"TXT - Nora Roberts - Dream 02 - Holding The Dream" - читать интересную книгу автора (Roberts Nora)

on the walls and the simple vertical blinds fit her style. Because she
understood her aunt's need to pamper, she'd chosen a pretty,
scroll-sided settee in deep green. On rare occasions she actually
stretched out on it to read for pleasure.

Otherwise, the room was functional, as she preferred.

The knock on her door interrupted her just as she was burying her nose
in her books again. Her answer was a distracted grunt.

"Kate." Susan Templeton, elegant in a cashmere twin set, entered, her
hands on her hips. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Nearly finished," Kate mumbled. She caught the scent of her aunt's
perfume as Susan crossed the room. "Midterm. Math. Tomorrow."

"As if you weren't already prepared." Susan sat on the edge of the
tidily made bed and surveyed Kate. Those huge and oddly exotic brown
eyes were focused behind heavy framed reading glasses. Hair, sleek and
dark, was tugged back into a stubby ponytail. The girl cut it shorter
every year, Susan thought with a sigh. Plain gray sweats bagged over a
long, thin frame down to the bare feet. As Susan watched, Kate pursed
her wide mouth into something between a pout and a frown. The expression
dug a thinking line between her eyebrows.

"In case you haven't noticed," Susan began, "it's ten days until
Christmas."

"Umm. Midterm week. Nearly done."

"And it's six o'clock."

"Don't hold dinner. Want to finish this."

"Kate." Susan rose and snatched Kate's glasses away. "Josh is home from
college. The family's waiting for you to trim the tree."

"Oh." Blinking, Kate struggled to bring her mind back from formulas. Her
aunt was watching her owlishly, her dark blond hair curled smoothly
around her pretty face. "I'm sorry. I forgot. If I don't ace this
exam--"

"The world as we know it will come to an end. I know."

Kate grinned and rolled her shoulders to loosen them. "I guess I could
spare a couple of hours. Just this once."

"We're honored." Susan set the glasses on the desk. "Put something on
your feet, Kate."