AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Did you notice she leaned in for a kiss?” Chris asked, barking out a laugh.
“Oh Jesus, Chris, I forgot all about that. Tell me you washed your face!”
“I did, but I wished I hadn’t. Would have served her right.”
“That’s disgusting,” Annie cried. “Honest to God, men are like dogs.”
“And proud of it,” he said, laughing. “Anyway, it was nervy of her. That’s Cindy. And my boys took to you right away. I’ll have to keep them in line when you’re around.”
“I don’t have that effect on men, trust me.”
“Ah, yes, you do. You had it on me, and evidently you had it on your ex, and I could tell you had it on my sons. You’ll have to watch Joel.”
“Now you’ve got me worried,” Annie said, smirking.
“Just make sure you don’t bend over in your bikini when he’s around.”
“How about I won’t wear one when he’s around! And when is he going to be around?”
“They are already talking about moving in here,” Chris said, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.
Annie’s heart sunk.
“Do I have any say in this?”
“Of course. But they’re my boys. I can’t very well not let them move in with us, can I?”
“No, I guess not.”
She wondered why he had to let them move in. She’d make sure that was what she wanted before she gave her notice to her father-in-law. Why were all of these uncertainties coming up now?
“You don’t sound convinced,” Chris said.
“I’m not sure how I feel about having to take care of two more grown men. It sounds like a lot of work.”
She continued to wash out brushes in the kitchen sink, trying to pinpoint exactly at what time their relationship became so complicated. The key to resolution had to be communication. She looked over at him crouched down, pounding a paint can lid into place with a rubber mallet. Leave it to Chris to have every tool needed for every project.
“Chris?”
“Yes, dear.”
“I’m not ready to have your boys live with us. In the first place, they need to help their mother out, and secondly, they need to get jobs. Ben is still in school, but if Joel is almost ready to graduate college, he should be interviewing.” He looked up at her, his face unreadable. “We’re just starting out together and I don’t think having two young men in our midst will help us adjust to married life.”
“Okay, I can see your point. Especially about them helping out Cindy.”
“Also, from a purely pedestrian standpoint, she looked fine to me. Didn’t she look fine to you?”
“She did. But she’s not really symptomatic yet. She had chest pain and that was when the problem was discovered.”
He droned on about Cindy, telling Annie about how stoic she was especially now that she was practically facing death. Then he launched into a critical diatribe about her ex, a gentleman named Kirk Johnson who evidently had a weak constitution when it came to sickness.
“You about done?” Annie said, tiring of the Cindy conversation. “I’m ready to get my dancing shoes on.”
“Just about. I’m going to bite the bullet and hope to move rugs and furniture in next week.”
They walked out to the truck after locking up the house and he held the door open for her.
“We have a lot to talk about. Even if my boys just want to visit, I still have to get furniture for them. But I need your okay.”
