The Perfect Mum. Janice Johnson Kay

can’t! Emma cried inside.

      She hastily took another bite of potatoes.

      “Try your meat,” Karen said pleasantly, with another tap on Emma’s shoulder.

      Regina stood and lifted her tray to bus it. “It’s hard the first time,” she said quietly, nodded and left.

      Summer left a few minutes later, too, and one by one so did just about everyone else. Only one other girl was left at another table, gazing down in dismay at her plate. Emma saw that her glass of milk was still mostly full, too.

      Emma started to stand, but Karen materialized instantly.

      “I’m sorry, Emma, but you’re not excused until you’ve finished.”

      Bubbling with resentment, Emma said, “I was just going to sit with that other girl.”

      “Oh, I don’t think either of you need to socialize when your food is getting cold.” Karen smiled, for all the world as if she’d just said something upbeat, like, You’re doing great. “Finish, and you’ll both have a chance to get acquainted.”

      Three hours and thirty-four minutes later, tears in her eyes, Emma cut her cold pork chop, put a bite in her mouth and grimly began to chew.

      CHAPTER FOUR

      LOGAN FELT LIKE A DAMN IDIOT, making excuses so he could have a chance to see a woman. A woman, at that, who was way out of his league. It was like being a tongue-tied teenager again, coming up with elaborate reasons for taking a round-about route so he could pass her house.

      Hesitating, then ringing her doorbell, he hunched inside his coat against the spring chill. It would serve him right if she wasn’t even home. Hell, maybe the missing teenage daughter would sulkily show him into the kitchen and sullenly show him out when he was done measuring.