Marrying the Millionaire Read Online Free PDF Page A

wooden fence
needed replacing. The garage door opener needed fixing. The house
needed a thick coat of fresh grey paint. And well, she was too
broke to hire a handyman, so she guessed she’d just do it all
herself. I can learn anything I want to.
I’m not going to let my divorce keep me down anymore. It’s time for
me to get out there and make something of myself. I have a son to
raise, and I’m going to do a darn good job raising him.
    “ Mommy! Mommy!” CJ ran into
Kayla’s room. “Is the birdee here?”
    “ Yes, CJ.”
    “ Can I pat him,
pleaasssee?”
    The woodpecker spread its black wings,
then flew across the yard and landed on the roof of the birdhouse.
Smiling, Kayla rubbed the top of CJ’s head. She crouched down in
front of him and stared into his big, round eyes.
    “ I don’t think he’ll let
you touch him. He’ll probably fly away if you try.” CJ loved this
bird and had become enthralled with birdwatching, a habit her
grandfather had had up until his death. “How about Mommy make you
some yummy pancakes this morning?”
    “ Yayyy!” Clapping his
hands, CJ jumped up and down.
    After using the bathroom,
brushing her teeth, then making sure that CJ brushed his teeth and
freshened up as well, Kayla headed for the kitchen. As she walked
barefoot across the cold marble tile of the kitchen floor, she
thought of how she’d like to replace the green and yellow
pinstriped window treatment above the sink, and the dingy carpet in
the living room as well. That’d be so
costly, though , she thought, pulling a box
of pancake batter from the cabinet . I’ve
filled out so many job applications. Somebody, please call me for a
job.
    After Kayla got the pancakes, bacon,
and eggs cooked, she fixed CJ’s plate, then sat him in the chair at
the kitchen table. Hovering over her son, she sliced his pancakes
into tiny bite size pieces, then drizzled them with sweet maple
syrup. Using her hand, Kayla ruffled the hair on his
head.
    “ Dig in, buddy. I’ll be
right back.”
    CJ stabbed the fork into the pancake,
then jabbed it into his mouth. “Where you going, Mommy?” he asked,
chewing.
    Kayla rubbed circles on his back.
“Don’t talk with food in your mouth. That can be
dangerous.”
    CJ shrugged. “Why come?”
    That was her precocious CJ…always
answer a question with a question. “Because if you talk with food
in your mouth, you can choke. And then you won’t be able to
breathe.” CJ’s eyes spread as if a light bulb went off inside his
head. Chewing with his mouth sealed tight, he nodded. She
reiterated, “I’m going outside to get the paper. I’ll be right
back.”
    The raggedy screen door squeaked when
Kayla pushed it open and stepped out onto the porch. As she
descended the steps, the wooden planks creaked beneath her bare
feet. Darn, even the porch needed new boards. Walking the length of
the long driveway, the humid morning air felt clammy against her
skin. Spotting her neighbor Betsie Mae Dowling sitting in a rocking
chair on her porch, Kayla waved with a smile.
    Fanning herself with her hand, Betsie
Mae stood, then trekked over to the iron fence that separated their
front yards from one another. “How you doing this morning, Kayla?
Need any help with anything?” The gray-haired lady curled her
fingers around the fence.
    Kayla shook her
head. Yes. I need help finding a job. My
car needs new tires. Grandpa’s truck needs an air
conditioner. Determined to be independent,
Kayla didn’t dare tell her neighbor about her many financial
problems.
    “ No, thanks, Betsie Mae.
I’m good.”
    Betsie Mae dragged her back hand over
her wrinkled forehead. “Well, my Paul told me to tell you to let
him know if you need anything. Same goes for me. Okay?”
    Grandpa had the best
neighbors, and now I do. “Tell Paul I said
thanks.” Kayla stooped to retrieve the paper, then headed back into
the house.
    Anxious to get her
caffeinated fix, she placed a pot of water on the stove and turned
it to high.