Read Online Boyfriend for Hire by Gail Chianese - Free Book Online Page A

and being put to work by her mother, Tawny headed toward the front door. Not that she didn’t love the little rug rats. They were angels. When they were sleeping. It was more a stall tactic. When their mother cooked, she went into the zone. Full focus on taking care of her family, all discussions put on hold until she could concentrate on her victim.
    Going to the backyard meant facing her father.
    Answering questions she’d rather not. Questions about how was work going (it wasn’t) and who was she dating (Ian Somerhalder . . . in her dreams).
    Opening the door, Tawny ran smack into George and his wife Alejandra.
    “Haven’t you two learned anything yet?” She rolled her eyes as the lovebirds jumped apart like two schoolkids caught making out instead of the married couple they were and had been for years. “You know that’s the kind of behavior that leads to other things, things that might create baby number five.”
    George slung his arm around his wife, pulling her in close. “Yeah, and your point?”
    “Don’t you think three mini-me’s of you is enough, dear brother? Now, maybe if you could guarantee us another girl . . .”
    “Just keeping the odds in my favor.”
    “Gah, at least get a room.”
    Alejandra pushed her husband away. “No way, buddy. We’re done.”
    “Aw, come on, baby. Don’t you want at least one more?” George pulled his wife back to his side. “Mama wants more grandkids to spoil.”
    Alex held up her hand to stop him. “Don’t ‘baby’ me. You’re not the one who has to stay home with four kids all throwing up at the same time. You go off to work in your nice clean restaurant and talk to adults. If your mother wants more grandkids, she can talk to your brothers or—” She looked to Tawny, eyes sparkling, and Tawny knew. The perfect scapegoat stood in front of her sister-in-law. “She can talk to your sister.”
    Tawny held her hands up, shaking her head. “I used to like you, Alex.” She teased. Walking away, she shot an evil look at the two of them. “If you so much as even suggest such a thing, I’m going to tell about the time I caught the two of you doing it in high school. You may be old and married now, but you know you’ll never hear the end from Mama.”
    That should at least shut up George. At thirty-five, the man was still afraid of his mother. Then again, all her brothers were terrified of the woman who’d raised them, rightly so.
    Stepping into the kitchen, the tantalizing scents of adobo sauce wrapped around Tawny, making her stomach growl. Mama stood at the stove stirring a large pot. She didn’t turn around. She was in the zone.
    Mateo—the youngest of her three brothers—walked through the back door. He gave her a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek before dropping a stack of plates in her arms. “We’re eating outside and you’re late. I’ll help you finish setting the table.”
    “You go outside and relax with the men, Mateo. You work too hard, mijo . Your sister can set the table and help me serve dinner,” Mama said without even looking at them.
    Typical. The men in her family did nothing during these family gatherings. They sat on their asses, drinking beer and shooting the shit, while the women waited on them. And they wondered why she hadn’t gotten married yet. No way was she ready or willing to turn into her mother or sister-in-law.
    Her mother should have been a professional chef. She’d even been accepted into culinary arts school, almost unheard of in the late sixties. Then she met Tawny’s father, gave up her dream, and raised a houseful of kids. Alejandra had an eye for photography, and Tawny had lost count of the number of times Alex had mentioned wanting her own studio. Then she got pregnant. Now she spent her days changing diapers, picking up toys, and cleaning up puke. She didn’t even take photos anymore. Motherhood had stolen away her artistic passion.
    Tawny pushed out the back door and headed for the long picnic table