A Family Come True by Kris Fletcher Read Free Book Online

looking forward to refiguring everything now that he’s back. But Cady is the best part of my life. No matter how much I curse my own stupidity, I have absolutely no regrets.”
    He nodded and rocked back in his chair, but didn’t look as though he believed her.
    “What?” She snagged another chip. “You’re trying to say something but you don’t know how. I can tell.”
    “Jeez, Maguire, can’t I hide anything from you?”
    Ah, that was more like it. Teasing, complaining, fake indignation—everything she usually associated with Ian. That post-kiss lust—okay, that had been interesting, but she wasn’t going to let it ruin their easygoing swing.
    “Don’t tell me you were serious about me going to Comeback Cove with you?”
    She hadn’t thought it was possible for him to turn any redder. She was wrong.
    “Here’s what I’m thinking,” he said, setting his beer on the table. “One, we—I—led Xander to believe we’re a couple. So if I go without you it might look strange.”
    “Because people who are together never do anything separately. Right.”
    “To paraphrase Indiana Jones, I’m making this up as I go, okay?”
    Boom! She had a sudden image of Ian in a leather jacket and fedora, a whip in his hand and a smile that could melt a thousand Arks on his lips.
    Looked as if she was going to have to come up with an alternate plan for the evening.
    “If you come with me it would give you time to figure out what happens next. Maybe talk to a lawyer. Have you done that yet?”
    “No. I should have, I know, but when he vanished off the face of the earth, it kind of slid down the priority list.”
    He nodded. “You need legal advice, and we need to decide what to do when Xander shows up expecting to see us as a couple. Since I was already planning to go home—”
    “Not until Thursday.”
    He shrugged. “So I’ll go a day early. My mother will be ecstatic. At the time, saying that you were coming along seemed like the best solution.”
    “Hmm.” It seemed pretty caveman to her, but, she had to admit, it was nice to know he’d been trying to help.
    “Besides,” he added so casually that her skin prickled in warning, “your grandmother is there, and she would love to see Cady.”
    She’d always known that renting to the grandson of her grandmother’s best friend would come back to bite her someday.
    “Did Nonny pay Moxie to make you say that?”
    “Get real, Darce. You could use some time. I’m going to Comeback Cove anyway. And Helene would give her eyeteeth to have you and Cady under her roof for a few nights.”
    Did he have to sound so reasonable? Getting pissed off at him would be so much more satisfying than understanding him.
    Except he had a point.
    She dipped a chip into the salsa, focused on creating the perfect blend of tomato, onion and peppers. It took a lot of effort.
    “You gonna eat that or hang it in an art gallery?”
    She glared. “Don’t interrupt my stalling tactic to discuss your stalling tactic.”
    His laugh, low and reassuring, was like having someone pour warm water over her—soothing and welcome and oh so comforting.
    “I know your intentions are good.” She swirled the chip through the salsa again. “But going to Comeback Cove? That seems extreme.”
    “What’s so extreme about it? One phone call, a few hours packing, a few more to drive, and there ya go. Instant breathing space. You have time to sort things through, and when we come back, you’ll be ready to do...whatever you decide is right. But you won’t be making it up as you go anymore.”
    He had a point. Again.
    “I don’t want to upset Cady’s schedule. She’s already wonked with this tooth. I think she needs to stick to familiar places and faces right now.”
    “Good point. But you know sometimes a distraction is all she needs to get herself back on track.”
    Must he always be right?
    “What about work? You’re not off tomorrow, and I’m swamped.”
    “Everyone’s out of my office