Soul Mates Kiss by Sandra Ross

Chapter One
    "WILL YOU BE at home for dinner tonight, Lola?"
Davis asked his daughter over breakfast.
    Lola was looking over the morning newspaper as
she ate her pink grapefruit and bagel with cream cheese. She and
her father generally made it a habit to eat breakfast together as
often as possible, considering their busy schedules and their
workaholic lives.
    Glancing up at him, she saw a very attractive
man, even though he had crossed over into his fifties. Coupled with
his innate grace, he looked very handsome. She did not get her
looks from him, but she suspected she was more in character with
him than her mother. She liked to think she would age as solid and
as strong as her father in time.
    Smiling, she shook her head. "I'm afraid not,
Dad," she said. "I've got a business dinner tonight and I'm not
sure how late it will run." Since taking over as senior editor of
the publishing company she worked for, her schedule had become
crammed quite often.
    She was meeting a new writer tonight, someone
her publisher had been trying to convince to come on board her
company for a long time now. This wasn't something she would
normally do. But this writer had specifically asked for her. It
puzzled her a little, but she did not really mind, since it was a
work-related errand.
    "They're really keeping you busy lately," her
father observed as he ate his omelet. He was acting casually but
she could see worry on his face. "You know you don't have to work,
Lola. Your trust fund is there any time you need to use it."
    "I know, Dad," she replied with a sigh. "But I
enjoy what I do. It's not like work at all. Work is something I do
because I have to. This is what I like doing regardless."
    "Well, I guess that just runs in the genes," he
reluctantly replied.
    They both laughed. Davis also enjoyed his work.
He was very dedicated to running his high profile law firm, even
though he never needed to work another day in his life.
    He was disappointed when she did not study law.
He had been looking forward to welcoming her into his law firm and
eventually making her a partner. But legal stuff bored Lola to
death and she knew she did not have the motivation to make it
through law school.
    Eventually, her father accepted her decision and
supported her career in the publishing business. It was only out of
respect for his daughter's principles that he was not financing a
publishing house for her. He knew she would eventually gravitate
towards that in the future, and he would, of course,
enthusiastically support her on that, too.
    "Have you heard from your mother lately?" Davis
asked in a carefully casual tone.
    "Not for a little while," Lola answered, trying
to hide a smile. "Why do you ask?"
    "Well, your birthday is coming up soon. I just
thought Sable would call you. She usually likes to spend your
birthday with you."
    That was true. Her mother would spend a part of
the day with her, while her Dad would treat her to an expensive
dinner or a memorable evening in a concert, a ballet, or theater
play. When she was young it was the cinema, complete with hot
popcorn with honey and the only occasional soda. But now it was
usually the theater. "I haven't heard from her yet, but she'll
probably call in a day or so."
    "That's fine, sweetheart," Davis said. "Just let
me know what your plans are. You know I want to spend some time
with my daughter on her birthday, too."
    He gave her a smile and was rewarded with a grin
in return-a mischievous one at that, and it made him color a
little.
    He sighed.
    Davis was floored when thirteen-year-old Lola
chose to live with him after he and Sable separated. It was not
that she did not like being with her mother. Lola loved Sable and
had a very strong bond with her. But when the time came for her to
decide whom she would live with, she spoke very intensely about her
wish to live with her father. Sable was hurt but after a private
talk with her daughter, she gave in graciously. How could she not,
when she was given her freedom