Yours, Mine & Ours Read Online Free PDF Page B

nothing like the night before. Granted, he’d come across as this handsome, wonderful white knight, all sexy eyes and protectiveness and strength…but she so wasn’t about to believe in the fairy-tale thing again.
    And once she caught her breath, she realized it was okay today. Better. He was just an oversized scruffy mutt, after all. And as long as she didn’t look directly in his eyes, she didn’t feel any of those…well, zingers. As if she’d been prodded with something electric andcompelling. As if she was somehow meant to move closer to him.
    She tried a light laugh. “I swear, we keep meeting in the oddest places!”
    He finally looked away from her, too, and lifted the package in his hands. “I’ve been looking at faucets. Nothing exactly wrong with what we’ve got, but there’s a new kind…” He showed her. “You can turn it on and off with a wrist, never have to touch a handle. Which means that little boys—and big ones—don’t necessarily have to wipe out a whole sink when they’re cleaning up.”
    â€œNow that would be a miracle,” she said with an other laugh, this one more natural. “I’m new at the yard-and-gardening business. Never had any ‘green’ to work with in the city. So I’ve just been shopping for some general tools and landscaping stuff.”
    â€œYeah, we’re getting into that kind of trouble in our house, too.”
    So much for small talk. She took a breath, knowing she really needed some things to be said. “Look. I can’t thank you enough for last night. You certainly didn’t need to finish painting the wall or doing the cleanup—that was way over the top. And after I cried all over you, too.”
    â€œYeah, that was really awful. Don’t do it again.”
    She was startled, then realized he was teasing. His crook of a smile momentarily disarmed her, but then,blast it, she realized she was looking at him again, feeling the pull of, say, an earthquake or a tsunami.
    â€œWell, I owe you a payback.” She hoped her voice came out sounding normal.
    â€œForget it. No problem.”
    â€œI was thinking of bringing you a homemade lasagna—”
    â€œWhoa. Complete change of mind. You do owe me a payback.”
    This time they both laughed. “So you like lasagna. Okay. Done deal. I’ll bring it over tomorrow, around 5:00 p.m. or so.” She pulled her cart, as if she were going to go back to her shopping, but then couldn’t seem to resist asking, “Was that your mom who picked up Teddy?”
    â€œYeah. Barbara. And my dad’s name is David. They’re over the moon we bought the house here. Teddy’s the first grandchild. Their place is just a few towns over, in Lisle.”
    She pulled at her cart again, as if she had the good sense to cut the small talk and go back to her shopping chores. Somehow, her feet seemed rooted right there, temporarily, though. She couldn’t seem to quell a second round of nosiness. “How about Teddy’s mom?” When Mike lifted an eyebrow, she said swiftly, “I know, I know. It’s none of my business. But if we’re living next door, I don’t want to accidentally say something hurtful or difficult for your son, so…you know.”
    â€œYeah, I know.” His arched brow suggested he knew perfectly well she was being nosy. But he answered. “Right now I’ve got primary physical custody. My ex-wife hasn’t remarried yet, but she’s about to be.” He lowered the brow. “Truth is, Teddy’s real bent out of shape about his mother. He doesn’t get it. Why his mom would take off. He seems to believe that she personally abandoned him.”
    Amanda shot him a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry.”
    â€œI didn’t tell you to solicit sympathy. But it’s like you said—if we’re living so close, we should probably