Reach for a Star by Kathryn Freeman

Author:Kathryn Freeman [Freeman, Kathryn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: humour, romantic comedy, contemporary, romance, Fiction
Publisher: Choc Lit
Published: 2019-09-23T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-One

Michael nearly wept with relief when Jack started shouting at the racing game, shrieking when he overtook Michael.

He’d died a thousand deaths when the boy had asked for FIFA. Of course Jessie’s sons loved football. Most kids did. He’d been an anomaly as a child. A freak, a misfit. Psycho, nutter, whack job were other ways he’d had it expressed.

He’d tried to fit in. Tried to listen to pop music and take an interest in football, but his parents had loved classical music and hated sport. They weren’t going to change, no matter how much their son might have wanted them to.

‘Who’s winning?’

Michael noticed the younger son standing in the doorway. Shorter and skinnier than his brother, Luke was still a boy where Jack was growing into a teenager. He seemed the more gregarious of the pair, though. Until he looked at Michael, when the lad clammed up. Probably because of the atmosphere killing, tension-inducing vibe Michael was giving off. How else to explain how the same kids who’d laughed with their father at the studio, and with Robert and members of the crew, turned into robots when Michael was around?

‘I am,’ Jack boasted.

Michael fixed his gaze at the screen and let his fingers race over the control, causing his car to make a slick manoeuvre. ‘Are you sure about that?’

Jack huffed. ‘No way.’

Maybe beating the boy wasn’t the best way to win him over, but Michael’s competitive streak was in full flow now. He zipped round the rest of the track and took the chequered flag, raising his eyes triumphantly to meet Jessie’s.

His smile died as soon as he saw her face. She looked upset. Cursing himself for not letting Jack win, Michael put down the control. ‘Actually that race doesn’t count because it’s my game, and you’re not used to it yet. Maybe we can race again at the end of the weekend.’

A cautious smile crept over Jack’s face. ‘Okay.’ His eyes dropped to the control, and then briefly back up to Michael’s. ‘You’re pretty good for a grown up.’

Michael laughed out his relief. ‘Thanks.’ But he couldn’t focus on the son when he knew the mother was standing in the doorway, looking like she was trying to be happy but failing miserably. ‘You boys have a game. I’ll talk to your mum about somewhere to eat.’

As Luke scuttled in and took his place on the sofa, Michael took hold of Jessie’s arm and led her into the sitting room. ‘What’s wrong?’

She shook her head. ‘Nothing. That was Georgina at the door.’ Her hazel eyes darted away from his and over to the windows leading to the balcony. ‘She wanted to thank you for the flowers.’

Irritation pricked. Didn’t Jessie trust him? ‘I yelled at her for phoning you about Frankfurt when I expressly told her I’d do it,’ he explained flatly. ‘Ever since then things have been a bit strained. I sent her flowers to keep the peace.’

‘Oh.’

Sighing, he reached to cup her face. ‘How can I convince you she means nothing to me? She worked for me for two months before you came along.

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