jason had bought when he and Meg had married six months earlier. She and Molly were walking down the back staircase into the kitchen when she heard voices. One voice in particular, which was big and booming.
Her toes curled.Josh.Perfect. She heard him laugh and then a high-pitched feminine giggle followed. Could this get worse?
“Come on, Aunt Caroline.” Molly was tugging on her hand because Caroline hadn’t realized she’d stopped on the stairs.
“Right.” But every step made her more wary, more uncomfortable, because at the end of the stairway she’d be facing one of her biggest mistakes.
Molly broke away and ran as soon as she saw her uncle. “Uncle Josh!”
“Hey, squirt. What are you up to tonight?” He looked more gorgeous in his black tux than should have been legal, and all Caroline could think of was how he looked out of it. But the tall redheaded woman in the silver dress next to him smacked the carnal thoughts right out of Caroline’s head.
“Me and Aunt Caroline are watching a movie.”
“Aww,” the redhead said. “She’s so cute.”
Josh hadn’t noticed Caroline was standing there until Molly said something, but when he did, his eyes found hers and she wasn’t sure what she saw. Was it anger? Pity? Caroline was feeling pretty pitiful, so maybe that was it.
“Hey,” he said.
He took a step closer and Caroline got a whiff of his cologne and felt a bit weak in the knees.Pathetic.
“I didn’t know you were babysitting.” God, his voice was like music.
“I don’t know why you would.” Caroline stepped off the last step and stood next to Molly.
“You two know each other?” Caroline sensed the blonde felt threatened. Why, she didn’t know. Caroline hadn’t even bothered with a pair of jeans for tonight; she’d gone right for the yoga pants and a slubby T-shirt. She was a mess. She didn’t care.
“Caroline is Meg’s sister. We go way back.”
“You’re Meg’s sister?”Josh’s date couldn’t contain her shock. “Wow. You two are so... different.”
“Imagine that,” Caroline said, annoyed at the implication. “I didn’t get your name.”
“Oh, sorry,” Josh said. “Caroline, this is Summer.”
“Summer,” Caroline repeated. “That’s an interesting name.”
“Yeah. Apparently, I was conceived in the summer.”
Now there was the perfect example of too much information.
There was more noise as Jason and Meg entered the room. “Hey there, are we all ready?” Meg asked.
Jason looked out the window. “The car is here.”
“We’re going to take my car,” Josh said. “I know you two will be the last out tonight.”
“I helped organize this,” Meg said. “I have to stay.”
“I know. That’s why I’m driving.”
“No limo?” Summer whined.
Josh shook his head and Caroline thought she saw an eye roll from him that was worthy of a teenage girl, but she couldn’t be sure.
