Read Online Dead Before The Wedding: A Carly Keene Cozy Mystery (Carly Keene Cozy Mysteries Book 1) by Ruby Blaylock - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ruby Blaylock
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stayed hidden for long enough. I don’t care one bit about Larry Gaston or Mona, for that matter. In fact, he could drop dead tomorrow and I wouldn’t shed a tear. But, I need him to see his son. I need him to acknowledge him, and I need him to support him.” Tina didn’t seem to be bitter, Carly noticed, but more beaten down than anything.
“Are you sure that this is the best place and time for that? I mean, he’s about to get married. Couldn’t it wait a couple of weeks, and then you could all three sit down and work something out?” Carly couldn’t really imagine that scenario working out well for anyone, but it had to be better than the drama that was going to unfold when Mona showed up and found her fiance’s ex with his child waiting to have a friendly chat.
“I can’t afford to keep a roof over our heads, Carly. I can’t work full time and take care of Tyler, and my dad’s barely able to work enough to support himself. It’s past time that Larry steps up and starts taking care of his son. I mean, it’s not like he’s broke. He may have gotten a discount on this place, but it was still more money than I’ve seen in a long time.”
“How do you know he got a discount? Have you been seeing him again?” Carly was beginning to think that she was being played. Were Tina and Larry still a couple?
“God, no. I wouldn’t take him back if he was the last man on earth. But I know about how he’s been doing so well with his business. And I know about the discount because my dad told me. Like I said, it’s a small town.” Carly guessed it wasn’t hard to see that business had been good for Larry, especially since he was driving that brand new truck. Construction had been plentiful since that tornado had done so much damage just a few miles away from Parker’s Mill last year.
Tina sighed. “Look, all I want is for him to acknowledge Tyler, and pay child support. I’m not even asking for backdated support, though I probably should. I mean, how could he not have known that Tyler was his kid? He looks just like him.”
Carly glanced over at the little boy, who was pushing a little red Hot Wheels car across the steps of Moore House. Lost in his own imagination, there was no denying that he bore a strong resemblance to the Gaston men. Apart from his red hair, which he obviously got from his mother, he had the same piercing eyes and strong bone structure that Larry and Tucker both shared. Carly’s thoughts drifted to Tucker, and the fact that he’d known about Tina’s child this whole time.
“Why didn’t Tucker say anything to Larry about Tyler? I mean, he told me that he knew about him for a while now.” Carly really wanted there to be a noble explanation for Tucker’s deception, because he seemed like such a nice guy.
“Because I asked him not to. And I lied about Tyler not being Larry’s son.” Tina looked ashamed, but only for a moment. “I tried real hard to not ask anybody for help. But, my dad’s been getting older and his health ain’t so good. My mama passed when I was just little. I can’t hold down a full-time job with no reliable childcare, so I’m at the end of my rope.” Tina’s eyes moistened, and her voice choked up just a little. “I know I messed up, but Tyler shouldn’t have to suffer for my stupid mistake. I mean, it’s not like he asked to be born.”
Carly did feel sorry for Tina. How many other girls had fallen for Larry’s quick charm and smooth charms? For all she knew, he could have a string of babies out there, and not even know or care. But, she had a job to do, and being a professional meant protecting her clients’ privacy, regardless of how much she disliked them.
“You know,” Tina continued, “sometimes I wished that it was Tucker I’d met instead of Larry. I mean, he’s so sweet and kind, not like his brother at all. If I had dated Tucker, we might even be the ones getting married right now, instead of
“Are you sure that this is the best place and time for that? I mean, he’s about to get married. Couldn’t it wait a couple of weeks, and then you could all three sit down and work something out?” Carly couldn’t really imagine that scenario working out well for anyone, but it had to be better than the drama that was going to unfold when Mona showed up and found her fiance’s ex with his child waiting to have a friendly chat.
“I can’t afford to keep a roof over our heads, Carly. I can’t work full time and take care of Tyler, and my dad’s barely able to work enough to support himself. It’s past time that Larry steps up and starts taking care of his son. I mean, it’s not like he’s broke. He may have gotten a discount on this place, but it was still more money than I’ve seen in a long time.”
“How do you know he got a discount? Have you been seeing him again?” Carly was beginning to think that she was being played. Were Tina and Larry still a couple?
“God, no. I wouldn’t take him back if he was the last man on earth. But I know about how he’s been doing so well with his business. And I know about the discount because my dad told me. Like I said, it’s a small town.” Carly guessed it wasn’t hard to see that business had been good for Larry, especially since he was driving that brand new truck. Construction had been plentiful since that tornado had done so much damage just a few miles away from Parker’s Mill last year.
Tina sighed. “Look, all I want is for him to acknowledge Tyler, and pay child support. I’m not even asking for backdated support, though I probably should. I mean, how could he not have known that Tyler was his kid? He looks just like him.”
Carly glanced over at the little boy, who was pushing a little red Hot Wheels car across the steps of Moore House. Lost in his own imagination, there was no denying that he bore a strong resemblance to the Gaston men. Apart from his red hair, which he obviously got from his mother, he had the same piercing eyes and strong bone structure that Larry and Tucker both shared. Carly’s thoughts drifted to Tucker, and the fact that he’d known about Tina’s child this whole time.
“Why didn’t Tucker say anything to Larry about Tyler? I mean, he told me that he knew about him for a while now.” Carly really wanted there to be a noble explanation for Tucker’s deception, because he seemed like such a nice guy.
“Because I asked him not to. And I lied about Tyler not being Larry’s son.” Tina looked ashamed, but only for a moment. “I tried real hard to not ask anybody for help. But, my dad’s been getting older and his health ain’t so good. My mama passed when I was just little. I can’t hold down a full-time job with no reliable childcare, so I’m at the end of my rope.” Tina’s eyes moistened, and her voice choked up just a little. “I know I messed up, but Tyler shouldn’t have to suffer for my stupid mistake. I mean, it’s not like he asked to be born.”
Carly did feel sorry for Tina. How many other girls had fallen for Larry’s quick charm and smooth charms? For all she knew, he could have a string of babies out there, and not even know or care. But, she had a job to do, and being a professional meant protecting her clients’ privacy, regardless of how much she disliked them.
“You know,” Tina continued, “sometimes I wished that it was Tucker I’d met instead of Larry. I mean, he’s so sweet and kind, not like his brother at all. If I had dated Tucker, we might even be the ones getting married right now, instead of
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