Free The Fairy Tale Bride by Scarlet Wilson Page A

move about the place. The staff know me. I’ve been around for a while. They know they can rely on me.”
    “And the fairy tales?”
    It seemed as if she was thinking about how to respond. “Everyone remembers fairy tales from their childhood. Most kids love them – even older ones who like to pretend they don’t. With the elderly patients? Sometimes it’s just someone sitting telling them a story, or they feel a familiarity about it. Whatever it is, it seems to help. So that’s why I do it.”
    It was noisy in the pub and they were leaning close together to hear each other talk. Adam reached over and brushed her hair back from her face, resting his hand behind her ear. “And that’s why I like you,” he whispered in her ear. “Now,” his eyes glanced dangerously downwards again, “How about I get us another drink?”
    It was dark by the time they’d emerged from Grey’s. Lisa was feeling much more relaxed now. She was enjoying Adam’s company. He was easy to be around. And the sexy smile was making her stomach flip in more ways than one.
    Another few drinks and a few compliments on her dress were making her feel a lot more confident. After Joe and Melody had left it had seemed so easy just to default into wearing black all the time. It was professional. On fat days it was slimming.
    It also helped her fade into the background. And that’s pretty much what she’d been doing. She didn’t want to be noticed. She didn’t want people to ask difficult questions. She was happy to try and help other people achieve their dreams without even thinking that she should find some of her own.
    And the children’s ward was the best place of all to hide. At least there she felt as if she were really achieving something. Strange as it might seem, there was comfort on being on the children’s ward – even when there was sadness. Someone always needed a cuddle, someone always wanted a story read. She didn’t really care what she did, as long as she felt as though she was helping. It was the little things that made the difference. Having a sister who’d died of cancer had taught her that. If she could be the person to make things easier for another family, then that was what she’d do.
    As they walked along the street she gave a little shiver. The temperature had dropped now and she hadn’t thought to bring a coat. Adam noticed and slung his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. He made it seem like the most natural thing in the world. And it almost felt as if she fitted.
    The street lights cast up orange shadows that reflected off the shop windows.
    Although the street seemed empty there was the echo of low voices. Adam looked around and shrugged. A few seconds later someone let out a laugh.
    As they walked it became obvious there was someone in one of the alleyways off Main Street. More than someone.
    A woman’s laughter rang out too. The outline of two interlocked bodies came into view. Adam pulled back a little. “Oops,” he whispered as he turned his head.
    Lisa didn’t want to stare. She really didn’t. It was obvious the couple were drunk and were fumbling around. The guy laughed and threw his head back as a security light on one of the doorways flickered on. Lisa sucked in a breath. Jared? He was easily recognizable.
    But the woman he was with wasn’t. She was a brunette – not blonde like Nancy.
    Adam noticed the change in Lisa instantly. She sucked in a deep breath and tensed under his arm. He followed her gaze. “What’s wrong?” It was pretty obvious what was happening amongst the fumbling down the lane. He cringed. Hardly the thing you wanted to see when walking a date home. It was obvious that both of them were drunk. Being loud and indiscreet wasn’t really helping. “Do you know him?”
    Lisa stared at him. “You don’t?”
    He shook his head. Although he could see the guy’s face he didn’t recognize him at all. As for the woman, her head was down in places where there was no