"Roberts, Nora - Stanislaski 05 - Waiting For Nick" - читать интересную книгу автора (Roberts Nora)

makes this crashing-glass sound when you bop something with it?"

"Seen it?" His grin was quick and crooked. "She bops me with it
regularly. It's something, having a judge in the family." His eyes
twinkled. "And she looks fabulous in those black robes."

"I bet. How about the kids?"

"The terrible trio? They're great. Want a soda?"

Amused, Freddie tilted her head. "What, are you going to card me, Zack?
I'm twenty-four, remember?"

Rubbing his chin, he studied her. The small build and china-doll skin
would probably always be deceiving. If he hadn't known her age, as well
as the age of his own children, he would have asked for ID.

"I just can't take it in. Little Freddie, all grown up."

"Since I am--" she crossed her legs and settled in "--why don't you pour
me a white wine?"

"Coming up." Long experience had him reaching behind him for the proper
glass without looking. "How're your folks, the kids?"

"Everybody's good, and everyone sends their love." She took the glass
Zack handed her and lifted it in a toast. "To family."

Zack tapped a squat bottle of mineral water against her glass. "So what
are your plans, honey?"

"Oh, I've got a few of them." She smiled into her wine before she
sipped. And wondered what he would think if she mentioned that the
biggest plan of her life was to woo his younger brother. "The first is
to find an apartment."

"You know you can stay with us as long as you want."

"I know. Or with Grandma and Papa, or Mikhail and Sydney, or Alex and
Bess." She smiled again. It was a comfort to know she was surrounded by
people who loved her. ButтАж "I really want a place of my own." She
propped her elbow on the bar. "It's time, I think, for a little
adventure." When he started to speak, she grinned and shook her head at
him. "You're not going to lecture, are you, Uncle Zack? Not you, the boy
who went to sea."

She had him there, he thought. He'd been a great deal younger than
twenty-four when he shipped out for the first time. "Okay, no lecture.
But I'm keeping my eye on you."