Family Matters (DiCarlo Brides book 4) (The DiCarlo Brides) Read Online Free PDF

choice.” The words were a little harsh, but the tone wasn’t. She spoke low and looked more sad than mad. “It’s not like you can turn down your kid. If you wanted to do that, you already would have and we wouldn’t have heard a word about it.”
    “You don’t want Cleo here?” Rosemary asked, her heart clenching at the thought that Delphi might make it hard for Cleo.
    “I don’t have a problem with it. And I’ll try not to be too big of a pain about it.” When Rosemary’s brows lifted high enough they must have been encroaching on her hairline, Delphi scowled. “She’s your little girl, which makes her every bit as much a part of this mess as the rest of us. You think I’m some monster that I can’t see she needs someone who cares about her? You do, right? Want her to move here? You never said it, but I’ve learned to read you a little.”
    “Of course I want her! You think I would have given her up at all if I’d felt like I had another reasonable option—or if the Markhams hadn’t been there, waiting with open arms to treat my baby the way every kid deserves?” Anger blasted through her at the insinuation that she might not be thrilled at this second chance.
    “What about the father?” Cami asked. “Where was he through all of this?”
    “He took off the minute he found out I was pregnant,” Rosemary said, crossing her arms over her chest in a defiant gesture. There was only a twinge of regret now, after so many years, though it had been painful at the time. “I couldn’t even find him to have him sign the papers. Never heard a word from him again.”
    “Lovely taste in men, you have,” Delphi said.
    “Yeah. Tell me about it. Me and men are such a bad mix. It’s too bad they have to be so appealing.” Rosemary sighed heavily, thinking of Harrison and the way he came to talk to her earlier. He was so confusing.
    “So what do you want us to tell everyone?” Cami asked.
    Rosemary considered, still not clear on how she felt about everything. “Nothing for now. I’ll talk with the attorneys and Cleo, see what’s going on, and we’ll figure it out when I get back.” The next words were hard to speak, but despite their differences and their petty squabbles, they’d all managed to pull together when needed for the public eye. “I’ve never told anyone about this, not any of the guys I’ve dated or any new friends. I just don’t talk about it, so I’d prefer it if we keep things quiet for now. If the media catches wind of it, just say... I don’t know. Just say that I’ve gone to a funeral and we have no comment at this time. I guess.”
    “We can do that. We’re excellent at the ‘no comment’ line,” Lana said. “And getting more expert with every passing day.”
    “That’s just sad,” Rosemary said, but she felt better now she’d gotten it all out.

    Harrison couldn’t get Rosemary’s worried face out of his mind. She was in DC now, dealing with everything on her own. She was grieving and worried—he’d noticed how rarely she showed what she really felt so it had to be bad. Usually she just put on a touchy exterior, said something outrageous and let everyone else blow up around her. But she didn’t do that this time. No, this time she’d crumbled.
    He rubbed his eyes when he had trouble focusing on the insurance paperwork sitting in front of him.
    “You okay? You look tired.” Sage entered the room carrying two hot-drink cups—the reusable kind, of course. “I had a feeling you could use this.”
    She set a cup in front of him, and from the scent of it, she’d made her favorite wake-up tea blend.
    “Thank you. You always know.” He took a sip and noticed it was the perfect temperature.
    “You’re worried about Rosemary.” She took a sip of her own drink. “I’m worried too. Something, I don’t know. Something’s bothering me.” She twisted her necklace, making the green and blue polished rocks shimmer in the florescent lights.
    He felt a tight ball