Read Online Feels Like Family by Sherryl Woods - Free Book Online Page A

closer. They’d always been family friends, but Annie had wanted more, and Ty seemed to be showing some interest at long last. They’d been on half a dozen “real” dates, as Annie liked to call them, before Ty left for college,though both of them stopped short of saying they were actually a couple.
    “What’s your question?” Erik asked, studying her closely for signs that she’d fallen back into her old harmful eating patterns. It didn’t matter how frequently he saw her, he couldn’t seem to stop himself from checking. Fortunately her complexion had a healthy glow, her hair was shining, and even more telling, she was wearing clothes that fit and showed off a figure that was still a little on the thin side, but far from the skeletal form it had been a year ago.
    “You know Ty’s at Duke,” she began.
    Erik bit back a grin. “You’ve mentioned it a time or two since he left for school last fall.”
    Annie frowned at his teasing. “I mention it so much because it’s amazing that I actually know a guy who’s at Duke and who’s the star of their baseball team, even though he’s only a freshman. What’s even more amazing is that we go out once in a while to movies and parties. He’s even…” She blushed furiously.
    Erik’s gaze narrowed. “He’s even what?”
    “Kissed me,” she confessed shyly. “It was totally awesome.”
    Although he wasn’t her father, Erik felt like it sometimes, so close was he to the family. And like a father he did not want to hear about any guy, even a responsible young man like Tyler, kissing Annie. For sure Ronnie wouldn’t be thrilled about it, either, even if kids their age often did a whole lot more than kiss. Still, maybe it was a good sign that Annie was talking about it. If things had gone beyond the kissing stage, he suspected she’d keep it to herself. He was so out of his depth with this stuff!
    “You know there’s nothing amazing about Ty likingyou,” he told her, opting for a lesson in self-esteem. “You’re a terrific young woman. You could have a dozen boyfriends at a dozen different colleges if you wanted them.”
    “You’re just biased, like my dad,” she scoffed. “Anyway, my question is whether I should ask Ty to come home to take me to my senior prom or whether that would be totally lame.”
    “Isn’t prom coming up soon?” Erik asked. “I think your mom mentioned something about taking you to Charleston to shop for a dress.”
    “It’s three weeks away,” she said. “So it’s practically last-minute if I ask him now.”
    “Why have you put off asking him?”
    “It feels weird. It’s not like we’re exclusive or anything. Don’t guys like to do the asking?”
    “As a general rule, yes,” Erik told her. “But this is your event, not his. My guess is that Ty’s probably wondering why you haven’t already asked. You said yourself you’re not dating each other exclusively. What if he thinks you’re going with some other guy?”
    “But I would never do that,” Annie said, her expression dismayed. “I don’t even want to see other boys.”
    “Then, if you want him to go, ask him. A man appreciates a woman who’s direct with him.” He winked at her. “Unlike women, we’re pretty simple creatures. Be straightforward and honest with us and we’ll go along with the program. Women are the mysterious, complicated ones.”
    “I wonder if Ty thinks I’m mysterious and complicated,” Annie asked, looking intrigued with the idea.
    “I can just about guarantee it. He’s nineteen. I doubt he gets anything about women yet. I’m still working it out and I’m twice that age.”
    Annie hopped down off the stool and hugged him. “Thanks.”
    “Why didn’t you just ask your dad or your mom about this?” he asked.
    She shrugged. “They’re parents. They get all worked up thinking I might wind up disappointed and I get a half-hour lecture on not counting on too much where Ty’s concerned. That usually turns into a