Free Untangle My Heart (Tangled Hearts) by Maria K. Alexander

approached. “Hey, you made it. Did you just get here?”
    “No, I’ve been in the back for a little while. I didn’t want to disturb everyone watching the movie.”
    “This little monkey on my back here is Lucas. Lucas, this is my friend, Edward.”
    The boy leaned over and whispered in her ear.
    She laughed. “He says you have a funny voice.”
    “I can see why you may think so. I grew up in England. Everyone there talks like this. It’s nice to meet you, Lucas.”
    The boy hid behind Kate’s hair. Clearly he wasn’t making an impression on the boy.
    “What do you say, Lucas?” Kate prompted.
    “Hi,” came a small voice from behind her head.
    “I missed most of the movie. Maybe you can tell me what it was about,” Edward said.
    Lucas’s small face peeked out. “It was awesome. It was about a boy who captured a dragon, but he let it go instead of killing it. Then he trained it.”
    Edward smiled at the speed at which Lucas spoke, the words almost all gushing out in one large breath. “That sounds pretty fantastic. I’ll have to watch the whole movie sometime.”
    “You can watch it with me and Kate. Can’t he, Kate?”
    “Yes, he certainly can,” Kate said. “I think it’s time for you to go up to bed. Let’s go, little Jedi. Say good night to Edward.”
    “Night, Edward. Come back again soon,” Lucas said with a yawn.
    “Good night, Lucas. It was nice to meet you.”
    Kate adjusted the boy’s weight. “I’ll get him settled and be back down,” she said to Edward.
    They walked away and Lucas stole a glance back at Edward. “Is he your boyfriend?” he heard Lucas ask Kate. Edward didn’t hear her reply, but it must have satisfied the boy because he placed his head on her shoulder.
    While Kate was with Lucas, Edward spoke with Father Dominic, who gave him a thorough understanding about the running of an orphanage. Edward found the architecture of the hundred-year-old converted mansion fascinating and agreed to a tour the next time he came by.
    Thirty minutes later, Kate returned looking tired but happy.
    “Lucas didn’t give you any trouble going down, did he?” Father Dominic asked.
    “No problem. He wanted me to read him three stories.”
    Father Dominic laughed. “No surprise there. He’s always trying to get the older kids to read to him. I think it must remind him of when his mother or father read to him.”
    “I didn’t mind,” Kate said. “I’ll be back tomorrow to continue with the decoration making. Oh, and I think my mother is going to measure the kids for the robes for the pageant.”
    “I’ll let Sister Theresa know.”
    “Lucas asked a million questions about the new restaurant. I wanted to see if it’d be okay to bring him by there tomorrow afternoon to see what we’re doing,” Kate asked Father Dominic.
    “I’m not sure a construction site is the proper place for a small child,” Edward interjected.
    “He’s not going to touch anything, and besides, you’re only getting started.”
    “True, but there are ladders and equipment set up. I wouldn’t want him to get hurt.” Or get in the way. The last thing Edward needed or wanted was a small child underfoot.
    “Maybe another time, then,” Father Dominic suggested.
    Kate flashed Edward an annoyed look. “Fine.”
    Edward sighed. Without intending to, he’d managed to say something wrong.
    They spoke with Father Dominic a few more minutes before heading out to the car.
    Kate marched ahead, annoyance vibrating from her. Edward had to admit the woman wore anger well, if that was even possible. Her hips swung more than usual, and the purse of her lips made him want to kiss her until she forgot about being angry. Too bad there wasn’t any chance of that happening.
    He touched her arm when she reached the passenger side of his car. “Kate, I’m sorry if it seemed I didn’t want Lucas at the restaurant.”
    “You didn’t seem anything. You flat-out said it was a bad idea.” She pulled her arm out of