Huddle Up Read Online Free PDF

how she’d be referenced.
    Billy released her hand. “My flight leaves in two hours so I better get going.”
    “One more thing, Billy.”
    “What’s that?”
    “To be clear. I will be sleeping in that third bedroom. There’ll be no messing around.”
    “No messing around. Got it.”
    Angel doubted his rushed agreement, in fact she felt a bit annoyed over it, but she’d hold him to it just the same. Angel walked Billy to the door then called out, “Gabby, come say goodbye.”
    “No!” Gabby flew down the hall and threw her arms around his leg, which was the size of a small tree trunk. “Don’t leave.”
    Angel’s heart clenched at her daughter’s desperate plea. Now instead of wishing he’d back out, she decided she would kill him if he did.
    Billy picked Gabby up easily as if she were one of his weights at the gym. “It’s okay. I’ll see you in less than a week.”
    “You’re not gonna get lost again?”
    “Never,” he promised, kissing her nose. He looked back to Angel and continued, “I’ll have my agent send someone to help with the move and make the arrangements.”
    “Carlos?”
    “How do you know my agent?”
    You wouldn’t know by the expression on his face but whoa, he sounded jealous. Angel was horrified when a secret thrill shot through her. “I called the Cougar team office first and they directed me to your agent. After getting the third degree he refused to put me in touch with you, hence the paternity suit.”
    Gone was the cool façade and Billy’s face hardened into a mask. “That won’t happen again.”
    Angel doubted that but nodded. It would be a new town but the same old story of people trying to keep them apart. “The first priority is getting Gabby registered for school.”
    “School? Already?”
    Gabby held up her fingers. “I’m five. I’m in kindergarten,” she said proudly.
    “Oh, so you’re a big girl,” said Billy.
    “Only when she wants to be,” Angel teased.
    He kissed Gabby goodbye and placed her down gently. Angel’s heart skipped when his gaze moved from their daughter and seemed to zero in on her lips, but then his eyes met hers and he said, “Don’t change your mind.”
    The door closed and in relief her heartbeat steadied. But as she heard his footfalls on the steps, disappointment replaced relief. The back door opened and closed. It felt like she hadn’t had air since he strode into the bar last night. She took a cleansing breath before gazing down at her daughter who swung her body back and forth looking up at her mother expectantly. “So what do you think of your Daddy?”
    On her tippy toes, with her hand reaching up into the air, Gabby said, “He’s a giant.” Spinning on one foot, she turned. With arms now stretched wide, she stomped down the hallway to her room, taking such big steps that she was almost leaping. “Fee, fie, fo, fum.”
    Billy had earned major brownie points for letting Gabby tug on his hair until Angel thought he’d end up bald. But a morning of playtime did not a father make.
    How would he deal with the messes? The constant questions? When Gabby woke with a stomachache? Then again who would’ve thought she herself had an ounce of maternal instinct? Certainly not Angel. Yet as soon as Gabriela was placed in her arms, a mother bear mentality rooted itself deep within her.
    An hour later a knock sounded. She guessed it was Hoss and even though she didn’t want a confrontation she wanted to get it over with and opened the door.
    “You let him sleep over.”
    “Shhh,” she said as she pointed down the hall to where Gabby was napping unusually early. Between the sleepover and the excitement of meeting her father she had volunteered to take a nap. A first. Angel took a seat on the couch as Hoss softly closed the door. “It’s not what you think.” Angel explained what O’Malley’ had done and about Billy’s offer to move to New Jersey. “Why would O’Malley lie to me?”
    “I don’t know.” Hoss plopped