Operation: Normal by Linda V. Palmer Read Free Book Online Page A

thing?"
    "Definitely. When is this agency sending another nanny?"
    That was the part I'd left out.
    "They're not," I reluctantly answered, adding that I was perfectly capable of taking care
of Kayly for a couple of weeks. I don't think he believed me. In fact, he looked like he might
argue. I hurriedly moved on. "Ready for item two?"
    He hesitated, then nodded.
    "We need to buy a house in the suburbs. If Kayly lived in a real neighborhood, she could
ride her bike and make friends that she'd keep forever."
    He nodded again. "I grew up in a suburb. I made friends."
    "Exactly. Item three: Kayly needs a bedroom of her own."
    "Where does she sleep now?"
    "In Mom's room. Trust me when I say she'll want her own space very soon."
    He grinned. "Go on."
    "Item four: beef. If Mom wants to be a vegan, then fine, she can be one. I, on the other
hand, do not want to be a vegan, and would appreciate an occasional hot wing, pork chop or a
hamburger."
    "I hear you. And speaking of food... Is she hungry or something?" He had his eye on
Kayly.
    I saw that she was gnawing his fingers.
    Oops. "Probably just teething, but I'll get her a snack. Do you want something to eat or
drink?"
    "I could use a drink," he answered in a tone that made us both laugh and lightened the
mood a lot.
    I got up and walked to the kitchen; Zach followed with Kayly on his hip. In the cabinet,
I found some peaches, which I opened. I heard Zach turn on the faucet. Glancing at him, I saw
he'd wet a paper towel and assumed that Kayly must be drooling. But instead of using it on her,
he walked over and touched it to my cheek.
    "You're melting."
    Thoroughly embarrassed, I set the peaches aside and headed to the nearest mirror,
mounted on a wall in the laundry room just off the kitchen. Crap! I quickly wiped my
black streaked face clean. Only waterproof mascara for me from now on, I decided, since I'd
apparently turned into a crybaby overnight.
    When I stepped back into the kitchen, I found Zach putting Kayly into her high chair.
He sat on one of the nearby bar stools and began to feed her with a baby spoon he must've dug
out of the utensil drawer.
    I sat on the other stool, propped my elbows on the bar, and watched, trying to hide my
smile. Kayly seemed hypnotized by Zach's eyes, and she liked his hair, too, tangling her fingers
in the layered strands more than once so she could give them a good tug. Zach just grinned and
let her do it.
    Lucky girl. I realized what a strong male influence he could be in her life and wished I
could hug him for his willingness to be there. Somehow we'd make this work, I thought.
    Feeling a little embarrassed about the whole list thing, I abruptly decided to change the
subject and find out a little more about Zach. I started with some of the questions I already knew
the answer to: Are you a university student? What year? That kind of stuff. Minka's sister proved
right. He told me his age, twenty-one; that he'd been living in the apartment since July of last
year; and that his roommate's name was Chase Winchell.
    Zach, in turn, asked some questions of his own, but not about me. He asked more
questions about Mom and her work, then about my dad. I confessed that we didn't have a
relationship, but little else. I didn't want him to think any worse of my mom than he already
did.
    When Kayly finished her snack, Zach got up and tossed the empty container in the trash
and the spoon in the sink.
    "You never got your drink," I said. "Help yourself to something in the fridge." Suddenly
remembering his age, I added, "There may even be a cold beer in there." Mom didn't drink, but
kept beer around for her friends.
    He turned, opened the stainless steel refrigerator, and chose a soda. Just as he popped
the top, he tensed. I followed his gaze to the piece of paper I'd earlier stuck to the door with
magnets. He frowned, set down his Coke, and got the letter so he could look closer at it.
    "What's this?"
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Chapter Six
The Cop
    "Something that came in the mail