Читать книгу Found: His Family - Nicola Marsh - Страница 12

AIMEE sat on an old wooden bench near the hospital entrance and sipped at her mocha latte, watching the parade of worried faces rushing past on a regular basis and wondering if she looked that bad. For Toby’s sake, she hoped not. She’d done her best to shield him from pain while he was growing up, feeling she owed him something extra to make up for not having a father.

Sure, her own dad had been amazing with his grandson, but after he’d died she’d noticed the subtle changes in Toby’s behaviour: he became more demanding, more cunning, more rough-house in his antics as if he could bully her into bending to his will.

She’d weathered the terrible twos, the tantrum threes and the frustrating fours, only to realise her son was gifted and needed more brain stimulation than the average child. Unfortunately, Toby’s high IQ also ensured he observed a lot more than other kids his age and he’d been particularly demanding about his father recently. He’d accepted her excuse that his father was overseas for a long time but lately he’d been pushing. Little had she known he would get his wish to meet his dad sooner rather than later.

Speaking of which…she watched Jed stride towards her, his long legs eating up the pavement, a guy intent on going places. He hadn’t seen her yet, his forehead puckered in concentration as he spoke into a mobile phone, using his free hand to emphasise his words to the person on the other end.

Warmth stole through her body and it had nothing to do with the morning sun blazing down its late-summer heat. Nor did it have anything to do with the casual beige chinos moulding his legs or the navy polo shirt fitting a muscular torso that didn’t belong on a chef. Didn’t he taste his own food? She had back then and had gained five kilos in six months!