Read Online Son of a Preacher Man by Arianna Hart - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Arianna Hart
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don’t like these, it’s okay. I don’t know much about boys, so I had to guess what you might like.”
Hunter jumped up and down, his little face wreathed in smiles.
“Okay, Billy, this is for you. Do you like baseball?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Good. And why don’t you call me Miss Nadya?” She handed him a Braves hat and team jersey.
“Wow! Thank you ma—Miss Nadya.” He put the cap on his head and hugged the jersey to his chest. “Just like a real player’s shirt. Can I wear it now?”
“That’s fine with me, if it’s all right with your mama.”
“Me!” Hunter pushed in front of his brother.
“I didn’t forget. This is for you.” She pulled out a big yellow truck.
“Truck! Vroooom !”
“What is going on in here?” Mary Ellen asked from the doorway. She held her cell phone in her hand. “Bill is going to be a little late. There was some trouble with the protesters at the gate. What did you go and do, Nadya Sarov?” she asked as Hunter pushed his truck around the kitchen floor and Billy grabbed her arm.
“Can I wear it now, Mama? Please ?”
“What do you have there?”
“Miss Nadya gave it to me. And it’s a real team shirt, just like the players wear. Can I put it on now, please?”
“Fine, just be careful.” She shooed them out of the kitchen and put her hands on her hips. “I know those jerseys cost the world. I’d thought about getting one for him for his birthday but it was just too much money to spend on something he’d grow out of. And those trucks don’t come cheap either. What were you thinking?”
“I was thinking they’re the closest things I’ll ever have to nephews, and I wanted to spoil them. Now that I know they exist, I want to know their birthdays so I can send them presents and they’ll look forward to visits from their Auntie Nadya.”
“You’re bribing my children.”
“Is it working?”
Mary Ellen laughed. “Of course it is, you nitwit. Come on, let me show you where you’re gonna sleep before you offer to buy the boys a pony.”
“Hmm, a pony. I hadn’t thought of that.”
Chapter Six
“Honey? I’m home. I brought one more for dinner, hope that’s okay.” Bill Michaels strolled into the kitchen, a black lab trailing at his heels, followed by none other than J.T. “ Yum , smells good in here.” He placed a kiss on Mary Ellen’s upturned face and stroked her belly before turning to face Nadya. “Welcome back, Nadya. It’s good to see you again.”
“Thanks. It’s great to be back.” She hugged his tall, skinny form. His hair had darkened from the almost-white towhead she’d remembered to a sandy blond that was thinning at the top. “J.T., fancy meeting you here.”
“When Bill told me Mary Ellen was making chicken and dumplings, I had to invite myself over.”
“There’s always room for one more. J.T., do you want a beer while Bill gets cleaned up?”
“I’d love one. I’ll get it.” He helped himself to the refrigerator then sat next to Nadya on the bench seat. “Don’t you look fresh as a daisy? It’s hot as hell out there. You’d think those protestors would find something better to do when there’s ninety percent humidity and record highs.”
“Were you helping with the protesters? I thought this was your day off?” Nadya tried to act casual but her pulse raced at his nearness. He wore a black T-shirt and jeans, and his biceps bulged at the seams. When he lifted his beer bottle to take a drink, she saw the edge of a tattoo on his upper arm. She had a sudden desire to trace it with her tongue.
She gulped at her wine and scooched a little farther away on the bench.
“Technically, it is my day off, but with only three officers on the entire force, when there’s a big enough problem, we get called in.”
“I’m surprised the town can still support a police department. I noticed the secondary school is closed and the library.”
“The library will re-open in August. It’s open during the school
Hunter jumped up and down, his little face wreathed in smiles.
“Okay, Billy, this is for you. Do you like baseball?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Good. And why don’t you call me Miss Nadya?” She handed him a Braves hat and team jersey.
“Wow! Thank you ma—Miss Nadya.” He put the cap on his head and hugged the jersey to his chest. “Just like a real player’s shirt. Can I wear it now?”
“That’s fine with me, if it’s all right with your mama.”
“Me!” Hunter pushed in front of his brother.
“I didn’t forget. This is for you.” She pulled out a big yellow truck.
“Truck! Vroooom !”
“What is going on in here?” Mary Ellen asked from the doorway. She held her cell phone in her hand. “Bill is going to be a little late. There was some trouble with the protesters at the gate. What did you go and do, Nadya Sarov?” she asked as Hunter pushed his truck around the kitchen floor and Billy grabbed her arm.
“Can I wear it now, Mama? Please ?”
“What do you have there?”
“Miss Nadya gave it to me. And it’s a real team shirt, just like the players wear. Can I put it on now, please?”
“Fine, just be careful.” She shooed them out of the kitchen and put her hands on her hips. “I know those jerseys cost the world. I’d thought about getting one for him for his birthday but it was just too much money to spend on something he’d grow out of. And those trucks don’t come cheap either. What were you thinking?”
“I was thinking they’re the closest things I’ll ever have to nephews, and I wanted to spoil them. Now that I know they exist, I want to know their birthdays so I can send them presents and they’ll look forward to visits from their Auntie Nadya.”
“You’re bribing my children.”
“Is it working?”
Mary Ellen laughed. “Of course it is, you nitwit. Come on, let me show you where you’re gonna sleep before you offer to buy the boys a pony.”
“Hmm, a pony. I hadn’t thought of that.”
Chapter Six
“Honey? I’m home. I brought one more for dinner, hope that’s okay.” Bill Michaels strolled into the kitchen, a black lab trailing at his heels, followed by none other than J.T. “ Yum , smells good in here.” He placed a kiss on Mary Ellen’s upturned face and stroked her belly before turning to face Nadya. “Welcome back, Nadya. It’s good to see you again.”
“Thanks. It’s great to be back.” She hugged his tall, skinny form. His hair had darkened from the almost-white towhead she’d remembered to a sandy blond that was thinning at the top. “J.T., fancy meeting you here.”
“When Bill told me Mary Ellen was making chicken and dumplings, I had to invite myself over.”
“There’s always room for one more. J.T., do you want a beer while Bill gets cleaned up?”
“I’d love one. I’ll get it.” He helped himself to the refrigerator then sat next to Nadya on the bench seat. “Don’t you look fresh as a daisy? It’s hot as hell out there. You’d think those protestors would find something better to do when there’s ninety percent humidity and record highs.”
“Were you helping with the protesters? I thought this was your day off?” Nadya tried to act casual but her pulse raced at his nearness. He wore a black T-shirt and jeans, and his biceps bulged at the seams. When he lifted his beer bottle to take a drink, she saw the edge of a tattoo on his upper arm. She had a sudden desire to trace it with her tongue.
She gulped at her wine and scooched a little farther away on the bench.
“Technically, it is my day off, but with only three officers on the entire force, when there’s a big enough problem, we get called in.”
“I’m surprised the town can still support a police department. I noticed the secondary school is closed and the library.”
“The library will re-open in August. It’s open during the school
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