The Family Plan by Gina Wilkins Read Free Book Online

couldn’t get over how lovely she was. Maybe Nathan was right. Maybe his family would be too captivated by the child to hold her parentage against her. Maybe.
    Nathan held out his hand to Isabelle. “C’mon, poppet, let’s leave Miss Caitlin to her call. I’ll show you my office.”
    Lifting the receiver to her ear and pushing the button for line two, Caitlin spoke absently into the mouthpiece, but her attention was focused on the twosome leaving her office. Stunned was hardly the word to describe her feelings at the thought of Nathan bringing a child home as casually as he would have adopted a puppy.
    She couldn’t even imagine his family’s reaction to the development.
     
    Okay, so he had been a little conniving.
    Nathan knew very well that Caitlin had never intended to come home with him that evening, but when she had asked, as they were leaving the office, if there was anything she could do to help him out, he’d jumped on the offer so quickly and so fervently that she’d had no chance to back out.
    He had assured her that he just needed a little help getting Isabelle set up in his home and had promised he wouldn’t keep Caitlin long. Almost before she’d realized what she had agreed to, they were in their cars, Caitlin following as Nathan drove home.
    He glanced in the rearview mirror to check on Isabelle, who was belted into a toddler seat behind him on what passed for a back seat in his small car. He’d brought the toddler seat from California; decorated with Sesame Street characters, it was the one she’d used in Barbara Houston’s car. Nathan thought it was important for Isabelle to have as many familiar things around her as possible to make the transition easier, though she seemed to be adapting to the changes very well thus far.
    “You doing okay back there?”
    She had been looking out the side window, watching the passing scenery with the avid curiosity that was so characteristic of his baby sister. Their eyes met in the rearview mirror and she smiled. “I’m okay.”
    “Are you hungry?”
    “A little.”
    He made a quick mental inventory of his pantry and refrigerator and winced. He didn’t have milk. No bread, either. Or peanut butter or fresh fruit or veggies or anything else a growing child needed. Maybe he could call for pizza or something tonight, but that would hardly work for breakfast tomorrow.
    Making an impulsive decision, he switched on his turn signal and drove into the parking lot of a shopping center. Noting that Caitlin was still behind him, he parked in front of the supermarket at one end of the center. Caitlin parked beside him.
    “I’m really glad you’re helping me this evening,” he said as soon as they were both out of their cars. “Grocery shopping isn’t one of my talents, I’m afraid, and I’m out of everything. You can help me choose the things I’ll need to keep on hand for Isabelle.”
    Still looking a bit confused about how she had become his assistant for the evening, Caitlin wrinkled her nose. “You’re looking at someone who eats take-out for nearly every meal. My usual purchases are coffee, bagels and ice cream.”
    “I like ice cream,” Isabelle commented, catching the end of Caitlin’s comment as she climbed out of Nathan’s car with his assistance.
    “And I like ice cream, but we have to buy some healthy food, too.” Nathan took her hand. “Surely between the three of us we can gather the stuff to put together some healthy meals.”

    “I’ll help you,” Isabelle offered. “I went to the grocery store all the time with Aunt Barb.”
    Nathan smiled at Caitlin over the child’s head. “Sounds like we’ve got a shopping expert here to help us out.”
    Caitlin fell into step beside them. “I’m sure we can use all the help we can get.”
    Rows of silver metal shopping carts waited just inside the supermarket doorway. Nathan lifted Isabelle into one of the plastic seats, then grasped the handle and guided the cart toward the first