along every nerve in Meredith’s body. Did he know her this time? Had she struck some chord in his memory? He stared at her as though she were a mirage he couldn’t quite believe in.
Then he visibly shook himself out of the hypnotic fixation and touched Kimberly on the shoulder. His mouth formed words Meredith couldn’t hear. The effect on the girl was instant. She swung around, her vibrant face lit with eager anticipation, her eyes swiftly scanning faces, her body tense with excitement.
The tug on Meredith’s heart was so strong, her feet started forward, walking fast, faster, the need to close the distance between them urgent. She wanted to sing out, “I’m here!” She wanted to sweep her child up and hug her in an ecstasy of loving, in a wild celebration of both of them being alive, being able to touch and feel and know that their coming together was real.
Nick Hamilton’s hand lifted, pointing direction. Perhaps he said more. Kimberly’s gaze zeroed in on Meredith and stuck, her eyes rounding in stunned surprise, her mouth falling open. She didn’t move. It was Nick Hamilton who moved, stepping out as though in warning to Meredith to hold back a little, approach more slowly.
The impulses surging through her wavered as caution caught at them. Sober reason clicked into her mind driving back the wild rush of emotion, insisting that too much too soon was not a wise course in these circumstances. She was a stranger to her child, a stranger who had to win her trust and love.
Tears blurred her eyes as she struggled to contain the tumult of feeling. A smile, she thought. At least she could show her love in a smile. Her legs obeyed her command to come to a halt beside the man who had initiated this meeting and she gave her daughter the brightest smile she could dredge up, knowing it wobbled but trying her utmost to hold it and inject it with all the warmth of a welcome that had been waiting so terribly long.
“Kimberly...this is your mother...Meredith Palmer,” came the gentle introduction from Nick Hamilton.
Kimberly closed her mouth and swallowed hard. Her eyes clung to Meredith’s face.
“I’m so very happy to meet you, Kimberly,” Meredith managed huskily.
“You’re beautiful,” came the awed whisper.
“You are, too,” was the only answer that came to mind. It was true. The combination of her green eyes with Nick’s black hair was stunning. She’d inherited their best features in a pleasing amalgamation that was uniquely her own.
“You could say hello, Kimberly,” Nick prompted in a kindly, indulgent tone.
She flushed, quickly offering her hand for Meredith to clasp. “Hello,” she echoed. “I’m really glad you came. I’m sorry I got so dumb. Uncle Nick said you were pretty, but you could be a model. Honest!”
The awkward, eager words tumbled out artlessly. Meredith’s smile threatened to wobble again as she curled her hand around the smaller one of her daughter’s, such soft young skin, warm flesh and blood, solid and real. Her mind swirled around the heady sensation of touch. It was hard to drive it into making conversation.
“Not a day has gone by that I haven’t thought of you, wondering where you were and how you were doing,” she said softly. “It always helped that I knew you had good parents, Kimberly, and I’m sorry you lost them.” She couldn’t resist squeezing the small hand as she added, “I wish I could have been there for you then.”
“It’s okay,” came the shy reply. “I had Uncle Nick. He’s pretty good really.”
“That could be the best compliment I’ve had for some time,” Nick drawled in a teasing lilt. “Maybe I should get it in writing. Will you witness it, Miss Palmer?”
It lightened the emotion-charged atmosphere and served as a warning for Meredith to ease off.
“Oh, come on, Uncle Nick!” Kimberly rolled her eyes at him. “I only say you’re a stodge when you’re being a stick-in-the-mud.” She withdrew her hand to gesture a
Then he visibly shook himself out of the hypnotic fixation and touched Kimberly on the shoulder. His mouth formed words Meredith couldn’t hear. The effect on the girl was instant. She swung around, her vibrant face lit with eager anticipation, her eyes swiftly scanning faces, her body tense with excitement.
The tug on Meredith’s heart was so strong, her feet started forward, walking fast, faster, the need to close the distance between them urgent. She wanted to sing out, “I’m here!” She wanted to sweep her child up and hug her in an ecstasy of loving, in a wild celebration of both of them being alive, being able to touch and feel and know that their coming together was real.
Nick Hamilton’s hand lifted, pointing direction. Perhaps he said more. Kimberly’s gaze zeroed in on Meredith and stuck, her eyes rounding in stunned surprise, her mouth falling open. She didn’t move. It was Nick Hamilton who moved, stepping out as though in warning to Meredith to hold back a little, approach more slowly.
The impulses surging through her wavered as caution caught at them. Sober reason clicked into her mind driving back the wild rush of emotion, insisting that too much too soon was not a wise course in these circumstances. She was a stranger to her child, a stranger who had to win her trust and love.
Tears blurred her eyes as she struggled to contain the tumult of feeling. A smile, she thought. At least she could show her love in a smile. Her legs obeyed her command to come to a halt beside the man who had initiated this meeting and she gave her daughter the brightest smile she could dredge up, knowing it wobbled but trying her utmost to hold it and inject it with all the warmth of a welcome that had been waiting so terribly long.
“Kimberly...this is your mother...Meredith Palmer,” came the gentle introduction from Nick Hamilton.
Kimberly closed her mouth and swallowed hard. Her eyes clung to Meredith’s face.
“I’m so very happy to meet you, Kimberly,” Meredith managed huskily.
“You’re beautiful,” came the awed whisper.
“You are, too,” was the only answer that came to mind. It was true. The combination of her green eyes with Nick’s black hair was stunning. She’d inherited their best features in a pleasing amalgamation that was uniquely her own.
“You could say hello, Kimberly,” Nick prompted in a kindly, indulgent tone.
She flushed, quickly offering her hand for Meredith to clasp. “Hello,” she echoed. “I’m really glad you came. I’m sorry I got so dumb. Uncle Nick said you were pretty, but you could be a model. Honest!”
The awkward, eager words tumbled out artlessly. Meredith’s smile threatened to wobble again as she curled her hand around the smaller one of her daughter’s, such soft young skin, warm flesh and blood, solid and real. Her mind swirled around the heady sensation of touch. It was hard to drive it into making conversation.
“Not a day has gone by that I haven’t thought of you, wondering where you were and how you were doing,” she said softly. “It always helped that I knew you had good parents, Kimberly, and I’m sorry you lost them.” She couldn’t resist squeezing the small hand as she added, “I wish I could have been there for you then.”
“It’s okay,” came the shy reply. “I had Uncle Nick. He’s pretty good really.”
“That could be the best compliment I’ve had for some time,” Nick drawled in a teasing lilt. “Maybe I should get it in writing. Will you witness it, Miss Palmer?”
It lightened the emotion-charged atmosphere and served as a warning for Meredith to ease off.
“Oh, come on, Uncle Nick!” Kimberly rolled her eyes at him. “I only say you’re a stodge when you’re being a stick-in-the-mud.” She withdrew her hand to gesture a
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