Prince Charming Can Wait (Ever After) Read Online Free
Author: Stephanie Rowe
Rosie in his arms, and beside him was his son, Noah, who was wearing a Red Sox hat.
"Jason!" Astrid's face lit up, and she jumped up from the table. The kiss she gave her husband was so intimate and sweet that Emma felt an ache of longing in her own chest. She was happy for Astrid, but it was so clear from the way that Astrid's face softened at the sight of her family that she was definitely no longer someone who would sit up late nights with Emma enjoying some popcorn and a DVD.
Behind him was Clare's husband, Griffin Friesé. He was carrying six large pizzas from Jason's cafe, a broad grin on his face. "Dinner has arrived for the party."
"Fantastic!" Clare leapt up, her own face illuminating at the sight of her husband. "Thanks so much. We're starving."
Emma sank back into her seat, shrinking from the excitement that the men brought into the room. She glanced across the table at Eppie, and then was startled to see the older lady was gazing across the room with a gleam in her eye. She followed Eppie's gaze and saw Astrid's stepfather, Ralph Hutchins, walk in the door, carrying Rosie's diaper bag.
Eppie immediately straightened her hat, gave Emma a wink, and then rose from her chair. "I'm going to the kitchen for some napkins," she announced.
"I'll help." Ralph immediately changed course and hustled after her, the door swinging shut behind them almost before they'd even made it through.
"Is this the party?" Through the front door stepped another couple, Jackson Reed and his wife, along with their toddler. The noise and energy of the room began to rise as people hugged and kissed, welcoming each other into Astrid's home. So much warmth, so many kids, so much connection, so many families, it was almost overwhelming.
The pizza was set on the table and drinks were poured, as everyone hugged Emma and celebrated her liberation day. The noise began to close in on her, the joviality too much. She caught Clare's arm. "Clare, I think I need to get some air—"
"No, wait." Clare grinned as the front door opened again. In walked the new bartender from Johnny's Swill and Grill, the best pub in town. He was still the well-muscled specimen he'd been at Astrid's going away party, and the tattoo on his biceps was partially visible below the sleeve of his black tee shirt. He looked around the room, then saw Clare. He nodded at her and headed toward them, his eyes fixed with too much interest on Emma.
Emma stiffened. "What is he doing here? I don't even know him."
"He's new to town. None of us know anything about him. Griffin decided we needed to change that, so here he is. Smile and be nice." Clare beamed at him as he approached. "Glad you could make it, Brady. This is Emma Larson. You remember her, don't you? Emma, this is Brady Foster. Don't let the tattoos fool you. He's actually a good guy. Oh, wait, Eppie's got the wrong dishes. Eppie!" Clare hurried off, leaving Emma alone with Brady.
He loomed over her, large. Too large. Too powerful. Too strong. He smiled at her, a smile designed to rip her heart right out of her chest, just like Preston's practiced good looks had done for her that damned July day when he'd finally noticed her after years of coming to Birch Crossing as a summer resident.
"Hey," he said. His voice was low and reserved, but it had a muted edge that told her he wasn't entirely comfortable at the party either.
She swallowed, and clenched her palms. "Hi," she managed, her mouth dry. She looked around the room, desperate for an escape, but everyone was occupied with a significant other. Smiles that were so genuine, filled with so much love, so much connection. Children being hugged. Families.
Aside from Brady, she was the only single one there, standing beside a stranger with huge shoulders. She swallowed, fighting against the panic. She couldn't do this. She simply could not do it. "I have to go—"
"Wait." He caught her arm, his touch light, but Emma jumped anyway at the familiarity. "Stay a sec." His dark
"Jason!" Astrid's face lit up, and she jumped up from the table. The kiss she gave her husband was so intimate and sweet that Emma felt an ache of longing in her own chest. She was happy for Astrid, but it was so clear from the way that Astrid's face softened at the sight of her family that she was definitely no longer someone who would sit up late nights with Emma enjoying some popcorn and a DVD.
Behind him was Clare's husband, Griffin Friesé. He was carrying six large pizzas from Jason's cafe, a broad grin on his face. "Dinner has arrived for the party."
"Fantastic!" Clare leapt up, her own face illuminating at the sight of her husband. "Thanks so much. We're starving."
Emma sank back into her seat, shrinking from the excitement that the men brought into the room. She glanced across the table at Eppie, and then was startled to see the older lady was gazing across the room with a gleam in her eye. She followed Eppie's gaze and saw Astrid's stepfather, Ralph Hutchins, walk in the door, carrying Rosie's diaper bag.
Eppie immediately straightened her hat, gave Emma a wink, and then rose from her chair. "I'm going to the kitchen for some napkins," she announced.
"I'll help." Ralph immediately changed course and hustled after her, the door swinging shut behind them almost before they'd even made it through.
"Is this the party?" Through the front door stepped another couple, Jackson Reed and his wife, along with their toddler. The noise and energy of the room began to rise as people hugged and kissed, welcoming each other into Astrid's home. So much warmth, so many kids, so much connection, so many families, it was almost overwhelming.
The pizza was set on the table and drinks were poured, as everyone hugged Emma and celebrated her liberation day. The noise began to close in on her, the joviality too much. She caught Clare's arm. "Clare, I think I need to get some air—"
"No, wait." Clare grinned as the front door opened again. In walked the new bartender from Johnny's Swill and Grill, the best pub in town. He was still the well-muscled specimen he'd been at Astrid's going away party, and the tattoo on his biceps was partially visible below the sleeve of his black tee shirt. He looked around the room, then saw Clare. He nodded at her and headed toward them, his eyes fixed with too much interest on Emma.
Emma stiffened. "What is he doing here? I don't even know him."
"He's new to town. None of us know anything about him. Griffin decided we needed to change that, so here he is. Smile and be nice." Clare beamed at him as he approached. "Glad you could make it, Brady. This is Emma Larson. You remember her, don't you? Emma, this is Brady Foster. Don't let the tattoos fool you. He's actually a good guy. Oh, wait, Eppie's got the wrong dishes. Eppie!" Clare hurried off, leaving Emma alone with Brady.
He loomed over her, large. Too large. Too powerful. Too strong. He smiled at her, a smile designed to rip her heart right out of her chest, just like Preston's practiced good looks had done for her that damned July day when he'd finally noticed her after years of coming to Birch Crossing as a summer resident.
"Hey," he said. His voice was low and reserved, but it had a muted edge that told her he wasn't entirely comfortable at the party either.
She swallowed, and clenched her palms. "Hi," she managed, her mouth dry. She looked around the room, desperate for an escape, but everyone was occupied with a significant other. Smiles that were so genuine, filled with so much love, so much connection. Children being hugged. Families.
Aside from Brady, she was the only single one there, standing beside a stranger with huge shoulders. She swallowed, fighting against the panic. She couldn't do this. She simply could not do it. "I have to go—"
"Wait." He caught her arm, his touch light, but Emma jumped anyway at the familiarity. "Stay a sec." His dark
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