You're My Baby Read Online Free PDF

he’ll love this baby.”
    â€œI’m sure he will. What about sisters? Brothers?”
    â€œOne sister. I can forget about any help from her.”
    The uncharacteristic bitterness surprised him, especially in light of the bond he and his brother Brian had shared. “Why’s that?”
    â€œWe rarely see each other. I think it’s safe to say Barbara doesn’t have much use for me. She has her life in California with her dentist husband and her three children. For as long as I can remember, she’s made it clear I’m the baby sister who made her life miserable. Never mind that we’re grown-ups now. Supposedly.”
    He identified with the hurt in her voice. He knew from his own father and from Shelley what rejection felt like.
    She placed Sebastian gently on the floor and stood. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to be alone now.”
    Every instinct said, hug her, but instead he nodded his head. “I understand.”
    She accompanied him to the door. “Thank you for coming. It helps just knowing I can talk to someone if I need to.”
    He hesitated in the doorway, admiring the way she stood tall, determined, as if she could take on the world. “Call on me anytime if there’s something I can do.”
    â€œI will.”
    He studied her coppery hair, her wide hazel eyes, her full lips—as if he’d never seen them before. She was not only courageous, she was beautiful. “Good night,” he finally managed, turning to leave.
    â€œGood night. And, Grant?”
    He paused. “Yes?”
    â€œThe father is a good person. I knew what I was doing. But accidents happen.” She studied the floor and he knew she was going to say something more. Finally she raised her eyes. “But this is the last time you or anyone else will hear me refer to this precious child as an ‘accident.’”
    Then she came closer, stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks for being my friend. Now, go,” she said, gently nudging him in the small of his back.
    He stood on her walkway long after she had closed the door. The night was warm, and above him a nearly full moon was on the rise, the stars hidden beyond thecity lights. The universe was as it eternally had been, its orbits fixed.
    But something—Pam—had knocked him out of his.
    Â 
    H OLDING THE BASKETBALL in the crook of his arm, Brady Showalter gaped toward the azure swimming pool, bordered by palm trees swaying in the Florida breeze. “Your mom’s a fox.”
    Andy Gilbert shot his friend a disgusted look. “So?”
    â€œIt’s cool, that’s all. My mom, all she wears are these dumpy-looking pantsuits. And I don’t even wanna tell you about her swimsuit.”
    Andy knew what Brady meant. His friend’s mother wasn’t the hottest babe he’d ever seen. Still, it was embarrassing to have your own mother parading around the pool in her bikini, kinda like she was deliberately showing off her bod for his buddies. “Gimme the ball.”
    Brady bounced it to him and Andy feinted, then lofted a shot that whistled through the hoop. Diving after the rebound, he whirled and went in for a layup. “Four points!” he crowed.
    â€œYou gonna play basketball in Texas?”
    Andy banged the ball off the backboard. “You gotta be kidding. Play for my father? No way in hell.” What was with Brady? He oughta know the last subject in the world Andy wanted to discuss was this freakin’ move to Fort Worth! It was bad enough he couldn’t stay here where—finally—he would’ve been eligible to try out for the varsity. But play for his dad? No way.
    â€œYou’re weird, Gilbert.” Brady stole the ball from him and darted to the basket.
    Andy stood, rooted. Weird. That was the truth. His whole life was weird. Mom was running off to some stupid foreign country with Harry, the biggest dork sofar of