Free Caroline's Seduction (Montgomery Family and Friends) by Iris Abbott

back at Caroline, but her head was bent over a stack of papers.  She kept the red pen in her hand moving across the page at a steady rate. 
    “Bye, Ms. Johnson,” Sarah called on her way out the door. 
    Kyle heard Caroline respond, but noted that she didn’t look up from her precious papers.  Once again he was struck by how different she was compared to the lover of four years ago.  He closed the door behind him and caught up with his daughter.  “The car’s right out front.”  He paused.  “Sarah, are you sure Caroline doesn’t mind taking you shopping, especially all the way to Atlanta.”
    “Of course, I’m sure dad,” Sarah insisted with a huff of annoyance.  “She seemed reluctant at first.  She even suggested I invite Jay’s mother.  I told her I didn’t really know Mrs. Blake and that I wanted to go shopping with her.  She warmed up to the idea quickly.  We even laughed at the idea of you being lost in a rack of dresses.”
    “Hmmm, I don’t know if I like being the afternoon’s entertainment,” Kyle teased. 
    “Don’t worry dad.  Ms. Johnson and I get along really well and we’re both familiar with Atlanta.  We’ll be just fine.”
    “I’m sure you will be.  I always thought Caroline would be an excellent teacher.  So far everything I’ve heard about her seems to back up that assumption.  But I still don’t think it’s a good idea for you spend too much time with her outside the classroom, so don’t make this a habit.”
    “Ms. Johnson is an excellent role model.  Plus she’s really good friends with Jay’s mom and I really like Jay…”
    “I just don’t want you to get too attached to her.  You might end up getting hurt.”
    “How on earth could Ms. Johnson hurt me…?”  Sarah stopped abruptly and gave her dad a hard stare.  “If you are implying that she is trying to be nice to me to get in your good graces, you’re wrong,” Sarah insisted.  “She never asks about you, as a matter of fact we never discuss you at all.  Face it dad, you’re not unforgettable.  I think Ms. Johnson got over you a long time ago.”
    Kyle didn’t answer.  He should have been thrilled by that statement.  It was after all what he’d wanted four years ago.  No strings attached relationships devoid of commitment was the credo he lived by since his divorce.  So why was Caroline’s indifference to him starting to get under his skin?
    *****
    Caroline parked her compact car in the driveway of the Wakefield’s rental house.  She took a deep breath and glanced at the clock.  She was only a couple of minutes early.  If she was lucky, Sarah would answer the door and she wouldn’t even have to see Kyle at all.  She briskly walked to the front door and rang the doorbell.  Of course lady luck wasn’t on her side and Kyle was the one to open the door and greet her. 
    Kyle opened the door and motioned a fresh faced Caroline inside.  She had always been a morning person he remembered.  Even without makeup she was gorgeous.  He slammed the brakes on that train of thought.  He waited for her to enter, but she remained firmly fixed on the porch.  He batted down the impatience at her reluctance to enter the house.  “You might as well come inside.  Sarah is running a few minutes behind and there’s been a change in plans.”
    Caroline felt her blood pressure rising, but worked hard to contain her anger.  If Kyle was going to cancel the outing he or Sarah should have had the decency to call and cancel, before she dragged herself out of the house so early on a Saturday morning.  She glared at Kyle.  “If you didn’t want Sarah to go shopping with me you should have said something before now,” she primly informed him.
    He glared right back.  “I’m not canceling, but I am driving.”
    Caroline swallowed hard.  The last she’d heard she was driving and Kyle hadn’t been anywhere in the picture.  She remembered their first date and the long car ride.  She had