Free Anna Meets Her Match by Arlene James Page A

pure blue eyes widening. A smile tugged at her lips. “And?”
    Of course, she would have her pound of flesh. Ah, well, in this case she deserved it. “And,” he said slowly, “you were right.”
    Anna laid her head back against the roof of his car, her gaze moving back and forth. “Excuse me while I check to see if the sky is falling.”
    He fought a sudden smile. “Very funny. But, really, you shouldn’t have done it.”
    Her gaze sharpened, instantly defensive. “Your aunts gave me permission.”
    “I didn’t mean that .”
    “Well, what did you mean, then?” she snapped. “That I’m not a capable teacher? I think events prove otherwise.”
    Reeves sucked in air and counted to ten. He would not, would not , let her spike his temper. Again. “I meant that you shouldn’t have spent your money on Gilli. I’ll reimburse you the cost of the helmet and pads.”
    “No, you won’t.” She pushed away from the car and made her way to the steps, where she sat and began removing her skates.
    Reeves swallowed the argument that wanted to batter its way out of his mouth and changed the subject, asking,“What’s this about a ballerina? And something about the house?”
    Anna Miranda looked up at him, smiling crookedly. “I made Valentine cards for Gilli and your aunts last night.”
    Reeves’s mouth dropped open an instant before he pressed both palms to his temples. “This is the fourteenth! It’s Valentine’s Day!” And he had nothing for his daughter or aunts. Anna dropped one brow. Her expression seemed to say that he was the biggest idiot in creation. He couldn’t disagree. “Oh, man. I completely forgot! There’s this negotiation at work, and my house is all torn apart, and…”
    Why even bother explaining? She’d still think he was an abysmal failure as a father and nephew, and she would be right. His aunts and daughter didn’t have to know that he’d forgotten about them, though. He shoved aside his overcoat and dug his hand into the pockets of his pants for his keys.
    “I—I have to go. J-just say I’ll be back in a minute, would you? Please, Anna Miranda.”
    “Okay,” she said, and he pivoted to leave, but then she added, “provided…”
    Reeves froze then slowly turned back. “Provided what?” he asked sharply.
    She looked him square in the eye. “Provided you stop calling me Anna Miranda.”
    Of all the things she could have said, that was the last one he might have expected. “What else would I call you?”
    “Anna!” she exclaimed, as if it ought to somehow be obvious. “Just Anna. It is my first name, you know.”
    “B-but,” he sputtered, “you’ve always been—”
    “Anna Miranda was a child,” she interrupted hotly. “Anna is an adult. Surely you’ve noticed that I am an adult.”
    Oh, he had noticed, all right. He was noticing at that very moment, and it made him want to run fast in the opposite direction. But he owed her. Heaven help him, he owed Anna Mir—uh, Anna Burdett.
    “I, um, won’t be long,” he said, easing back a step. “Anna.”
    Going back to her skates, she him cut a sly look from the corners of her eyes. “Should I tell Gilli that you’ll have a surprise for her?”
    “Um, okay.” Except…Surprise? He’d thought a card, something appropriately girlie. That suddenly seemed laughably inadequate now. He had the feeling that Anna Mir—make that just plain Anna—would have a suggestion. Not quite believing that he was doing this, he asked, “What sort of surprise would you recommend?”
    A smile came and went on her face. “There’s a reason chocolate is a traditional Valentine’s Day gift. Females love it, females of every age.”
    Was that a hint? he wondered. Surely not, but…“Will you be here when I get back?”
    “Maybe. I have some stuff to go over with your aunts.”
    “I won’t be long,” Reeves promised again, hurrying around to drop down behind the steering wheel of his sedan.
    He probably ought to have his head