Read Online Husband by the Hour by Susan Mallery - Free Book Online
Authors: Susan Mallery
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her and a beer for Nick. Just as Hannah wondered if everyone was going to stand there watching her and Nick eat, Louise said, "Baseball."
Travis looked at her. "What?"
"Basketball? Isn't there a sporting event on television tonight?"
Kyle grinned. "I think she's trying to tell us something." He leaned over the island and grabbed Nick's plate. "Come on. The women are throwing us out. Let's go to the den. There's a big-screen television in there. You can eat in peace."
Nick hesitated. Hannah stared at him. If he left, she would be alone. Their eyes met. She read concern and compassion in his gaze. If she didn't know better, she would swear he really cared about what happened to her. Which was a completely crazy idea. Nick only cared about himself. Right?
She thought about all he'd already done for her and it was only the first day. He was worth a whole lot more than four hundred dollars. Or three hundred and ninety, a little voice whispered in her head as she remembered the heat and pleasure of their ten-dollar kiss.
"I'll be fine," she said.
He touched her cheek with the back of his fingers. For one oddly unsettling moment, she wanted the contact to be real and not simply because he was playing a part. Then he followed the men and she was left alone with six strange women.
Her appetite deserted her and she set down her fork. Now what?
Louise took the seat next to her. The two pregnant half sisters-in-law, if that was the relationship, took the other two. The remaining three leaned against the counter.
"You look lost and confused," said one. She had long brown hair and pretty eyes. "I'll make it easy," the woman continued. "I'm Elizabeth . Brown hair, brown eyes. Average-looking."
The other women hooted at that remark. "Oh, sure. Average," Jill said. She was easy to remember because she looked like she was going to give birth at any moment. She shifted on the stool. "I'm Jill. Red hair, short."
"And pregnant," Hannah said.
Jill patted her tummy. "Any day now."
Hannah turned to the other pregnant woman. "Holly, right?"
"That's me. Jordan 's my husband and this is our house." She smiled shyly. "We were just married in January."
Elizabeth moved next to Holly and hugged her. "Newlyweds and this one already five months pregnant. Do these boys know how to get the job done, or what?"
Hannah laughed.
"I'm Sandy ." She was about Elizabeth 's height adage, with shoulder-length hair, freckles and huge green eyes. "I'm married to the baby. That's Kyle."
"Which leaves only me. I'm Rebecca." Rebecca was tall and slender, with thick curly hair that spilled over her shoulders nearly to her waist. Her perfect face belonged on an eighteenth-century portrait. "I'm married to Austin, who is a Haynes brother in spirit if not, in blood."
Hannah stared from one to the other. "I'm not sure I'll ever sort you all out, but I'll try."
Louise gave her a quick hug. "I'll make everyone wear name tags."
Elizabeth stared at Hannah. "You have the Haynes features, all right."
"She's very pretty," Louise said proudly. "I knew she would be."
"I don't think I'd use the word pretty," Hannah protested.
"Oh, I would." Sandy grinned. "And your husband is very handsome."
"For a guy with blond hair," Elizabeth teased.
"I happen to like Nick's blond hair," Hannah said.
Elizabeth leaned close. "He's a natural blond, right?"
All the women shrieked with laughter. Hannah joined in, feeling vaguely uncomfortable. Not with the teasing. She liked these women. What made her stomach clench was the fact that everything about her was a lie. Would they be as open and friendly if they knew the truth?
She always worried about people being whom they pretended to be. Despite being married to cops, none of these women seemed to have doubts about her story or to wonder if she might not be telling the truth. They trusted her.
For a half second, she thought about coming clean. Then Louise raised her glass and said, "I'd like to propose a toast. To my beautiful
Travis looked at her. "What?"
"Basketball? Isn't there a sporting event on television tonight?"
Kyle grinned. "I think she's trying to tell us something." He leaned over the island and grabbed Nick's plate. "Come on. The women are throwing us out. Let's go to the den. There's a big-screen television in there. You can eat in peace."
Nick hesitated. Hannah stared at him. If he left, she would be alone. Their eyes met. She read concern and compassion in his gaze. If she didn't know better, she would swear he really cared about what happened to her. Which was a completely crazy idea. Nick only cared about himself. Right?
She thought about all he'd already done for her and it was only the first day. He was worth a whole lot more than four hundred dollars. Or three hundred and ninety, a little voice whispered in her head as she remembered the heat and pleasure of their ten-dollar kiss.
"I'll be fine," she said.
He touched her cheek with the back of his fingers. For one oddly unsettling moment, she wanted the contact to be real and not simply because he was playing a part. Then he followed the men and she was left alone with six strange women.
Her appetite deserted her and she set down her fork. Now what?
Louise took the seat next to her. The two pregnant half sisters-in-law, if that was the relationship, took the other two. The remaining three leaned against the counter.
"You look lost and confused," said one. She had long brown hair and pretty eyes. "I'll make it easy," the woman continued. "I'm Elizabeth . Brown hair, brown eyes. Average-looking."
The other women hooted at that remark. "Oh, sure. Average," Jill said. She was easy to remember because she looked like she was going to give birth at any moment. She shifted on the stool. "I'm Jill. Red hair, short."
"And pregnant," Hannah said.
Jill patted her tummy. "Any day now."
Hannah turned to the other pregnant woman. "Holly, right?"
"That's me. Jordan 's my husband and this is our house." She smiled shyly. "We were just married in January."
Elizabeth moved next to Holly and hugged her. "Newlyweds and this one already five months pregnant. Do these boys know how to get the job done, or what?"
Hannah laughed.
"I'm Sandy ." She was about Elizabeth 's height adage, with shoulder-length hair, freckles and huge green eyes. "I'm married to the baby. That's Kyle."
"Which leaves only me. I'm Rebecca." Rebecca was tall and slender, with thick curly hair that spilled over her shoulders nearly to her waist. Her perfect face belonged on an eighteenth-century portrait. "I'm married to Austin, who is a Haynes brother in spirit if not, in blood."
Hannah stared from one to the other. "I'm not sure I'll ever sort you all out, but I'll try."
Louise gave her a quick hug. "I'll make everyone wear name tags."
Elizabeth stared at Hannah. "You have the Haynes features, all right."
"She's very pretty," Louise said proudly. "I knew she would be."
"I don't think I'd use the word pretty," Hannah protested.
"Oh, I would." Sandy grinned. "And your husband is very handsome."
"For a guy with blond hair," Elizabeth teased.
"I happen to like Nick's blond hair," Hannah said.
Elizabeth leaned close. "He's a natural blond, right?"
All the women shrieked with laughter. Hannah joined in, feeling vaguely uncomfortable. Not with the teasing. She liked these women. What made her stomach clench was the fact that everything about her was a lie. Would they be as open and friendly if they knew the truth?
She always worried about people being whom they pretended to be. Despite being married to cops, none of these women seemed to have doubts about her story or to wonder if she might not be telling the truth. They trusted her.
For a half second, she thought about coming clean. Then Louise raised her glass and said, "I'd like to propose a toast. To my beautiful
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