Read Online To Be a Dad (Harlequin Superromance) by Kate Kelly - Free Book Online
Authors: Kate Kelly
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shift of being independent to relying on Dusty’s goodwill for a roof over her and her babies’ heads. Her stomach had been queasy all day, and she didn’t think she could entirely blame that on morning sickness.
“Don’t take it personally, okay? I need to pay my own way. It’s bad enough I’m taking advantage of our friendship and living with you.”
He rolled his hand into a fist and tapped it on the steering wheel. “Pretty hard not to take that personally. I’m not good enough for you?”
She covered his hand with hers. “I don’t mean to hurt you, but I’m not budging on this. I need to maintain some control over my life. I’m not taking money from you.”
He gave a curt nod and backed out of the parking spot. “Have it your way.
“Remember the winter we were all into sliding on old man MacEachern’s hill, and I broke my Ziffy-Whomper sled?” he asked after driving a couple of blocks. “And even though you really wanted to be in the final race, you loaned me yours?”
Teressa smiled. “You won, too. I didn’t have a chance. I was too much of a lightweight.”
“You might have won. My point is, you let me use your sled, and I accepted your help.”
“It’s not the same. We were kids.”
“Okay, two years ago. Remember Tania-with-an- i? ”
Teressa rolled her eyes. “Who could forget her?”
“I went out with her once, and she thought...I don’t know. That I was going to marry her. And you walked into the café with Sarah and Brendon and shoved Brendon into my arms and said something like, ‘Here’s your daddy.’ ” He laughed. “I never saw Tania-with-an- i again.”
Teressa scowled out the window. Was she another Tania-with-an- i, hanging on to Dusty when he wanted to be free?
“You don’t remember?” Dusty glanced at her.
“I remember.”
“What’s wrong?”
“You dated me once, too.”
“Come on. There’s no comparison. You’re Teressa.”
“What’s that mean?”
“Well, you’re...you’re a friend, for one thing.”
What every woman who took one look at Dusty and his muscles and blue eyes and blond hair wanted to be—a friend.
Dusty was doing what came naturally to him, being a good guy. How long before he started to resent her and the children? Started? Boy was she in la-la land. He had to have resented her the minute he found out she was pregnant.
“My point is,” he persisted, “friends help friends.”
“I got your point, Dusty. I’m not taking your money. But thank you,” she added after a minute.
They drove the rest of the way to the mall in silence and went straight to the appliance section of a large department store. She headed to the back of the display, where they kept last years’ models, but Dusty caught her hand in his and tugged her toward the front. “I like the flat-tops,” he said.
“They’re more expensive.”
“The old ones are harder to keep clean. Pick one of these.” He pointed to a line of midrange stoves.
Hmm. She ran her fingertips over the smooth ceramic top, tapped out a tune on the digital keypad. Against her will, a little thrill ran through her. She’d never owned a brand-new anything before. Deciding to get serious, she took her time examining each one and questioning the salesclerk. After the first ten minutes, Dusty wandered over to the flat-screen televisions, but she refused to make a decision without him at least looking at what she thought was the best buy. They ended up buying a stove, a refrigerator, a dryer and a bunk-bed set. He’d just bought a new washer and dishwasher in the summer. Against her protests—What did he need a second flat screen TV for? He had a gigantic one at home—he bought a smaller flat screen. She justified the purchases as things Dusty needed or wanted for his house anyway. Except for the bunk beds, but every house could use a set, right? And if she moved out, she’d buy them from him. Not that she mentioned her plan.
“I’m starving.” Dusty rubbed his
“Don’t take it personally, okay? I need to pay my own way. It’s bad enough I’m taking advantage of our friendship and living with you.”
He rolled his hand into a fist and tapped it on the steering wheel. “Pretty hard not to take that personally. I’m not good enough for you?”
She covered his hand with hers. “I don’t mean to hurt you, but I’m not budging on this. I need to maintain some control over my life. I’m not taking money from you.”
He gave a curt nod and backed out of the parking spot. “Have it your way.
“Remember the winter we were all into sliding on old man MacEachern’s hill, and I broke my Ziffy-Whomper sled?” he asked after driving a couple of blocks. “And even though you really wanted to be in the final race, you loaned me yours?”
Teressa smiled. “You won, too. I didn’t have a chance. I was too much of a lightweight.”
“You might have won. My point is, you let me use your sled, and I accepted your help.”
“It’s not the same. We were kids.”
“Okay, two years ago. Remember Tania-with-an- i? ”
Teressa rolled her eyes. “Who could forget her?”
“I went out with her once, and she thought...I don’t know. That I was going to marry her. And you walked into the café with Sarah and Brendon and shoved Brendon into my arms and said something like, ‘Here’s your daddy.’ ” He laughed. “I never saw Tania-with-an- i again.”
Teressa scowled out the window. Was she another Tania-with-an- i, hanging on to Dusty when he wanted to be free?
“You don’t remember?” Dusty glanced at her.
“I remember.”
“What’s wrong?”
“You dated me once, too.”
“Come on. There’s no comparison. You’re Teressa.”
“What’s that mean?”
“Well, you’re...you’re a friend, for one thing.”
What every woman who took one look at Dusty and his muscles and blue eyes and blond hair wanted to be—a friend.
Dusty was doing what came naturally to him, being a good guy. How long before he started to resent her and the children? Started? Boy was she in la-la land. He had to have resented her the minute he found out she was pregnant.
“My point is,” he persisted, “friends help friends.”
“I got your point, Dusty. I’m not taking your money. But thank you,” she added after a minute.
They drove the rest of the way to the mall in silence and went straight to the appliance section of a large department store. She headed to the back of the display, where they kept last years’ models, but Dusty caught her hand in his and tugged her toward the front. “I like the flat-tops,” he said.
“They’re more expensive.”
“The old ones are harder to keep clean. Pick one of these.” He pointed to a line of midrange stoves.
Hmm. She ran her fingertips over the smooth ceramic top, tapped out a tune on the digital keypad. Against her will, a little thrill ran through her. She’d never owned a brand-new anything before. Deciding to get serious, she took her time examining each one and questioning the salesclerk. After the first ten minutes, Dusty wandered over to the flat-screen televisions, but she refused to make a decision without him at least looking at what she thought was the best buy. They ended up buying a stove, a refrigerator, a dryer and a bunk-bed set. He’d just bought a new washer and dishwasher in the summer. Against her protests—What did he need a second flat screen TV for? He had a gigantic one at home—he bought a smaller flat screen. She justified the purchases as things Dusty needed or wanted for his house anyway. Except for the bunk beds, but every house could use a set, right? And if she moved out, she’d buy them from him. Not that she mentioned her plan.
“I’m starving.” Dusty rubbed his
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