Read Online Dylan's Daddy Dilemma (The Colorado Fosters Book 04) by Tracy Madison - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Tracy Madison
Ads: Link
exist.
They had each behaved more than a little crazily when it came to winning over their respective significant others. Between the three of them, there had been one outlandish scheme after another. Cole’s pretend, completely fictionalized girlfriend to make Rachel jealous. Haley’s sneaky maneuvers to capture Gavin’s attention. And Reid...well, he’d gone all out and planned an entire wedding when Daisy hadn’t even agreed to marry him.
Well, he’d make darn sure there wasn’t anything for his family to sense. His life was great just the way it was, and he didn’t see why that had to change.
If, for some ridiculous reason, when all was said and done, his
interest
in Chelsea didn’t abate, what then? Dylan’s heart rammed hard in his chest and sweat beaded on the back of his neck. He didn’t know. Didn’t want to know, either.
He simply wouldn’t go there again. Preferably with anyone, but absolutely not with a woman who could tie him into such tight knots so early in the game.
* * *
Later that morning, Chelsea stood outside in the cold bite of the wind and tried her best to mask her disappointment when the man from the junkyard offered her $350 for the Malibu. She’d hoped to get closer to five hundred, but really, any additional cash in her pocket gave her options that her broken-down, expensive-to-repair car did not.
Fact, yes, but losing the Malibu still stung.
Blinking back tears, she accepted the money the man counted into the palm of her hand. Now she and Henry were left with nothing but their clothes and the sparse personal belongings they’d brought with them. Some toys and books for Henry and a few—very few—pieces of memorabilia that held special meaning for Chelsea. Her son’s baby blanket and the sleeper he’d worn home from the hospital, a couple of photo albums and, finally, her grandmother Sophia’s recipe cards. The rest had been tossed or given to charity.
Earlier, after finding Henry preparing breakfast with Dylan’s mother, Chelsea and Dylan had brought the boxes and suitcases and Henry’s booster seat into the restaurant for safekeeping. Dylan had shared what had transpired that morning, and she had no memory of Henry waking her, so again, she was struck with that strange mix of gratitude and fear.
Gratitude that Dylan had heard Henry and had watched over him—heck, he and Margaret were watching him now while Chelsea dealt with this—and fear of what might have happened if he hadn’t. Truth was, she hadn’t slept that soundly in a very long time. Odd that she had relaxed enough to get any sleep, let alone in a new place with an unpredictable future facing her.
Even sharing breakfast with Dylan and his mother hadn’t been too awkward. Other than a few questions regarding Chelsea’s car, Margaret had kept the conversation to simple topics that involved Henry. Did he have a favorite toy? Had he learned the alphabet yet? Since he had, he then—naturally—had to prove so by reciting the letters. Not once, but twice.
Up until this very minute, Chelsea’s first morning in Steamboat Springs had gone as well as it possibly could. But selling her car was more difficult than she’d thought. Sighing, she stepped backward and watched as the man readied the vehicle to be towed. Failure, strong and consuming, slammed onto her shoulders. Where would she and her son sleep tonight? How many days or weeks or months would it take her to get them back on their feet?
Chelsea drew in a breath to steady herself and watched as the Malibu was hauled away. She waited until the truck and the car were completely out of sight before allowing herself one minute to feel the full weight of her emotions. Better here, alone, than inside and in front of Henry, who remained blissfully unaware of the shaky ground they now stood on.
Yesterday had been awful. And okay, she’d had other awful days and bounced back, but this felt scarier than anything they’d yet experienced. She didn’t have a
They had each behaved more than a little crazily when it came to winning over their respective significant others. Between the three of them, there had been one outlandish scheme after another. Cole’s pretend, completely fictionalized girlfriend to make Rachel jealous. Haley’s sneaky maneuvers to capture Gavin’s attention. And Reid...well, he’d gone all out and planned an entire wedding when Daisy hadn’t even agreed to marry him.
Well, he’d make darn sure there wasn’t anything for his family to sense. His life was great just the way it was, and he didn’t see why that had to change.
If, for some ridiculous reason, when all was said and done, his
interest
in Chelsea didn’t abate, what then? Dylan’s heart rammed hard in his chest and sweat beaded on the back of his neck. He didn’t know. Didn’t want to know, either.
He simply wouldn’t go there again. Preferably with anyone, but absolutely not with a woman who could tie him into such tight knots so early in the game.
* * *
Later that morning, Chelsea stood outside in the cold bite of the wind and tried her best to mask her disappointment when the man from the junkyard offered her $350 for the Malibu. She’d hoped to get closer to five hundred, but really, any additional cash in her pocket gave her options that her broken-down, expensive-to-repair car did not.
Fact, yes, but losing the Malibu still stung.
Blinking back tears, she accepted the money the man counted into the palm of her hand. Now she and Henry were left with nothing but their clothes and the sparse personal belongings they’d brought with them. Some toys and books for Henry and a few—very few—pieces of memorabilia that held special meaning for Chelsea. Her son’s baby blanket and the sleeper he’d worn home from the hospital, a couple of photo albums and, finally, her grandmother Sophia’s recipe cards. The rest had been tossed or given to charity.
Earlier, after finding Henry preparing breakfast with Dylan’s mother, Chelsea and Dylan had brought the boxes and suitcases and Henry’s booster seat into the restaurant for safekeeping. Dylan had shared what had transpired that morning, and she had no memory of Henry waking her, so again, she was struck with that strange mix of gratitude and fear.
Gratitude that Dylan had heard Henry and had watched over him—heck, he and Margaret were watching him now while Chelsea dealt with this—and fear of what might have happened if he hadn’t. Truth was, she hadn’t slept that soundly in a very long time. Odd that she had relaxed enough to get any sleep, let alone in a new place with an unpredictable future facing her.
Even sharing breakfast with Dylan and his mother hadn’t been too awkward. Other than a few questions regarding Chelsea’s car, Margaret had kept the conversation to simple topics that involved Henry. Did he have a favorite toy? Had he learned the alphabet yet? Since he had, he then—naturally—had to prove so by reciting the letters. Not once, but twice.
Up until this very minute, Chelsea’s first morning in Steamboat Springs had gone as well as it possibly could. But selling her car was more difficult than she’d thought. Sighing, she stepped backward and watched as the man readied the vehicle to be towed. Failure, strong and consuming, slammed onto her shoulders. Where would she and her son sleep tonight? How many days or weeks or months would it take her to get them back on their feet?
Chelsea drew in a breath to steady herself and watched as the Malibu was hauled away. She waited until the truck and the car were completely out of sight before allowing herself one minute to feel the full weight of her emotions. Better here, alone, than inside and in front of Henry, who remained blissfully unaware of the shaky ground they now stood on.
Yesterday had been awful. And okay, she’d had other awful days and bounced back, but this felt scarier than anything they’d yet experienced. She didn’t have a
Similar Books
