Taming Mad Max by Theresa Ragan Read Free Book Online

hand on her hip. “I sent out invites for your bowling party last week and I already have your gift. What’s going on here?”
    “Grant Parker,” Lindsay answered for Molly.
    “Grant who?”
    Molly’s cheeks blossomed with color. “Grant Parker.”
    “He’s a boy,” Lindsay chimed in.
    “I sort of figured that part out,” Kari said. “And?”
    “And she’s had a crush on him since sixth grade,” Lindsay offered.
    Kari hated when Lindsay knew more about her daughter than she did.
    “He finally talked to me,” Molly added. “Once Grant found out you were working with Mad Max, he came right up to me and talked to me. Can you imagine what will happen if you can get tickets and maybe some sort of pass into the locker room?”
    Her daughter’s eyes grew twice their size as she added, “Oh, my God. If you can do this, Mom, I’ll never ask for another thing in my life.”
    “Oh puhleeze,” Kari said. “How many times have I heard that one before?”
    “I’m serious this time. I’ll never ask for another thing. Never.”
    Kari sighed. “You’re too young to be hanging out with boys.”
    “That’s why we need four tickets. You and Lindsay will be there to chaperone.”
    “I’ll see what I can do,” she said, figuring one little football game wouldn’t hurt as long as Max and Molly didn’t meet. “I’m not canceling the bowling party though. And I’m not making any promises about getting tickets. And no way are you going into the locker room.”
    “Just get Grant into the locker room. I can wait outside.”
    “I’ll escort Grant,” Lindsay told Kari as if that settled things. “You can wait outside with Molly.”
    “Oh, gee, thanks.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    “I’ll talk to Max, but don’t get your hopes up.”
    “That’s all we’re asking,” Lindsay said.
    Kari turned to Lindsay. “Whose birthday is this...Molly’s or yours?”
    Lindsay raised her hands. “Excuse me for trying to help.”
    The twins ran back into the room.
    An evil grin crooked Molly’s mouth. “It’s tickle time,” she told the twins. Then she cracked her twelve-year-old knuckles for good measure, making the four-year-old boys squeal with delight before they took off in the other direction.
    Molly ran after them.
    “You can’t take Molly away from me,” Lindsay complained the moment Molly disappeared around the corner.
    “Don’t start. You know I feel guilty enough as it is.”
    “Who will I whine to every night if you move? It’ll be so quiet without you two here.”
    Kari sat on the edge of the worn leather couch, pulled off her shoe and rubbed her heal. “Well maybe it’s time you found someone to settle down with so you can raise your own kids along with everyone else’s.”
    “I’m already on it.”
    Kari dropped her foot to the floor. “You met someone?”
    “Yep. His name is Donor.”
    “Really?”
    Lindsay laughed. “Of course, not. Nobody would name their son, Donor. I went to a sperm bank.”
    “A sperm bank?” Kari fell back into the couch. “I have a headache. Could you speak English?”
    “Now that you and Molly have decided to abandon ship, I’ve decided it’s time I have a baby of my own.”
    “Ridiculous,” Kari said. “You can’t just suddenly decide to walk into a sperm bank and have a baby. That’s crazy talk.”
    “I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. And don’t tell me I have to wait until Mr. Right comes along, because it’s never going to happen.”
    “Don’t say that.”
    “It’s true. Men are...you know...men. They think they know everything and they’re bossy. Even if I met someone it would never work.”
    “Not all men are like your father,” Kari reminded her.
    “They might as well be. Frogs and snails and puppy dog tails,” Lindsay said with an exaggerated shiver.
    “That’s what little boys are made of, not men.”
    “Most men are little boys. They never grow up. I’m not going to waste any more precious time waiting for