Free Emilie's Christmas Love by James Lavene, Joyce Lavene Page B

children. Physically, I mean."
    She smiled and played with the little girl to cover her embarrassment. It was a difficult thing for her to speak of, even to people she knew well. She was surprised to find herself blurting it out to Nick. He was almost a stranger in her life.
    "I'm sorry." It wasn’t hard to miss the wistful note in her voice when she told him. "I think you would have made someone a good mother."
    She smiled and quick tears rimmed her eyes. She hid her face against the child in her arms, inhaling the sweet smell of her.
    Nick closed his eyes for an instant and counted to ten. If he was any clumsier with this woman, he wouldn't be able to have a conversation with her at all. He'd never had a problem talking to women before. It seemed he was doomed to look like a fool with her.
    Adam whistled through the hole between his teeth, bored with the adult conversation. "Can we go now, Uncle Nick?"
    "In a minute."
    "Caring for both of the children must be difficult."
    Nick rolled his eyes. "Difficult doesn't really begin to handle it!"
    Adam shuffled restlessly. Emilie knew from his movements that he was getting ready to cause some trouble. She'd taught his age group long enough to know that they weren't good at sitting still and listening to adults talk.
    "I’m ready to have a break," Emilie said. "Have you had a Slushee yet? I've heard they're pretty good."
    "I haven't had one." Adam glanced at his uncle from under his long dark lashes. "Uncle Nick said they were too messy."
    Emilie frowned. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"
    "That's okay," Nick interrupted quickly.
    "I could come with you and help with the baby," she volunteered.
    "How could I refuse that generous offer?" He was aware of a wistful catch to her voice. He might not be good at talking to her, but he was beginning to understand her.  
    They emerged from the booth and walked through the crowded halls towards the refreshment area in the cafeteria.
    "Maybe you should help Adam." Nick looked at her skirt and sweater. "The baby's a little messy."
    "That's okay." She hugged the little girl closer and tickled her tummy. "I think we can manage."
    Nick went for the Slushees while Adam waited with Emilie and the baby. He returned with four icy drinks, three cherry and one grape. He sat beside Adam after giving out the three cherry Slushees to the others.
    Emilie and Adam staring at him as he tasted his drink. "What?"
    Adam glanced at his teacher. "We were trying to decide if Amber liked grape or cherry. There's only one way to know for sure."
    "Could I borrow your Slushee for a minute?" Emilie asked Nick.
    He looked between her and his nephew, liking the brightness of Adam's eyes. "Okay. What's up?"
    "Here." Emilie handed him the two cherry Slushees. "Okay, Adam, you have to help me here. We have to watch her face."
    "Okay," he said seriously, watching his sister's face with the intensity of a scientist looking for a distant comet.
    Emilie held the Slushee cup to Amber's mouth and the little girl put out her pink tongue, licking the flavored syrup from the top. She smiled and put out her tongue again.
    "That's the grape." Emilie gave the Slushee back to Nick and took the cherry drinks.
    "This is where we tell the difference," she confided to Adam.
    "Yeah!"
    Emilie held the cup to Amber's mouth and the girl licked some of the red syrup. Amber opened her mouth wide and tried to swallow all of it at once. A large portion of it fell into Emilie's lap and Adam laughed.
    "I think she likes the cherry best, Miss Ferrier," he told his teacher.
    Nick grabbed for some napkins and tried to get most of the cherry Slushee out of Emilie's lap with them. The red liquid had already saturated her skirt and was dripping to the floor. He rubbed hard, trying to get what he could, not thinking about what he was doing until he looked up and saw Emilie's face, as red as the cherry Slushee, beneath her green turban.
    "Sorry," he apologized with a grin, handing her another bunch of