Read Online Keeping Katie (A Mother's Heart #1) by Patricia Keelyn - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Patricia Keelyn
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don’t like leaving Katie in the evening after working most of the day.”
Alan nodded as if he understood. “Hard on kids, having a working mother.”
“Yes, well, we all have to eat.” She meant to sound casual. Instead, her words came out flippant, showing her irritation. At herself. At him. At the situation. Turning away, she grabbed the large mustard jar from the refrigerator and set it on the counter.
“Did you work when your husband was alive?”
Maureen sighed. “Yes, Alan, I had a job.” She was almost used to all the questions. Almost. “This is the twenty-first century, you know. Women have careers, just like men.”
“Whoa! “Alan raised his hands in a defensive gesture. “I didn’t mean to step on toes here.”
Maureen took a deep breath and curbed the sharp retort that sprang to her lips.
Get hold of yourself.
Showing Alan just how much he got under her skin wouldn’t do her, or Katie, any good.
“Sorry,” she said after a moment’s pause to regain her equilibrium. “I shouldn’t have jumped on you. I guess I’m just a little tired today. Katie kept me up most of the night.”
“Is she all right?”
“Fine. You know how kids are. They wear you out being sick in the middle of the night. Then the next morning, when you’re dead on your feet, they’re perfectly healthy.”
Alan chuckled. “Well, I don’t know much about other kids, but I know Katie can certainly wear you out.”
“Yes, well, she loves the way you romp with her on Sunday nights.” Another fiasco, trying to keep Katie from attaching herself to Alan. It made no difference how much distance Maureen kept between them, every Sunday he and Katie spent the evening tumbling around Rita’s living room.
“We’ll have to get her on a real horse soon,” he said.
Maureen started to object, but stopped herself. She didn’t plan on being in Wyattville long enough for Alan to get Katie on a horse.
“Here you are, traitor.” Lynn emerged from the kitchen and placed a platter of food in front of Alan. “It’s on the house, if you can convince Maureen to go with me tonight.”
He laughed. “Not a chance. I know better than to get between two stubborn females.”
“Lynn,” Maureen said, her voice sharper than she intended. “I don’t
want
to go.”
“Okay.” Lynn lifted her hands in surrender. “I know when I’m licked. You don’t want to come tonight.” She moved over to the counter and began replacing yellow lids on the bottles Maureen had just filled. “But what about tomorrow? It’s your day off, and we’re going to start gathering everything in the school gym. You can bring Katie.”
“I can’t,” Maureen said. “I’ve got plans for tomorrow.” She regretted the words the minute they were out of her mouth. She kept forgetting where she was. This wasn’t Miami, but Wyattville, Washington, where everyone knew what everybody else was up to. Now she’d have to come up with something pretty quick.
“Plans?” Lynn crossed her arms suspiciously. “What plans?”
Maureen looked from Lynn to Alan and back again. “I’m going to Seattle tomorrow.”
“Seattle?”
Now that she’d said it, Maureen decided it was a great idea. She’d planned to go for weeks now, and this was the perfect opportunity. It would get her out of the festival preparations, plus allow her to access back issues of the
Miami Herald
on the Internet using the library’s computers
.
“Whatever for?” Lynn asked.
Maureen hedged. Forgetting the mustard bottles, she slipped from behind the counter and started gathering salt and pepper shakers from the tables. “I have some personal business to take care of.”
“What kind—”
“Lynn,” interrupted Alan, “she said it was personal. Don’t you think you’re being a little nosy?”
“I’m not being nosy …”
“Yes, you are,” Maureen said, suddenly very tired of this town and all its good intentions. She just wanted to be left alone.
“I tell you
Alan nodded as if he understood. “Hard on kids, having a working mother.”
“Yes, well, we all have to eat.” She meant to sound casual. Instead, her words came out flippant, showing her irritation. At herself. At him. At the situation. Turning away, she grabbed the large mustard jar from the refrigerator and set it on the counter.
“Did you work when your husband was alive?”
Maureen sighed. “Yes, Alan, I had a job.” She was almost used to all the questions. Almost. “This is the twenty-first century, you know. Women have careers, just like men.”
“Whoa! “Alan raised his hands in a defensive gesture. “I didn’t mean to step on toes here.”
Maureen took a deep breath and curbed the sharp retort that sprang to her lips.
Get hold of yourself.
Showing Alan just how much he got under her skin wouldn’t do her, or Katie, any good.
“Sorry,” she said after a moment’s pause to regain her equilibrium. “I shouldn’t have jumped on you. I guess I’m just a little tired today. Katie kept me up most of the night.”
“Is she all right?”
“Fine. You know how kids are. They wear you out being sick in the middle of the night. Then the next morning, when you’re dead on your feet, they’re perfectly healthy.”
Alan chuckled. “Well, I don’t know much about other kids, but I know Katie can certainly wear you out.”
“Yes, well, she loves the way you romp with her on Sunday nights.” Another fiasco, trying to keep Katie from attaching herself to Alan. It made no difference how much distance Maureen kept between them, every Sunday he and Katie spent the evening tumbling around Rita’s living room.
“We’ll have to get her on a real horse soon,” he said.
Maureen started to object, but stopped herself. She didn’t plan on being in Wyattville long enough for Alan to get Katie on a horse.
“Here you are, traitor.” Lynn emerged from the kitchen and placed a platter of food in front of Alan. “It’s on the house, if you can convince Maureen to go with me tonight.”
He laughed. “Not a chance. I know better than to get between two stubborn females.”
“Lynn,” Maureen said, her voice sharper than she intended. “I don’t
want
to go.”
“Okay.” Lynn lifted her hands in surrender. “I know when I’m licked. You don’t want to come tonight.” She moved over to the counter and began replacing yellow lids on the bottles Maureen had just filled. “But what about tomorrow? It’s your day off, and we’re going to start gathering everything in the school gym. You can bring Katie.”
“I can’t,” Maureen said. “I’ve got plans for tomorrow.” She regretted the words the minute they were out of her mouth. She kept forgetting where she was. This wasn’t Miami, but Wyattville, Washington, where everyone knew what everybody else was up to. Now she’d have to come up with something pretty quick.
“Plans?” Lynn crossed her arms suspiciously. “What plans?”
Maureen looked from Lynn to Alan and back again. “I’m going to Seattle tomorrow.”
“Seattle?”
Now that she’d said it, Maureen decided it was a great idea. She’d planned to go for weeks now, and this was the perfect opportunity. It would get her out of the festival preparations, plus allow her to access back issues of the
Miami Herald
on the Internet using the library’s computers
.
“Whatever for?” Lynn asked.
Maureen hedged. Forgetting the mustard bottles, she slipped from behind the counter and started gathering salt and pepper shakers from the tables. “I have some personal business to take care of.”
“What kind—”
“Lynn,” interrupted Alan, “she said it was personal. Don’t you think you’re being a little nosy?”
“I’m not being nosy …”
“Yes, you are,” Maureen said, suddenly very tired of this town and all its good intentions. She just wanted to be left alone.
“I tell you
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