The Secret Wife by Susan Mallery Read Free Book Online Page B

didn’t know what he’d done to deserve Millie in his life at the orphanage, but he was grateful.
    “The Bayers often make a large donation about this time of year,” Millie said.
    “Agreed, but they always check with me first to see what we need. I was hoping they would buy the stove.”
    “Audrey Johnston?”
    He shook his head. “She’s going to have the buildings painted in the spring. We’ve already talked about it.”
    “Are anonymous donations that unusual?” Elissa asked.
    “They are when they’re this size,” he answered. “It’s one thing to get twenty dollars in an envelope, it’s another for someone to spend several thousand dollars.” He looked at the custom jungle gym taking shape on the green lawn.
    “Millie, look!” Tiffany called. She pulled open a large box filled with baseball gloves. “Let’s play.”
    “Okay.” Millie put her arm around Elissa’s shoulder. “I generally umpire behind home plate. How do you feel about taking first base?”
    Elissa glanced down at her cotton dress. The feminine-style cap sleeves that left her arms bare and a bias-cut skirt that floated around her calves hinted at the curves below. At least she wore flat shoes instead of heels.
    “I’ve never been an umpire,” she said. “But I’m willing to try.”
    “It’s not hard,” Millie said. “Just check to see who makes the base first. The ball or the runner.”
    She called the children over and they quickly chose teams. Cole refused to be a captain. “I’ll umpire if you want to pitch,” he told Millie.
    She shook her head. “I had a manicure yesterday. I’m not going to mess it up. We’re having company for dinner.” She fluttered her fingers at him. “Why don’t you pitch?”
    “Fine.” Cole started for the center of the impromptu bases being set up around the lawn.
    “Are you mad?” Elissa asked, trailing after him.
    “About the donation?” He shook his head. “The kids love it. I wouldn’t have thought about putting sports equipment on our yearly wish list, but it was a great idea.”
    “I’m glad.”
    He swung toward her, his gaze narrowing. “Why? You wouldn’t happen to know anything about this, would you?”
    She smiled. “Right. That’s why I’ve been working in a hospital all these years. I have a secret fortune stashed away and finally decided to spend it on the orphanage.”
    Her gaze never wavered. He wanted to accuse her of several things, but none of them had anything to do with the unexpected donation. She was right. If there had been money from the series, the triplets wouldn’t have had to work while attending college.
    “Cole!”
    He turned, and Millie tossed him the ball. He waited for the teams to decide who would be up to bat first.
    “You used to play softball in New York,” Elissa said, studying him. “I’d forgotten.”
    “Just a pickup game on the weekend,” he said. “With some guys from the firm. I played more in college. There were several intramural teams.”
    “I’m sure that was fun. I was never much for sports. I think the hospital has a bowling team and touch football, but I didn’t go.”
    “What about when you returned to college?”
    Her green eyes darkened. “I didn’t.”
    “Play sports?” he asked, even though he knew the real answer to the question.
    “I never went back to school.”
    She made the statement almost defiantly. Cole turned away and watched the children still trying to decide who had to take to the outfield first.
    “I thought you would know that,” she said quietly. “After all, you knew where I worked.”
    “I didn’t keep track of you that closely. I had a general idea about your life. That’s all.”
    “I see.”
    There was a time when he’d known what she was thinking just by the inflection of her tone and the pauses between words. No longer. She’d become a stranger with whom he shared nothing but a past.
    “I’ve been thinking about going back,” she continued. “I would like to get