Read Online Dragon Warrior (Midnight Bay) by Janet Chapman - Free Book Online
Authors: Janet Chapman
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her mind.” Seeing Maddy’s head lift curiously, William shot Patricia a grin, hoping to lighten the mood. “Even with her hair hiked up in a bun, Gabby didn’t reach a man’s armpit, but she had the temperament of a magpie.”
“Oh, she sounds wonderful. Will she be coming to visit you in your new home? And your parents, too? I would love to meet your sainted mother,” Patricia said gaily. “I believe we might have a lot in common,” she finished with a grimace toward Maddy.
“I’m sorry, but all of my family has . . . passed,” William told her.
The older woman’s cheeks darkened. “Oh, I’m sorry for your loss, William.”
“Don’t fret yourself, Patricia. They’ve been gone for quite some time now. Maddy,” he said. “Has Sarah told you the children are saying those things to her?”
“No, she’s too embarrassed,” Maddy admitted—even as her chin lifted much like her daughter’s had. “But I’ve been getting plenty of feedback from the adults , though they’re careful not to actually say Billy replaced me with another tight-assed, perky-boobed, man-trapping cheerleader to my face. Only they forget kids hear everything they’re saying at home , and that the little snots are far less shy about repeating it.”
“Well, hell, Peeps, why don’t you tell us how you really feel?” Trace drawled.
Patricia stood up. “I think I’ll go check on Sarah.”
“I told you, I will talk with her just as soon as she’s over her little pout.”
Patricia rolled her eyes. “If she’s anything like her mother, that’ll take days.”
“I never pout.”
The older woman smiled. “That’s right; you don’t get mad, you get even. Trace, William, thank you for coming to dinner. We’ll have to do this again . . . soon.” She headed toward the hallway. “Don’t worry, Madeline. I won’t spoil your mother-daughter talk. I’m just going to have a grandmotherly chat with Sarah about . . . boinking,” she trailed off, disappearing up the stairs.
Trace arched a brow at Maddy. “So that’s what has your panties in a twist? Your ex-husband is marrying a younger woman, and that makes you feel like a baggy -assed, saggy -boobed, man-trapping cheerleader?”
“Billy is damn near old enough to be that girl’s father .”
Trace snorted. “Apparently Billy Kimble is the one who never learned his lesson. Whereas you, Peeps, learned yours too well.”
“What in hell are you talking about?”
Trace leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest. “You asked me today what happened to the fun-loving cousin you remembered, and now I’m asking you the same question.”
“She grew up!” Maddy snapped. “She had a kid with a jerk who never grew up, she spent five years in night school getting her nursing degree, buried her father and took on the responsibility of her fifteen-year-old brother, and spent the last four years trying to hold this family together.”
“And while you were doing all that,” Trace said quietly, “in-stead of growing up, you grew old.”
“Twenty-seven is not old.”
“No? So instead of being a pediatric nurse like you intended, you didn’t choose to work at a nursing home to be around people you have something in common with?” He leaned forward in his chair. “You may have spent the last four years holding your family together, but you also spent those years hiding behind them, trying to distance yourself from your own man-trapping-cheerleader past. When was the last time you went on a real date?”
Maddy stood up so forcefully her chair clattered to the floor behind her. “My love life is none of your damn business!” She turned her glare on William. “And if you ever kiss me in public or threaten to spank me again, I will sic my real boyfriend on you.” Her glare turned sinisterly smug. “He’s a big, bad-tempered, bear-eating bogeyman , and he’ll do anything I ask him to do because he loves me.”
Apparently satisfied he’d been duly
“Oh, she sounds wonderful. Will she be coming to visit you in your new home? And your parents, too? I would love to meet your sainted mother,” Patricia said gaily. “I believe we might have a lot in common,” she finished with a grimace toward Maddy.
“I’m sorry, but all of my family has . . . passed,” William told her.
The older woman’s cheeks darkened. “Oh, I’m sorry for your loss, William.”
“Don’t fret yourself, Patricia. They’ve been gone for quite some time now. Maddy,” he said. “Has Sarah told you the children are saying those things to her?”
“No, she’s too embarrassed,” Maddy admitted—even as her chin lifted much like her daughter’s had. “But I’ve been getting plenty of feedback from the adults , though they’re careful not to actually say Billy replaced me with another tight-assed, perky-boobed, man-trapping cheerleader to my face. Only they forget kids hear everything they’re saying at home , and that the little snots are far less shy about repeating it.”
“Well, hell, Peeps, why don’t you tell us how you really feel?” Trace drawled.
Patricia stood up. “I think I’ll go check on Sarah.”
“I told you, I will talk with her just as soon as she’s over her little pout.”
Patricia rolled her eyes. “If she’s anything like her mother, that’ll take days.”
“I never pout.”
The older woman smiled. “That’s right; you don’t get mad, you get even. Trace, William, thank you for coming to dinner. We’ll have to do this again . . . soon.” She headed toward the hallway. “Don’t worry, Madeline. I won’t spoil your mother-daughter talk. I’m just going to have a grandmotherly chat with Sarah about . . . boinking,” she trailed off, disappearing up the stairs.
Trace arched a brow at Maddy. “So that’s what has your panties in a twist? Your ex-husband is marrying a younger woman, and that makes you feel like a baggy -assed, saggy -boobed, man-trapping cheerleader?”
“Billy is damn near old enough to be that girl’s father .”
Trace snorted. “Apparently Billy Kimble is the one who never learned his lesson. Whereas you, Peeps, learned yours too well.”
“What in hell are you talking about?”
Trace leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest. “You asked me today what happened to the fun-loving cousin you remembered, and now I’m asking you the same question.”
“She grew up!” Maddy snapped. “She had a kid with a jerk who never grew up, she spent five years in night school getting her nursing degree, buried her father and took on the responsibility of her fifteen-year-old brother, and spent the last four years trying to hold this family together.”
“And while you were doing all that,” Trace said quietly, “in-stead of growing up, you grew old.”
“Twenty-seven is not old.”
“No? So instead of being a pediatric nurse like you intended, you didn’t choose to work at a nursing home to be around people you have something in common with?” He leaned forward in his chair. “You may have spent the last four years holding your family together, but you also spent those years hiding behind them, trying to distance yourself from your own man-trapping-cheerleader past. When was the last time you went on a real date?”
Maddy stood up so forcefully her chair clattered to the floor behind her. “My love life is none of your damn business!” She turned her glare on William. “And if you ever kiss me in public or threaten to spank me again, I will sic my real boyfriend on you.” Her glare turned sinisterly smug. “He’s a big, bad-tempered, bear-eating bogeyman , and he’ll do anything I ask him to do because he loves me.”
Apparently satisfied he’d been duly
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