Daddy Next Door by Judy Christenberry Read Free Book Online Page B

you, Grace?”
    “I’m f-fine, I guess. I can’t seem to find my way home, though. Are you taking care of my apartment?”
    “Your nephew is living in it, remember?”
    “My nephew?”
    “Me, Aunt Grace,” Nick hurriedly said. He could see the suspicion come back into Jennifer’s eyes.
    “Oh, yes, Jennifer. I told Nick he could live there until the lease ran out. Is that okay?”
    “Of course it is, Grace. That will be fine.”
    “And, Nicky, I want you to take good care of Jennifer. She’s all by herself, you know. That was my job, but now I live here.”
    “I’ll take care of her, Aunt Grace, I promise.” He couldn’t stop himself from grinning at Jennifer, knowing he’d see resentment on her face. But he was wrong. He saw tears in her eyes.
    Grace turned back to watch the television and he kissed her goodbye, telling her he would come visit again soon.
    Jennifer bent to kiss Grace goodbye, too. Then they went back to his car.
    Once they were on their way, he looked at Jennifer. “Why did you tear up when Grace asked me to take care of you?”
    “My grandmother asked Grace to take care of me. I miss her.”
    “How long ago did she die?”
    “Two years ago.”
    “That’s about when my mother died.”
    “But you have sisters.”
    “Yeah, when I see them. One is still in Lubbock, where I was living, one is in Fort Worth, recently married, and one is in New York City.”
    “New York City? Why?”
    “She always had visions of conquering the world, and to her the Big Apple is the world.”
    “How’s she doing?”
    “Pretty well, the last I heard.”
    “But at least you have family,” she said sadly.
    “Wait a minute. Didn’t I meet your mother yesterday?”
    “She doesn’t count.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because she married my dad for his money. She had breeding, but he had cash. He basically bought her.”
    “And your dad?”
    They divorced. He remarried and had one son. Then he died.”
    “So you have a half brother?”
    “Technically, but the only time I’ve seen him was at Dad’s funeral. I tried to contact my dad before his death, but he told me that his family had nothing to do with me and my mother.”
    Nick frowned. “That was rather harsh.”
    “It was to me, but he didn’t seem to think so.”
    Nick couldn’t stop himself from reaching out to take her hand in a comforting gesture. When she didn’t pull away, he ran his thumb over the top of her hand like a caress. He had to admit, he liked touching Jennifer. Maybe too much.
    Apparently so, because she squirmed and turned to look out her window. He put his hand back on the wheel. He needed it to turn, he told himself.
    After that, silence loomed, until Jennifer said in a small voice, “Alzheimer’s is a horrible disease. I can’t believe I didn’t see the signs in Grace.”
    “It’s in the early stages. For now she’ll be able to stay in assisted living, but there may come a time—”
    “I know.” She shook her head. “She always seemed okay to me. Sure there were times she forgot things, but—” she laughed “—don’t we all? Heck, I forgot my own daughter in the hallway!”
    Nick laughed with her and it helped ease the tension. “They’re doing remarkable things with medication today. Who knows, maybe Aunt Grace will be one of the lucky ones. Till then, I’ll visit her and call her and, if I need to, remind her who I am.”
    She turned to look at him; he felt her eyes on him and met her gaze. “You’re a good man, Nick. I’m sorry I doubted you.”
    He held her gaze way too long for safety’s sake. But he couldn’t help himself. Those big blue eyes invited him in, like sirens on the sea, and in them he saw the depth that was Jennifer. The emotion, the character.Jennifer Carpenter was a complex, feeling woman—and he wanted to take days, months to get to know her every nuance.
    He had to settle for a few minutes, because they arrived at the fourplex.
    “Back at the ranch,” he joked. Then he sobered.