Make a Right Read Online Free PDF Page B

pulling out all the stops to make his favorite dinner.
    Funny how it hadn’t worked out that way. Every time Tuck turned to grab a knife or open a drawer, he saw in his peripheral vision the invitation he’d stuck to the fridge with a magnet.
    Curled up at his feet where she knew she’d be guaranteed to get in his way, Suzie-Q lifted her muzzle off her oversize puppy paws and whined.
    “You’ll get your share, don’t worry.” He hadn’t started browning the meat yet, but she knew what was coming. No telling what breed Suzie-Q was, maybe half spaniel and half good old Americanus muttus , all spotted silky fur with floppy hound ears. She was about beagle sized but had a long muzzle that would only have looked right on a much bigger dog. Cute as hell, sweet as heaven, and smart as a Mathlete from the streets.
    He tapped the spoon on the rim of the pot, splattering tiny droplets of tomato and herbs about, making a face at them. The date on the wedding invite was less than two weeks away. Damn; sure would have been nice to have gotten this earlier, huh? Had to have been Hannah who’d gotten the date wrong. Megan was the one who’d turned out to be a genius when it came to numbers.
    Too late to RSVP now; hell, the girls probably already did think he and Cade had blown them off. And if they’d tried to call, well. After the first month apart, Cade got a new cell with a new number he didn’t share, and Tuck started letting everything go to voice mail, promising himself he’d deal with it later.
    Truly a dumb-ass move. Hurting his girls was second highest on Tuck’s never-do list, right after hurting Cade, and he’d blown that one right the fuck out of the water. He tapped his spoon too hard against the rim of the pot, the clang it gave off making him flinch.
    Suzie-Q whined at Tuck. Great; he’d probably hurt her ears. “Sorry, baby. Calm down.” Tuck bent to scruff and jostle her gently, the kind of puppy play she liked best. “It’ll be okay.”
    As soon as he let go, the dog laid her muzzle on her paws and sighed. She wasn’t sure, but she chose to trust him. Just like Cade. Go figure. Just like Hannah.
    Heh . Tuck chuckled to himself. Hannah and Megan. Who’d have thought? But once you thought about the pair, they fit, their fiery Megan and sweet Hannah. Spice and sugar. Odd couples matched one another’s missing pieces. They made the impossible work.
    Granted, he’d thought that about him and Cade too.
    Cut it out . Hannah and Megan would be fine.
    God, he had to decide what to do about that damn invitation.
    Tuck gave the pot a savage stir, far too hard, churning up a miniwave of sauce that sloshed over the back of his hand. He swore and lifted it to his mouth to lick it clean—faster than unspooling a paper towel and neater than wiping his hand on his jeans.
    At least the stuff tasted good. The richness of the sauce— salt, of course, that’s what it needs —had just registered with Tuck’s taste buds when a tapping at the door made him flinch and threatened the fate of his food all over again.
    Who the hell…?
    Suzie-Q popped up like the door was a magnet and she was iron shavings, making a beeline. Ah. Had to be Ms. Nell. She hadn’t stopped making him casseroles since Cade left, as if there’d been a damn death in the family. Most of them went straight to the dog’s dish. Ms. Nell had a weird fixation on tuna in everything and an endless parade of nephews she’d try to sneak into every conversation.
    She meant well, sure, but of all the things Tuck was in the mood for tonight, matchmaking ranked right about at the bottom of the list.
    “Chill, girl,” Tuck muttered. He almost tripped when the dog darted between his legs and ducked ahead of him on his way to the door, sitting down hopefully on the mat and all but sitting up to beg. “What’s gotten into you? Go lie down.”
    Suzie-Q did not budge. Maybe too smart a girl, huh? Or dumb as soup. Good thing she had “cute” in her