A Family Kind of Gal Read Online Free PDF Page A

brother-in-law.
    J.D. lifted a shoulder as if it made no difference to him. “As I said, I’m just checking out some possibilities.”
    â€œAnd in the meantime you thought you might stop by and look in on me, see if I’m being the model mother I’m supposed to be,” she snapped angrily. For as long as she could remember, Carlo Santini hadn’t trusted her. He had thought she wanted his son in order to get a chunk of the Santini money. What the Santini family hadn’t understood was that when she’d met Philip, it wasn’t his family’s wealth that had attracted her, but his aura of sophistication, his charm, his way of making her feel loved for the first time in her life. She’d been young, naive and impetuous. Well…no longer.
    And as for Philip’s money, that had become a moot point: there wasn’t much.
    â€œNo one’s ever accused you of being a poor mother,” J.D. said, turning the crank to open one of the windows. A breeze, fresh with the scents of cut grass and roses, whispered into the slope-ceilinged room.
    â€œJust a lousy wife.”
    He didn’t respond.
    â€œI know what they thought, J.D.,” she said, unable to leave the subject alone. “I heard them say that I was looking for a father figure, that I needed an older man because I didn’t grow up knowing my dad.”
    â€œAnd what do you think?”
    â€œI think I loved your brother. End of story. Not that it’s anyone’s business.”
    His jaw tightened.
    â€œJust because I was raised by a single mother didn’t mean I was insecure or needed an older man to take care of me.” She swiped a speck of dust from the coffee table and hoped she didn’t show her true emotions. Inwardly she cringed at the accusation. Especially this week, the subject of her own parentage was difficult enough to consider when she was alone with her thoughts. When anyone else brought up the taboo topic, she saw red.
    â€œNo reason to get so defensive.”
    â€œNo?” she challenged, crossing the short space separating them. “Then what’s the real reason you’re in Bittersweet, Jay? And don’t give me any garbage about the winery, okay? There are dozens of little towns down here around the border. Some in Oregon and more in California. It’s more than just bad luck that you’re here.”
    His eyes, gray as the dawn, held hers, and she braced herself. What was it about J.D. that seemed to bring out the worst in her? Whenever she was around him, her usually smoothed feathers ruffled easily. One disbelieving look from his suspicious eyes and she was itching for a fight, more than ready to defend herself and her children.
    â€œLook, do you really want to rent this place?” She waved widely, taking in all four-hundred square feet of living space. It was sparse, with only room for a bed, bureau, table, love seat and television. The kitchen consisted of a small stove, refrigerator and sink tucked into an alcove. The bathroom was confining and bare bones with its narrow stall shower, toilet and sink.
    â€œIt’ll do,” he allowed in that drawl she found so irritating.
    â€œBut you won’t be down here long, so why bother?”
    He studied his fingers for a second, then looked at her again. “Maybe you’re right, Tiff. Maybe I just want to be close to you.” He eyed her carefully, and her breath caught in her throat.
    â€œFor all the wrong reasons,” she said, then regretted the words.
    â€œAre there any right ones?”
    â€œNo!” she said so quickly that she blushed. “Of…of course there aren’t.” Clearing her throat, she added, “Well, if that’s the way you want it—”
    â€œI do.”
    He was too close. Perspiration broke out along her spine. This wasn’t going to work. “Then I guess there’s nothing more to say but make yourself at home.”
    â€œI