and down his sweaty neck. That woman wasn’t good at hiding her expressions, and he could read her well. But did he have the charm with women he used to have? And could Shane make Katelyn Palmer confess the truth?
He was certainly up for the challenge.
Chapter Five
Shane didn’t know how Tori found out about the new preschool he had arranged for the children, but she met him and his kids there on their first day. His parents must have said something to her.
He forced himself to smile for Cori and Casey’s sake as he walked alongside Tori to the front door of the school. Tori had gone all out trying to make herself pretty. Heavy caked-on make-up and a wild style hairdo that made her blonde hair look as if she’d been in a windstorm walking backwards.
In his younger days, he’d thought Tori was the prettiest woman around. Once he’d met Amber, his focus moved. She did resemble Tori with an hourglass figure and bleached-blonde hair, but that was where the differences between the two women stopped. Their personalities were like night and day. Tori had always had her nose in the air, flaunting her wealth, while Amber took the time to get to know Shane, even though he was poor.
Now he thanked his lucky stars for putting Amber in his way so he didn’t have feelings—other than intense disgust —for Tori. She was as cold-hearted as they came.
Unfortunately, the longer he’d been married to Amber, the more she’d begun acting like her sister. Once his company started making money, his wife’s tastes turned expensive. She had to have everything her sister did or more. Soon, Amber and Tori were inseparable, and Amber’s neglect hurt him deeply. She’d come home late after being with Tori, smelling like alcohol and men’s cologne. After a few months of this, Shane confronted her, and she admitted to visiting clubs with her sister.
He’d been working long hours and so decided to devote more time to his wife, but by then it was too late. She was already enjoying her new life in the fast lane.
Was it any wonder Shane blamed Tori for ruining his marriage? He would have liked to blame his ex-wife’s death on her sister, too, but Amber was in another man’s car—both drunk—when they were hit head-on by a diesel truck, killing both.
Pulling his thoughts from the past, Shane concentrated on meeting the new teacher at the school he had chosen. By the upturned nose and judgmental arched eyebrow on Tori’s face, Shane could tell she didn’t approve. Tori would never be totally satisfied, mainly because she hadn’t picked out the school herself.
The teacher of this school was younger than Mrs. White by at least twenty years. In her early to mid-thirties, Stacey Hanley seemed like a very sweet and patient woman. Her kind eyes and tender words lured his poor, lost children into her classroom, and within minutes, Cori and Casey acted as if they belonged there.
The other children at the center responded to his kids, and accepted them wholeheartedly. As he watched his twins interact with the others, an inner peace settled in his chest. Genuine smiles spread across their enthusiastic faces, especially little Cori’s.
He’d definitely made the right choice.
Before he left, Tori knelt beside the children and gave them a hug, letting them kiss her cheek, but neglecting to kiss them in return because she didn’t want to smudge her inch-thick layer of lipstick.
“Tell Auntie Tori you love her,” she urged, and they chimed together their reply. “And remember—” Tori continued in her sick, sorrowful tone— “nobody loves you more than I.”
“Except Daddy,” he chimed with a smile and a wink. Shane held back his anger with Tori. She probably told his children that she loved them more than their daddy did. That could explain Cori’s resistance to express her love.
Shane waited until he and Tori had left the daycare and reached his truck before he stopped and glared at her. “What was that all
He was certainly up for the challenge.
Chapter Five
Shane didn’t know how Tori found out about the new preschool he had arranged for the children, but she met him and his kids there on their first day. His parents must have said something to her.
He forced himself to smile for Cori and Casey’s sake as he walked alongside Tori to the front door of the school. Tori had gone all out trying to make herself pretty. Heavy caked-on make-up and a wild style hairdo that made her blonde hair look as if she’d been in a windstorm walking backwards.
In his younger days, he’d thought Tori was the prettiest woman around. Once he’d met Amber, his focus moved. She did resemble Tori with an hourglass figure and bleached-blonde hair, but that was where the differences between the two women stopped. Their personalities were like night and day. Tori had always had her nose in the air, flaunting her wealth, while Amber took the time to get to know Shane, even though he was poor.
Now he thanked his lucky stars for putting Amber in his way so he didn’t have feelings—other than intense disgust —for Tori. She was as cold-hearted as they came.
Unfortunately, the longer he’d been married to Amber, the more she’d begun acting like her sister. Once his company started making money, his wife’s tastes turned expensive. She had to have everything her sister did or more. Soon, Amber and Tori were inseparable, and Amber’s neglect hurt him deeply. She’d come home late after being with Tori, smelling like alcohol and men’s cologne. After a few months of this, Shane confronted her, and she admitted to visiting clubs with her sister.
He’d been working long hours and so decided to devote more time to his wife, but by then it was too late. She was already enjoying her new life in the fast lane.
Was it any wonder Shane blamed Tori for ruining his marriage? He would have liked to blame his ex-wife’s death on her sister, too, but Amber was in another man’s car—both drunk—when they were hit head-on by a diesel truck, killing both.
Pulling his thoughts from the past, Shane concentrated on meeting the new teacher at the school he had chosen. By the upturned nose and judgmental arched eyebrow on Tori’s face, Shane could tell she didn’t approve. Tori would never be totally satisfied, mainly because she hadn’t picked out the school herself.
The teacher of this school was younger than Mrs. White by at least twenty years. In her early to mid-thirties, Stacey Hanley seemed like a very sweet and patient woman. Her kind eyes and tender words lured his poor, lost children into her classroom, and within minutes, Cori and Casey acted as if they belonged there.
The other children at the center responded to his kids, and accepted them wholeheartedly. As he watched his twins interact with the others, an inner peace settled in his chest. Genuine smiles spread across their enthusiastic faces, especially little Cori’s.
He’d definitely made the right choice.
Before he left, Tori knelt beside the children and gave them a hug, letting them kiss her cheek, but neglecting to kiss them in return because she didn’t want to smudge her inch-thick layer of lipstick.
“Tell Auntie Tori you love her,” she urged, and they chimed together their reply. “And remember—” Tori continued in her sick, sorrowful tone— “nobody loves you more than I.”
“Except Daddy,” he chimed with a smile and a wink. Shane held back his anger with Tori. She probably told his children that she loved them more than their daddy did. That could explain Cori’s resistance to express her love.
Shane waited until he and Tori had left the daycare and reached his truck before he stopped and glared at her. “What was that all
Similar Books
