Handle Me with Care Read Free

much for the lawyer theory, but as he spoke about his occupation, Maddie realised that, as well as his obvious physical appeal, he had an approachable demeanour, was easy to talk to and was a good listener too. In fact, by the time they finished chatting, she realised how much being a teacher suited him. 
    Jem appeared beside them as Evan began to fidget with his shirt collar again. ‘I told you to wear whatever you wanted, Evan. But you do look gorgeous in a suit. Doesn’t he look gorgeous, Maddie?’
    What was she supposed to say to that? Was she supposed to admit that her insides had flipped over when he first introduced himself? Or should she say she found it difficult to look at him without her mind running on spin cycle, wondering whether her words would come out as gobbledegook or not? Luckily, she didn’t have to answer as Ava appeared, barefoot after dumping her shoes and socks beneath a chair.
    ‘Uncle Evan, will you dance with me again?’
    Maddie wasn’t sure anyone could resist Ava’s smile and the two honey-coloured bunches that swung from their bottle-green bows on each side of her head.
    ‘How about you start and I’ll be over in a sec?’
    Jem turned to talk to a gentleman dressed in a tweed jacket with leather pads on the elbows.
    ‘Are you hanging around, Maddie?’ Evan asked.
    ‘I’d better not.’ She glanced at her watch. ‘I’m due at the bachelorette party right about now.’
    Ava was at Evan’s side again, tugging at his hand.
    ‘Give me a minute, Ava.’ Evan ignored the pulling. ‘Well, it was lovely to meet you, Maddie.’
    His words cascaded through her body with every syllable.
    Ava pulled some more, as though Evan’s arm were a rope in a tug of war. And as Maddie collected her bag, he remained rooted to the spot as though he wanted to add something.
    ‘I wonder if my wish will come true,’ said Jem, scurrying over when she realised Maddie was leaving.
    ‘What wish?’ Evan successfully won the tug of war battle when Ava dropped his arm in lieu of following this more interesting development.
    ‘What wish, Grandma Jem?’ asked Ava.
    ‘The wish I made when I blew out the candles on my sensible cake.’ She winked at Maddie.
    ‘Tell me what you wished for.’ Ava grabbed Jem’s arm this time but didn’t attack it with anywhere near the severity that she had with Evan’s. Lucky, as Maddie suspected Jem would be the one to come off worse.
    Jem smoothed down the child’s bunches and stooped to whisper something in her ear.
    ‘Uncle Evan? Are you going to make Maddie your girlfriend?’
    Evan and Maddie stood aghast, but Jem sniggered. ‘Come on, you two. You’re both single, you’re both around the same age. Make an old girl happy. I don’t have time to beat around the bush at my ripe old age and I want to see my grandson happy. I hope to see you again, Maddie.’ And with that, she took Ava’s hand to the dance floor and left Evan and Maddie to deal with the words that still hung in the air.
    Maddie felt her cheeks burn. It was impossible to look up at Evan.
    ‘Well, that was embarrassing,’ he said.
    They stood side by side watching Ava and Jem dance; it was far easier than looking at each other.
    ‘Embarrassing? I don’t think anything can trump unveiling a huge penis cake at a one-hundredth birthday party.’
    His laugh warmed her right through. ‘True. So, what do you think?’
    ‘What do I think of what?’
    ‘Jem’s wish. Do we make it come true? Can I ask you out?’
    She pretended to be engrossed in watching some of the more senior guests getting their knees up the best they could to ‘Party Rock’. She opened her mouth to answer his question but nothing came out, so instead she tried to flick off the party streamers caught up on one of her ballet flats.
    Evan bent down and pulled the yellow and pink strands away from her foot, and when his hand grazed the skin on her ankle, she felt excitement ripple through her body. She so desperately wanted to