The Fix (Carolina Connections #1) Read Online Free PDF

have
missed this apparently huge red flag?
    “I
understand. And, again, I don’t want you to worry. But maybe we could try to
help things along a little more. Why don’t you ask him if there is a child in
the class he would want to have a play date with? Then you could arrange it at
your house so Rocco would be more comfortable and see what happens from there,”
she suggested.
    “That’s
a really good idea. I will definitely talk to him about it.” I switched hands
so the other cheek could get in on the action.
    “Okay,
good.”
    “And
thank you for calling about this, Mellie. It’s reassuring to know that you guys
are looking out for the kids so carefully.” I truly did appreciate it even if
this particular phone call added one more turd on the shit sandwich that was my
motherhood resumé.
    “Of
course. You have a great night, Laney, and we’ll see you and Rocco tomorrow!” she
finished brightly, proving once again that people who work in daycare are born
with a different set of genes than the rest of us.

 
     
     
    Chapter Four
    Keep Calm and Go Irish
     
    Nate
    “Lookin’
good, old man!” I said to my father whom I’d just found sitting in his favorite
black leather recliner. It was the first time I’d seen him in regular clothes
instead of pajamas since the heart attack and he seemed to have a bit more
color, I was relieved to see. It had been two weeks since I’d gotten back to
town and almost a week since I’d been back to my folks’ house. Work was a shit
storm and I’d been doing my best not to bother my dad any more than necessary,
but it had been nearly impossible to decipher whatever organizational puzzle he
worked by, and Bailey and I had been having a hell of a time keeping our heads
above water. Not that we would ever tell him that.
    Remote
in hand, he paused the football game we were going to watch together and turned
to me with a hopeful expression. “For the love of God, please tell me you
brought something to eat that doesn’t taste like cardboard,” he pleaded. It was
no secret that my mom’s cooking wasn’t stellar on a good day, so I could only
imagine what it tasted like with all the salt removed.
    “Sorry,”
I held my hands up to show they were empty. “Mom only let me visit on the
condition that I brought nothing into the house that you might find even
remotely edible. I got a TSA pat-down from her in the foyer.”
    “Eh,
I figured as much,” he responded. “Distract me, then. Tell me what’s going on
at work. Did Mark get that permit squared away? I’ve got the number of that guy
at the–”
    “All
taken care of,” I interrupted.
    “Yeah,
but we’ll be in deep shit if every ‘i’ isn’t dotted on that one,” he insisted.
    “I
know. Mark and Doug have both been a big help and Bailey knows a lot more than
she led us to believe so we’re handling it. I promise we’ll keep you in the
loop and let you know if we need help. I’ve already called you a dozen times
with questions and I may be permanently banned from the house if Mom catches us
talking shop,” I warned. “That was another condition for my visit. She should
consider a stint with the Secret Service if this whole retirement thing doesn’t
work out. Was she such a ball-buster with her students? If so, I’m starting to worry
about what may have actually been in all those homemade cookies they used to
send home with her.” That got a smile out of him.
    “Your
mother’s a saint.” He un-paused the game.
    “Yeah,
I know. What’s the score? Are we winning yet?”
    He
gave me a disgusted look. “Of course we’re winning. We’re the Irish.”
    At
halftime I went in search of my mom and some doctor-approved refreshments. I
spotted her at the kitchen table swiping at her iPad.
    “Hey
Mom.”
    She
held up her hand as if to stop me while her eyes stayed on the tablet. “Nathan,
don’t even think about asking for a beer. Your dad cannot have alcohol no
matter what kind of pathetic faces he tries