Read Online Another Woman's Son (Harlequin Romance) by Anna Adams - Free Book Online Page A

bleeding?”
    “Come on. Be a man.” Together they laughed, almost like old times. “What did you do with my mom and dad? Are they all right?”
    “They’re more cheerful after a big breakfast. I left them at my house. I was worried about you.”
    Isabel frowned. “See— I don’t get that. Are you worried because you still care for me, or because you think I’m liable to expose our secret at any moment?”
    He ignored her accusation, which made her even more anxious. “You’re my family, too. I’m allowed to wonder if you’re all right over here,” he said. He shut the door and set Tony on the ground. “And you’re Tony’s aunt.” He pulled the child’s mittens off. “He kept asking for you, and we decided you might need help. Where do we start?”
    “Nowhere yet.” She knelt beside Tony and helped him out of his coat as he gabbed in baby talk, complete with pointing. “You remember my house, buddy?”
    “My Iz-bell.” He grabbed her in a slobbery hug.
    He was teething again, but she could stand the moisture. “Tony, remember the pots?” She grinned up at Ben. “Will hated when we played musical pots. Your son’s a natural on drums.”
    “I might hate that, too.”
    “For you, we’ll play plastic. Unless Will got rid of my plastic storage containers. He preferred glass.” Taking Tony’s hand, she led them to the kitchen. At the door, recognition stopped her dead.
    She’d loved this room, its rich woods and the deep farmhouse sink, the island and counters topped in dark brown granite she’d chosen for the warm, pinkish veins that glowed in a reflection of the stove’s copper hood.
    This room, she’d miss. Clearing the rest of the house would be easy, but how would she say goodbye to this room that had been hers alone?
    Sensing Ben behind her, she pretended not to feel sad about leaving the place. “Want coffee?” she asked.
    “I’ll make it.” With the familiarity of long friendship, he opened the appliance garage and took out the coffeepot.
    Isabel found the plastic bowls right where she’d left them, on a lazy Susan beside the fridge. She chose a large one, topped it with its lid and offered it, along with a big wooden spoon, to Tony.
    Immediately, he began a tune that made Ben turn with exaggerated shock. “That’s a mistake.”
    She laughed but wondered what had changed him from the reserved man she’d hardly recognized into the friend she’d missed. He offered no explanation, though he must have seen her questions. He ran water into the coffeepot while Tony beat out a drum solo.
    Isabel squatted beside her nephew. He offered her the spoon, but she shook her head and he went back to playing. Beside his leg, she fingered a gouge in the floor. She’d dropped a casserole that had shattered there. A shard of hard ceramic had chipped out a piece of the golden oak.
    “I’ll miss this,” she said.
    “Huh?” Ben cupped his ear. “Can’t hear you.” He set the carafe on the brewer and hit the power button.
    “I’ll miss this kitchen. It was mine, maybe the only thing in my life that really belonged to me.”
    Ben’s smile faded. He came around the corner to kneel beside her. “Tony still belongs to you, and I’m not going anywhere.”
    She tried to smile, but it felt unnatural. “I know. But we both need more than friendship. We’re the marrying kind. We need what we thought we had.”
    “I haven’t had a marriage for a long time. I just never admitted it until Faith’s note forced me to.”
    Tony leaned against his dad, beating his bowl with enthusiasm that made Isabel fear for Ben’s hand, which held the “drum” still.
    She’d missed this man and boy more than Will and Faith. Loving them had been uncomplicated. “What happened between you and Faith?” She sat back on her heels. “Not that I’m sure I want to know what made her go after Will.”
    He stood and walked Tony toward the hall. “Where do you want to start packing?”
    “Wait— I’m sorry. I