When Mom Meets Dad Read Free Page B

searched for the girls.  She found them.  Slowly, she stood.  A moment later, she was standing next to the firefighter safely in the metal bucket.
    Alex followed her.  It was a tight squeeze for the three of them.  The only place for his arm was around her waist, his body lodged tight against hers as the bucket lowered.  Another firefighter stood on the bed of the truck, ready to help Amanda down the ladder.
    Only a few minutes later, they stood on solid ground with their daughters giving them each a huge hug.
    "Mom, are you okay?" Heather asked.  "You're awful white."
    "Hey, Dad.  Was it way cool up there?" Kristy asked.
    "Honey, it was way high up there," he answered, then took Amanda's arm and led her to a bench sitting alongside a hot dog stand.  Flipping a few bills out of his pocket, he asked Heather, "Would you get your mom a soda?"
    Amanda protested.  "I'm fine.  I just feel a little shaky."
    Heather took a good look at her mom, then Alex, and said, "I'll get lemonade."  Then she scampered off with Kristy at her side, the two of them whispering back and forth.
    "I'm fine," Amanda repeated and stood to prove it.  Meeting Alex's eyes, she said, "I'm sorry I froze.  I'm not usually such a pansy."
    He shook his head.  "Amanda Carson, you are anything but a pansy."
    As she gazed at him, impulse and what they'd just experienced together nudged him to curve his arm around her, bend his head, and let his lips graze hers.  He was about to do a lot more when Amanda suddenly pushed away.
    The expression on her face told him he'd made a monumental mistake.

Chapter Two
     
    When Alex's secretary buzzed him, he jabbed the button on the console.  "Yes, Georgia."
    "A Mrs. Carson on line two.  About Career Day."
    Instantly, he pictured Amanda's face after he'd kissed her and felt again the awkwardness of her pushing away.  Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how he wanted to look at it, Kristy and Heather had come running back with Amanda's lemonade along with Susan Groft and her mother.  Making conversation about the experience had helped for a few minutes.
    Then...after an it-was-nice-to-see-you-again good-bye, Amanda had quickly shepherded Heather toward their car.  Despite attempts to concentrate on everything but her, he couldn't get the picture of Amanda on the Ferris wheel with her wide blue eyes, blond hair and beautifully curved lips out of his head.
    Because of what had happened, he didn't know if she still wanted his help with Career Day.  But apparently the lady didn't get sidetracked from her goal.
    He pressed the button for line two and picked up the receiver.  "Hello, Amanda."
    "Good morning, Mr. Woodsides.  I..."
    "After Saturday night, don't you think we can use first names?"  Formality and his reaction to Amanda didn't seem to go together.
    The few moments of silence on her end told him he'd surprised her.  Finally, she said, "I suppose it's not every day I let a man latch me into a rescue harness."
    Alex laughed.  "Facing a life and death experience changes the rules."
    "Even though I acted like it, I don't think the situation was quite that serious.  And I do remember you saying you'll consider heading up Career Day."
    She obviously didn't want to talk about Saturday night...or the kiss.  "I did say that," he agreed, wanting to keep a connection to her, realizing he'd decided to work on the program for more reasons than educating his daughter.  "Could the committee meet at my house one evening this week?  We could get started."
    "You've thought about this."
    "Some.  I'll have my secretary type up an agenda so we'll know exactly where we're going and e-mail it to you.  Would Wednesday night suit you?  Seven thirty?"
    "That's fine," she said, sounding pleased...or maybe just relieved.  "I'll call Mrs. Webb and Mr. Davidson," she added.  "Thank you for volunteering, Alex.  I'll see you Wednesday."
    "Wednesday, it is.  Good-bye, Amanda."
    Alex replaced the receiver,