Free Just for Now by Rosalind James Page A

the
personality-impaired Ashley,” Jenna pointed out. “And that’s another thing. All
right, she was gorgeous. But she wasn’t exactly warm and fuzzy. Cool to cold,
I’d say. So, I’m clearly not his type. I can look, but I’m not fooling myself
there’s going to be any touching going on. Don’t worry about me.”
    “Just watch yourself,” Natalie warned. “That’s all I’m
saying.”
     
    Jenna studied herself critically. The outfit had looked good
in the shop yesterday, and Natalie had assured her that it was flattering. But
now, in her own bedroom mirror where she was used to viewing herself in
decidedly looser clothing, she wondered. Was it a bit much? She wanted to make
a good impression, and it was a classroom. And her first day. Better to
err on the conservative side. She debated changing back into one of her
familiar, comfortable outfits. But both Finn and Nat had said she wore her
clothes too loose. And she didlook better this way, she could tell.
    Everything she’d bought yesterday had passed muster with
both Natalie and the saleswoman, Jenna reminded herself. The black knit skirt
wasn’t really short, after all, just a few inches above the knee. Her
Kiwi-style black tights meant that she wasn’t even showing any skin. And the
long-sleeved top was pretty. She stroked a hand down the side of the knit
fabric with its richly saturated purple and green paisley print. The cut,
although trim, couldn’t be called tight, while the high keyhole neckline added
a bit of flair without being in the least revealing.
    She couldn’t stand here dithering. If she didn’t get going,
she wasn’t going to have a chance to eat anything before catching the bus.
Still, when she entered the kitchen and found Sophie and Harry finishing their
cereal and toast, she couldn’t resist the question.
    “What do you think of my new outfit, Sophie? Does it look
OK?”
    Great. Now she was asking fashion advice of a
seven-year-old.
    Sophie paused with her spoon halfway to her mouth and looked
her over critically. “I like the shirt,” she pronounced. “It’s pretty. You look
nice.”
    Jenna exhaled. “Thanks. I bought new clothes yesterday when
I went shopping with my friend. And I’m a little nervous about them.”
    “Let’s ask Daddy,” Sophie suggested as Finn came into the
kitchen. “Don’t you think Jenna’s new clothes are pretty?” she demanded of her
father.
    Finn looked Jenna over. “Very pretty, I agree.”
    “Daddy sees heaps of ladies,” Sophie told Jenna helpfully.
“And they always wear lovely dresses. So he knows.”
    “Jenna’s prettier than Daddy’s ladies, though,” Harry
argued. “Jenna’s the most beautiful woman in the world.”
    “Thanks, buddy,” Jenna laughed. “My target demographic,” she
explained wryly to Finn. “I profile extremely well with five-year-old boys.”
    “I reckon you can aim a wee bit higher than that.” Finn’s
answering smile was warm, his eyes appreciative. “You did some shopping, eh.”
    “Yeah. You said my clothes were too big,” Jenna said
self-consciously. “And my friend agreed. I’m not used to looking like this,
though. You don’t think everything’s a bit . . . a bit tight? Like I’m trying
to be . . .” Her voice trailed off.
    “Sexy?” he asked bluntly. “Nah. I wouldn’t say you look like
you’re trying. I’d say you just can’t help it.”
    “I knew it. OK. I’m changing.” Forget breakfast, she
decided. Better to go hungry than to show up looking like she was headed to a
nightclub.
    “Aw, geez. Don’t change,” Finn said hastily, putting out a
hand to stop her as she turned to go. “I shouldn’t have said that. Nothing’s
too tight. There’s nothing wrong with looking pretty, wherever it is you’re
going. Unless you’re volunteering at Pare, that is. Then I’d consider a nun’s
habit. Anyplace short of that, you’re gold.”
     “At where?” So this outfit was wrong for
volunteering. She’d known