The Switch by Heather Justesen Read Free Book Online Page A

him to ask more questions. “Thanks. I love it when people tell me I look awful.”
    “That’s not what I meant. You couldn’t look awful if you tried.”
    Despite herself, she felt her face grow warm. She’d never gone in for the smooth type before, the guys with the golden tongue. Or maybe it was more accurate to say none of them had ever taken an interest in her. Still, she couldn’t help but be intrigued by Danny. The tug of attraction she’d felt for him the first day they met increased every time they spoke.
    “Are you having a good time?” he asked Samantha, though his glance back at Tia included her.
    “Yes, it’s fun here. Do you like my butterfly?” Samantha grinned. “I got to be fingerprinted earlier.” She held up her hands, which were still a little grubby from the ink.
    “Fun. Let’s hope we never need them.” He helped her onto the back of the fire truck and explained everything there, drawing out their time together and answering Samantha’s questions with endless patience.  
    When they were done, Danny set Samantha on the floor again and turned to Tia. “I wondered if you’d be interested in coming over for dinner at my place? I have some chicken in the freezer I could pop on the grill. Doubtless you have some recipe you need to test on a guinea pig.” His lips turned up in a flirtatious smile.
    “Yeah, Mom, can we?” Samantha asked.
    “I don’t know.” Tia wanted to say yes, felt the tug of excitement at his offer, but at the same time, she hardly knew him. They’d only met a few times. “The girls will tear your place apart.”
    “I’m not worried about a little cleanup, but if you’d prefer, you can invite me to your place. I think I could find it again.” His easy grin was disarming.
    “Please, please, please, Mom!”
    “Pease, pease,” Tristi chimed in, though Tia doubted she had the first clue what Samantha wanted. She just liked to do and say the same things as her sister. And she was too darn cute to tell no.
    Tia was afraid her mother would ‘drop by’ to talk things out that evening, so though she wasn’t sure the visit was a great idea, she looked up into Danny’s eyes again and found herself nodding. “If you’re sure.”
    “I am.” He pulled out a scrap of paper from his pocket and wrote a hasty note. “My apartment’s pretty easy to find.”
    She glanced at the address and directions. She knew the area. “That’ll be fine. Five o’clock and I’ll bring dessert?”
    “Perfect.” He set a hand on Samantha’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “I’ll see you ladies then.”
    * * *
    Tia found her stomach tightening in knots as she approached Danny’s apartment building. The past few days had been a real rollercoaster and she wasn’t sure dinner with him was a wise idea. On the other hand, Mona had left several messages on Tia’s phone after being told not to call. She’d threatened to visit if she didn’t hear back soon. Tia had sent her mom a text, saying she was taking the kids somewhere for the evening and would call the next day. She hoped to discourage Mona from popping by unannounced, but doubted it worked.
    “Are we there yet?” Samantha asked as they pulled into the parking lot at Danny’s.
    “Yes, we’re here.” Tia refused to let herself second guess the decision to come to dinner, even though a hundred scenarios for how the evening could go had run through her head on the drive—all of them ending badly.
    She handed the pie to Samantha and released Tristi from her car seat, then plastered on a smile.
    Danny’s grin flashed when he opened the door. “Welcome to my small, and humble abode.” He tweaked Samantha’s hair as she walked past, “I see you brought a pie. What kind?”
    “Apple. It’s yummy!” Samantha answered.
    He shut the door behind Tia and turned back to Samantha. “I can’t wait, but what are the rest of you going to eat while I eat this?” Danny took the pie and unpackaged it, sucking a deep,